Jewelry

[rms1954]

Is it real turquoise or enhanced????

[1Professor]

@rms1954 

Generally not considered gem quality.

From the internet:

Natural Turquoise is considered "Gem Quality" because it is hard enough to be cut into gemstones without stabilization or enhancement. There is always a large percentage of turquoise found in every mine that is not hard enough to cut, and the miners call it chalk (low grade turquoise)  which is then stabilized or enhanced to make it hard enough to cut into gemstones

[Kachina624]

@rms1954    Unless it's stated that it's composite it's 100% genuine turquoise.  Something like 97% of turquoise on the market today is stabilized.  I wouldn't buy turquoise that isn't. 

Stabilized means that the normally porous stone is impregnated with resin.  This assures that it will always maintain the color it is when you buy it.

Turquoise is very much affected by environmental factors including things like perfumes, hair sprays, the oil from your skin, heat and light.  In a matter of a few years, a blue stone will turn an unattractive green color if left untreated.

I have several rings that belonged to my mother she bought before she knew to ask if they were stabilized.  They are now green.

Stabilization does improve the quality of poor stones, hardening them.  This was done to Sleeping Beauty because it was naturally chalky.  However, the finest stones are also stabilized to prevent them from changing color.

[CalminHeart]

Stabilized usually means they took soft, very low grade turquoise and did things to it to become harder....often compressing bits. It's worth zero! 

[depglass]

What about stones like Kingman that have matrix in them and look like stones?  Mine sure look natural to me, like out of the earth.