Today's Special Value

[LindaSal]

@Imaoldhippie Really?   I had no knowledge of that.  I was in S Dakota a few years ago and it was everywhere!   Every shop carried it and it seems the website is still up and running.  I'll have to look into it more as I didn't hear that at all when out there.  I love the jewelry, I own many pieces of it!   I do miss it on the Q.

[Kachina624]

@LindaSal   @Imaoldhippie    Environmental regulations have become so rigid that it's almost impossible to mine anything in the US today unless it's a huge commercial operation.  They have put many turquoise miners out of business.  That's one reason it has become scarce.

[Imaoldhippie]

@LindaSal ......if Im not mistaken the Indian tribe that owns the land put a stop to the mining.  its been so long ago I dont remember the details.

[Kachina624]

@Imaoldhippie   @LindaSal 

From Wikipedia

official state jewelry in 1988.[4][5]

The designs use grapes, grape leaves and grape stems and are easily recognizable for their distinctive colors. Silver is alloyed with the yellow gold to produce the green hue, and copper is alloyed with the yellow gold to make the red or pink gold. The jewelry was originally made with South Dakota-mined gold but in more recent years, since the closure of the Homestake Mine, the gold is sourced elsewhere.[6

The Homestake mine ceased production at the end of 2001. Reasons included low gold prices, poor ore quality, and high costs

Apparently the jewelry is still being made but the metals are sourced elsewhere.

[LindaSal]

@Kachina624 @Imaoldhippie Thank you for the information.  Wow, I have certainly learned something today!   How disappointing that it is sourced elsewhere now, it takes the joy out of it for me.  Happy I have older pieces so I think maybe those were mined in the US.  Thanks girls, enjoy the rest of your day

[Boop4321]

What a homely dress.......omg really!!!!