In daily life, most people have some exposure to and understanding of turquoise. Prices in the market vary widely—some pieces cost just a few hundred yuan, while others reach tens of thousands…
So what truly defines high-quality turquoise? How can you acquire your favorite pieces at a fair price?
Many ask which mines yield the finest stones. In truth, every mine produces both exceptional and inferior specimens—it’s simply a matter of quantity.
Generally speaking, Qin Ancient Mine material tends to exhibit a greenish-blue hue but boasts high porcelain-like luster, developing beautiful color after handling. Yungaisi Mine material features a blue color with high jade-like quality, making it ideal for jewelry and accessories—it looks stunning without any polishing. Yajiaoshan Mine material has uniform coloration with minimal iron streaks, changes color quickly with handling, and is exceptionally suitable for carving.
How is turquoise processed?
Turquoise is expensive because significant material is lost during processing.
Round beads suffer high wastage during production—typically yielding only one kilogram of finished product from 6–7 kilograms of raw material—hence their relatively high price.
Beyond beads, some raw stones are carved into sculptures. From design, rough shaping, carving, refining, to polishing… a single carving can take a sculptor half a month to complete. Thoughtfully designed and carved turquoise is imbued with a new soul and life.
Turquoise is a rare gemstone, sustaining the livelihoods of many miners and artisans. Yet the turquoise market is rife with counterfeits and fraud, often destroying the hard work of many.
At some point, growing anxiety and fear have gripped the turquoise industry. On one hand, the supply of premium-quality raw material continues to dwindle. On the other, counterfeiting and fraudulent sales have become increasingly rampant.
From resin injection and impregnation to spot-gluing and porcelain coating, to dyeing with carbonates and magnesite… counterfeiting techniques keep advancing, with all sorts of “black technologies” emerging one after another.
How to Choose Turquoise?
Assess Porcelain-Like Quality
An industry saying goes: “Jadeite is chosen for its variety, Hetian for its luster, turquoise for its porcelain-like quality.” Here, “porcelain-like quality” refers to the turquoise’s porcelain-like texture. Turquoise with low porcelain-like quality lacks appeal. The higher the porcelain-like quality, the better the turquoise’s overall appearance.
Assess Clarity
Generally, the purer the color, the higher the price. Turquoise with numerous mineral inclusions or impurities commands lower prices. However, certain special patterns—like Ulanhua, water grass veins, or Tang Sancai—maintain high value despite iron lines, as their overall aesthetic appeal remains strong.
Assessing Color
Generally, deeper-colored turquoise commands higher prices, while lighter hues are less valuable. Turquoise with intense blue or green tones is collectively termed “high color.” Conversely, pale or unattractive colors like white, yellow, or brown result in lower prices.
Evaluating Size
Size is straightforward: for comparable quality, larger pieces command higher prices, while smaller ones are less expensive.
Assessing Carving
The quality of a turquoise carving primarily depends on the skill of the craftsmanship. Major schools of turquoise carving include Suzhou, Northern, Henan, and Guangdong styles. Criteria for evaluating fine carving include: smoothness of lines, proportion and expression of figures, overall artistic conception of the piece, and attention to detail.
The above are only basic factors for selecting turquoise. To purchase truly high-quality turquoise at a fair price, further knowledge and experience in handling and appreciating the stone are essential.
Show new players the fakes masquerading as turquoise!
Dyed Carbonate
Dyed carbonate is a synthetic gemstone created by dyeing carbonate minerals—the latest tech product used to impersonate turquoise. This item currently floods Taobao, Pinduoduo, and major livestreaming platforms. Sellers package it as “associated minerals” for sale, making it difficult for novice collectors to identify.
Glass
Turquoise glass is a synthetic imitation made from quartz, copper compounds (possibly malachite), calcium carbonate, and sodium carbonate.
Magnesite
Magnesite closely resembles dyed carbonate and is another artificially synthesized turquoise imitation. It’s a product favored by unscrupulous merchants.
Resin Infusion
This is a more traditional method of counterfeiting and enhancement. The color and iron veins in resin-treated turquoise often appear unnatural. A significant proportion of turquoise pieces acquired by enthusiasts several years ago were likely treated with resin infusion.
What’s the greatest joy of playing with turquoise?
My answer is simple:
It’s a delicate bracelet that, after careful handling, develops a stunning patina!
▲Turquoise changing color and becoming jade-like after handling
Or a exquisite carving that, with attentive play, appears even more refined.
To me, this is the ultimate pleasure of turquoise!
Anyone who’s played with turquoise knows—handling it feels amazing!
Playing with turquoise “jelly material” is even more damn satisfying!
▲Before and after comparison of turquoise after handling
The fresh, delicate blue turquoise, rubbed and kneaded in your hands,
shifts from light to deep, from pale to rich,
until it becomes translucent and jade-like, radiant and luscious.
This process brings an indescribable sense of accomplishment and experience.
Good turquoise has only two criteria:
1. Excellent playability;
2. Masterful craftsmanship;
With fine texture and high porcelain-like quality, such turquoise yields exceptional results when handled.
In our trade lingo, it’s called “fine-grained,” colloquially known as “jelly stone”!
“Jelly stone” isn’t just ideal for carving and intricate work—it also changes color quickly and evenly, making it the most suitable turquoise for handling.
▲Jelly-like Turquoise
Yajiao Mountain, Laba Mountain, 919 White Skin…
These are renowned regions for premium turquoise,
mineral sources familiar to many enthusiasts.
Their excellence stems from superior material quality, yielding “jelly-like” specimens.
▲High-quality turquoise exhibits jade-like transformation through handling
Jelly-like turquoise achieves uniform coloration and jade-like translucency even with casual handling.
Conversely, turquoise with high porcelain-like hardness but coarse texture will develop mottled patches and white spots despite careful polishing.
▲Poor-quality turquoise exhibits white spots
Turquoise with low porcelain-like hardness holds virtually no polishing value—it’s essentially worthless!
Now let’s discuss turquoise carving techniques.
As the saying goes, a fine horse deserves a fine saddle—exquisite material demands masterful craftsmanship!
The trend in collectible artistry shifts from large, rustic pieces toward delicate, refined designs.
When your turquoise boasts both superb material and craftsmanship, it commands more admiring glances.
A flawlessly crafted piece demands not just five or ten times the creation time, but a complete embodiment of the artisan’s spirit.
Is greener always better for turquoise?
While color is a key indicator of turquoise quality, greener isn’t necessarily superior. Turquoise hues range from sky blue, pale yellow, grayish blue, blue-green, green, gray-green, to earthy yellow. Among these, sky blue is considered the finest. In the market, turquoise with blue tones remains more popular and commands higher prices.
Turquoise in Different Hues
On May 14, 2018, the national standard “Turquoise Grading,” proposed and drafted by the School of Jewelry at China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), introduced rules for classifying turquoise colors. It visually illustrates characteristics such as turquoise color types through text and images. During color grading, color charts are typically used to sequentially determine the turquoise’s brightness, hue, and saturation levels.
Notably, for turquoise exhibiting two or more colors, grading follows the dominant color if identifiable; otherwise, each color must be graded separately. In both cases, the grading report must specify “color unevenness.”
Is solid-colored turquoise always better?
Whether blue or green, solid-colored turquoise does indeed hold greater value when compared to other varieties. In the market, you’ll find that solid-colored turquoise with superior texture and luster commands higher prices. However, this doesn’t mean patterned turquoise lacks merit.
Patterned Turquoise
Common patterns in patterned turquoise include Ulan Flower, Tang Sancai, Spiderweb, Waterweed, Water Ripple, and Raindrop. Even pieces with the same pattern are never identical, and the unique beauty each pattern offers leads many to treasure patterned turquoise in their collections.
Beyond collecting, proper care is essential. Certain varieties like Tang Sancai turquoise, though vibrantly colored, are not suitable for polishing by hand as they may discolor easily. Thus, they require careful handling. “Green as pine stone, its natural hue shines brightly”—turquoise inherently possesses a natural elegance. So, how should beginners polish turquoise, and what colors are best?
When first starting, wear gloves for handling. Before direct skin contact, gently rub the beads with white cotton gloves. After some time, transition to bare-hand handling. This ensures more even color development across the bracelet. Apply gentle, slow pressure consistently over time to significantly enhance the turquoise’s luster.
Pay attention to the holes. Ensure all beads receive thorough, even contact. Pay special attention to the holes that are difficult to reach with your fingers, aiming to cover every part of the turquoise. With consistent handling over time, the color will eventually become uniformly consistent. You can also use the twisting method, which involves twisting each bead individually. This technique originated from monks twisting prayer beads and remains one of the oldest and most traditional ways to handle turquoise strands.
However, one crucial point: keep your palms clean and free of dirt, and avoid excessive moisture, as this can dull the turquoise’s luster. Polishing a turquoise bracelet requires calmness and patience. Never rush the process by rubbing the beads violently. Also, avoid strong impacts during polishing to prevent beads from colliding with each other, which could cause chipping or cracking.
The process of polishing a turquoise bracelet requires consistent, long-term dedication to meticulous care and maintenance. In truth, simply wearing it daily or keeping it close to your body can yield excellent results without any special techniques. With sufficient patience, the color of the turquoise beads will become more uniform and lustrous, and their hue will grow increasingly rich and vibrant.
To determine the best color in turquoise, one must evaluate both the intensity of its blue hue and the overall quality of the stone. This quality encompasses factors such as the stone’s perfection, porcelain-like luster, and hardness.
First and foremost, porcelain-like hardness is paramount.
First, as the saying goes, amateurs judge by color while connoisseurs judge by hardness. Many newcomers to the market fall into the trap of worshiping intense blue hues, dismissing anything less as inferior. Take Ma’anshan material—it boasts vivid blue tones, but does that automatically make it superior? Color alone is a broad indicator of quality and cannot be the sole criterion. Truly exceptional turquoise must possess both exceptional hardness and porcelain-like hardness! Even blue-white stones with excellent porcelain-like quality can develop a deep, rich patina over time. Witnessing this transformation brings immense satisfaction.
Second, is flawless raw material truly the ultimate goal?
Some beginners prioritize minimal iron veins, wanting to eliminate even pinpoint-sized ones! This is another misconception—it’s not a universal rule. Why else would Ulanbaatar turquoise command such high prices? Many enthusiasts specifically seek out iron-veined turquoise for its beautiful patterns. Even pieces with evenly distributed, aesthetically pleasing veins are highly collectible.
Third, many favor carved pieces, chasing works by so-called “master carvers.”
While some masters are genuinely skilled, the Chinese collectibles scene is flooded with “fake masters”! In Suzhou’s carving circles, many “master” pieces are actually crafted by apprentices, with only the master’s signature applied afterward.
Regarding color selection: Blue turquoise, especially deep blue varieties, typically boasts higher hardness. After polishing, its overall texture resembles porcelain, featuring intense blue hues and pure coloration.
Ultimately, the most appealing turquoise color depends on surface smoothness, absence of flaws, and the presence of cracks or iron lines. Understanding iron lines is essential for all turquoise enthusiasts. Iron veins require a balanced perspective. Some turquoise exhibits chaotic iron veins, which are considered flaws that significantly impact aesthetics.
The question of the best turquoise color has no definitive answer, as beauty is subjective. However, the color must be pure, and flaws should be minimal. Acquiring a fine piece of turquoise is a matter of serendipity—let it unfold naturally.
Turquoise is cherished not only for its captivating appearance but also for its myriad mystical properties.
Health Benefits
Modern mineral medicine confirms that natural turquoise is rich in trace elements essential for the human body. It possesses properties that clear heat, reduce inflammation, calm the nerves, and lower blood pressure. Long-term wear further promotes cell regeneration, boosts immunity, and offers other health benefits—the origin of the saying “jade nurtures the body.”
Ground turquoise powder serves not only as pigment but also as medicine. It dispels wind and cold, invigorates blood circulation, detoxifies, cools the blood, and benefits the liver and gallbladder. Tibet’s renowned traditional medicine incorporates turquoise, reputed to effectively treat liver ailments. Thus, turquoise is particularly suited for men who smoke or drink.
Psychological Effects
As the birthstone for December, turquoise symbolizes victory and success, earning it the titles “Stone of Success” and “Lucky Stone.” Throughout history and across cultures, it has been revered for bringing good fortune and protection, serving as an amulet to avert misfortune and ensure safety.
Long-term wear of turquoise can also harmonize one’s emotions and mental state, fostering courage and confidence. It encourages kindness toward others, broadens social connections, promotes harmonious interpersonal relationships, and cultivates a calm and stable mindset. This helps maintain a healthy, cheerful disposition, keeping one perpetually filled with positive energy.
Feng Shui Effects
From a feng shui perspective, turquoise possesses the power to protect homes, ward off evil spirits, and block negative energies. Placing turquoise ornaments indoors safeguards the household’s harmony and peace. It also protects wealth, attracts prosperity, and enhances the family’s fortune.
Of course, many admire turquoise, yet its rising prices often deter buyers. People feel turquoise has become prohibitively expensive in recent years! However, I must emphasize: given its scarcity, turquoise will only grow more valuable in the future!
Of course, for turquoise to fulfill these roles and appreciate in value, the prerequisite is that you purchase genuine, natural raw turquoise. Otherwise, not only will it fail to deliver any benefits, but exposure to synthetic materials could potentially harm your health. In terms of value, it won’t rise—it will fall!