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The advertisement stated that the global supply of turquoise is limited. It prompted me to buy a piece of turquoise jewelry as soon as possible. The "nap, you lost" message is not subtle.

The advertisement suggests that if I wear turquoise, my taste is very picky. I will follow in the footsteps of Native American shamans who understand the healing power of turquoise. Or I would be similar to the European royal family, who introduced turquoise, or Turkish, from Persia via Turkey in the 17th century.

Like many gems, the popularity of turquoise depends on whether the turquoise color is popular. But for collectors or people who are fascinated by stones, it will never be out of date.

During a recent visit to the Turquoise Museum in Albuquerque, the curator and leading turquoise expert Joe Dan Lowry talked to me about all things turquoise, including its rarity. If you want to know, yes, it is one of the rarest gems. As Lowry pointed out, every jewelry store in every mall in the United States sells diamonds. This is definitely not the case with turquoise.

When buying turquoise, knowledge is power. If you are in Albuquerque, please start a guided tour of the Turquoise Museum as I did, or continue reading the tips to help you find the best turquoise jewelry for you in New Mexico.

A tour of the Turquoise Museum will open your eyes to learn about the color range of turquoise and gems from more than 90 mines on six continents. From milky white, light brown and apple green to powder blue and dark turquoise, they are all turquoise. Persian Robin Egg Blue, the iconic color of Tiffany & Co., is also on display.

What about the matrix and inclusions? The matrix is ​​a system of lines running through the stone. According to Lowry, as the stone is formed over a period of 5,000 years, the naturally formed veins are filled with minerals. Inclusions are minerals in turquoise. Like color, gems range from no matrix or inclusions to gems filled with matrix or inclusions in a random or uniform pattern.

Tiffany blue turquoise has very little matrix. In the 1890s, many mines appeared in the southwest to meet Tiffany's growing demand for turquoise with this appearance. The turquoise unearthed by miners in New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, Colorado, and California each has its unique color, matrix, and inclusions. There is no Persian breed that looks like Tiffany.

As the west became a destination for train travelers and later road travelers on Route 66, the turquoise that Native Americans traded and inlaid on the therapist’s necklace became what we now expect to see inlaid in the southwestern United States Turquoise on 925 sterling silver.

When choosing the color and quantity of the turquoise matrix, the most important thing is to attract you. But the price you pay for cabochons (cut and polished turquoise) will depend on its grade and rarity.

Diamonds around the world are graded by carat, cut, clarity and color. Turquoise uses two system classifications-the Persian system and the American system. The bottom line is that the clearest, darkest blue stone has the highest grade, but which mine the stone comes from and its rarity (for example, whether the mine has limited reserves or is still being excavated) affect the value of the stone.

It is certainly a challenge to know that the turquoise gemstone in a piece of jewelry is indeed turquoise.

When I visited the Turquoise Museum, Lowry explained that only 15% of the turquoise excavated from the ground was usable. This is called natural turquoise. The remaining 85% is too soft to be cut or polished as is. It can be added to epoxy or resin to make usable turquoise that can be cut into cabochons. In the process, you can add color or cook the stone in wax or oil to deepen its blue or green color.

There are also artificial gems on the market, in which minerals in natural gems combine to form turquoise. To the uneducated, they look real.

There are also some imitations made of glass or plastic that may or may not be real enough to deceive you.

The price of natural turquoise ranges from cheap to very expensive, depending on the grade of the stone and whether the stone is still being mined. At the same time, some artificial stones have become valuable.

Therefore, the price alone does not indicate whether the stone is natural turquoise. "Nature" is the key word. If you are asking for "natural" turquoise instead of "real" turquoise, then you are asking for turquoise that has been mined, which has not been altered to make it harder or darker.

Natural stone is not oiled or waxed. It is not added to resin or epoxy to allow it to be cut and polished. It is not dyed. And it is not manufactured. It is a natural stone that has only been cut and polished.

The Federal Indian Arts and Crafts Act stipulates that it is illegal to mark jewelry as Native American jewelry if it is not made by a member of one of the federally recognized tribes. Because most Native American jewelry in New Mexico contains turquoise, the Indian Arts and Crafts Act (PDF) of New Mexico requires disclosure of materials used in jewelry.

Once you decide to buy a piece of turquoise jewelry, Lowry recommends that you obtain a receipt containing the date, price and jeweler information, as well as the following written information:

For vintage turquoise jewelry, some of this information will not be available, but the jeweler should still provide you with the grade of the gem, whether it is natural or not, and its estimated value.

If the jeweler is unwilling to give you a certificate or description of turquoise, then you may not buy what you think it is.

If you are interested in buying verifiable turquoise jewelry, you need to go to a reputable jeweler. Here are some recommendations from New Mexico:

The Turquoise Museum Gift Shop sells natural turquoise from American mines and international sources. Here, you can buy turquoise jewelry and cabochons. For an online shopping experience, please visit Lowry Family Collection. The price reflects the grade and rarity of turquoise. The purchase includes a certificate of authenticity.

Gertrude Zachary's gallery also displays rare turquoise. Zachary not only designs jewelry with a modern style, but she also buys and stores rare turquoise from mines where turquoise is no longer produced or mines are almost depleted. She died in 2013, but artists continue to use her designs as well as their own designs to showcase precious turquoise from Number Eight, Morenci and Bisbee Mines.

Tsali Hall curates exquisite turquoise jewelry for Palace Jewelers in Manitou. Most of the stones come from the Lowry family collection, which means that the origin and carat weight of turquoise are part of a certificate of authenticity, as are Native American artists. They have an online store that allows you to view jewelry organized by artists. If you really want to shop, they also have art, including mini sculptures. Every budget has something.

Shiprock Santa Fe sells Native American inlaid jewelry made from different colors of turquoise and other stones. They also sell vintage and antique turquoise jewelry, usually not including the turquoise origin or the jewelry artist's certificate.

Ann Thomas from Sunwest on the Plaza said: “Turquoise is a stone that talks to people.” Their turquoise comes from the American mines of gallery owner Ernie Montoya, as well as Egypt and Kazakhstan. Every Saturday at noon, the gallery will host a live shopping event on their Facebook page.

Richardson Trading Post has a large collection of sterling silver and turquoise jewelry made by Native Americans. Their jewelry is signed by the artist, and the store will indicate on the receipt whether the gemstone is natural or enhanced.

19 miles south of Gallup, Joe Millo's trading company specializes in turquoise from the southwestern United States and Mexico. They provide a certificate of authenticity. Their online store only shows a small part of their inventory, and the product description includes mine.

I asked Lowry, Hall and Thomas who are mature and budding turquoise craftsmen-they are creating jewelry that can stand the test of time in terms of design and craftsmanship.

Look out for the jewellery of the brothers Kyle, Trent and Wyatt Lee-Anderson, Wes Willie, Emmett Navakuku and Bryan Tom, or find a craftsman who communicates with you in style and exhibits in a reputable gallery.

If the price is unbelievably good, please ask more questions. If the seller is unwilling to put the pedigree of turquoise on paper, it may not be a natural stone. As long as it is made public and you pay a reasonable price for it, there is no problem with changing, manufacturing or imitating turquoise. Remember, the Indian Arts and Crafts Act of New Mexico will protect you.

Teresa Otto is a retired pediatric anesthesiologist who now shoots and writes about her travels. When she was not traveling the world, she worked as a waitress and housekeeper for two rescued cats and a dog in Woodlands, Texas. Follow her travels on Instagram and her personal website.

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