Here’s a more practical response on dyed howlite and stabilized
turquoise. Posted by permission.
Hi Bob,
As good turq has a hardness of 5.5 and sometimes a bit more I
would have to say that howlite, at 2.5, is one of the better
faux turquoise, but in no way a good substitute for the real
thing. The best turquoise in my opinion is the natural or
silica hardened turquoise from the Temple Mine in China. It is
best in terms of variety, appearance, and availability at a
reasonable price. I have a website at
http://www.shore.net/~lanelap/
Please visit my site, there are probably some Chinese turquoise
cabs to be seen there. If not, let me know and I’ll try to get
some images out there. If you are interested in cabs or rough
feel free to send me email or call me at (508) 283-5758. Best
regards, Thom Thom
…
| Carol J. Bova @Carol_J_Bova |
| The Eclectic Lapidary e-zine |
| http://www.bovagems.com/eclectic/ |
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