Anyone know a source for fine natural cabs or is it the real stuff
extinct?
Richard
Anyone know a source for fine natural cabs or is it the real stuff extinct?
Richard, http://www.cabbers.com
Anyone know a source for fine natural cabs or is it the real stuff extinct?
Call Thunderbird Supply at 1-800-545-7968. Ask to speak to someone
in their turquoise dept. Tell them what you’re looking for e.g.
natural, buff top (or semi-rough, seafoam), what color (robin’s egg,
blue-green with either blue or green predominant, green), and whether
or not you want matrix or zoning, freeform or calibrated, matched (2
or more) or single pieces. They will come back with what they have
available at that time, and will include names you’ve probably never
heard of, like Old Rock, Concho Springs, etc. These are smaller mines
being dug by small operators, primarily for the turquoise, variscite,
malachite and azurite, rather than as a by-product of copper. Expect
to spend at least .45/ct. up to several dollars per carat. Yes, they
are backed and the price is inclusive of the backing. It’s not hard
to spend several hundred dollars for a handful of turquoise. But, you
will find the turquoise to be excellent and it will patina with time.
You must caution customers to not wear the jewelry in showers, get
lotion on the stones, etc., as ammonia-based products will cause them
to turn disagreeably dark.
When I’m back in Gallup visiting relatives, Thunderbird is on my
list of places to stop. It’s not unusual for me to drop $1,000 or
more, since I also buy for others. Thunderbird has the best supply of
natural turquoise anywhere, they know their stuff, and I trust them
with mail orders. As an added bonus, if they know you have kids, a
handful of candy is included with the order.
Katherine Palochak
Try the Turquoise Museum in ALburquerky(SP) New Mexico. I buy all my
natural Turq. from them . Its a private Business. N.M. has a law that
if you sell it as natural Turq. it must be Natural with no artificial
enhancements. I get a certificate so stating when I go to N.M.to buy.
Bill from L.I.
In response to Richard. I have some untreated rough turquoise.
Some of it is very nice blue. It’s mostly Kingman with an assortment
of other material I picked up over the years. It’s not huge chunks,
but can cut cabs up to around 40 by 20mm in about any shape.
I also have some stabilized of much larger dimensions.
Derek Levin
Anyone know a source for fine natural cabs or is it the real stuff extinct?
The best natural material (at least in my opinion) comes from the
Sleeping Beauty Mine in Globe Arizona. It is a beautiful sky blue it
is very hard and it takes a very nice polish. There is a store in
Globe, Az.
John T. (Jack) Fisher
4309 Casa Blanca Dr
Georgetown, TX 78628
Phone 512-930-5666
Fax 512-930-5666
Hi Richard, For some real nice Natural Turquoise try The Bad Boys in
Cripple Creek Colorado. Real friendly folks. I have a piece with
Gold in it I won at our show. They have been written up a couple of
times in “Rock and Gem” magazine. Their web site is:
http://www.badboysturquoise.com/ John Daly Grand Junction, CO.
Hi Richard, For some real nice Natural Turquoise try The Bad Boys in Cripple Creek Colorado. Real friendly folks. I have a piece with Gold in it I won at our show. They have been written up a couple of times in "Rock and Gem" magazine. Their web site is: http://www.badboysturquoise.com/ John Daly Grand Junction, CO.
At this point I will chime in. If you are buying a cut cab, and
you see what you are buying, their is not much risk. However, if you
are buying rough turquoise, my experience is that any rough is a
risk, and turquiose has been one of my most frustrating purchases. I
am usually looking for a certain color,and what you see on the
outside is rarely what is on the inside. Turquoise when it seems to
have a nice blue color on the outside, inside is lighter and can have
blotchy coloring. I have cut cripple creek turquiose and it has it’s
own characteristics, unusal patterns and colors. It is not what I am
used to.
I do have an expectation based on what I have seen before, whether
it is sold as Kingman, Morenci, Sleeping Beauty, with matrix or no
matrix, for me all turquiose is usually disappointing. If I buy some
to try and do a repair and I need to match a color, that is the
hardest for me to judge. Maybe other Orchidians have more talent or
experience in picking rough.
The dealers always tell you their stuff is great. Now if I go to a
show where i live, I buy a little, go home and slice a piece, and see
if it’s what I want. If I can’t test it, I buy what I can afford to
lose as a gamble.
And good hard natural turguoise does not necessarily stick to your
tongue, that happens due to the porosity of the stone and it’s
ability to suck up moisture. If porus chalky material was in a tray
of water and you tried that trick (treated turquoise won’t stick) it
wouldn’t work.
Richard in Denver
Derek,
I’m very interested in your Kingman turquoise. Are you cutting the
cabs, and or selling the rough? I’m interested in either. I’m
especially interested in sizes for pendants and bolas.
Also, please let me know your pricing. Thank you,
Sharon Perdasofpy
e-mail: @Sharon_Perdasofpy1