Opaque and Semi-Opaque Stones

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1 STONE DESCRIPTIONS The following gemstones have each been used or are currently part of the beautiful mixture of stones found in Barse cast and beaded designs.

2 Opaque and Semi-Opaque Stones Those which do not allow any light through, or only a small amount Turquoise First mined more than 6,000 years ago, turquoise has been used throughout the ages for worship and as a powerful talisman, capable of safeguarding and bringing happiness to its wearer. Ancient cultures, including the Greeks, Romans and Mayans were all enthralled by its unparalleled color. Though no longer with active mines, the world s finest turquoise derives from Iran, where its bright robin s egg blue color is generally regarded as the purest, most sought after. The color of turquoise is strongly dependent on the presence of either copper, which produces the more blue variety, or iron, which produces the more green. For more specific information on turquoise, see our Truth About Turquoise article. Kingman Turquoise Most turquoise used in Barse designs derives from the Kingman mine in Arizona. This genuine stabilized turquoise produces a beautiful blue-green variety that is highly coveted. Malachite Malachite is a mineral of copper. Because of its distinctive bright green color and its presence in the weathered zone of nearly all copper deposits, malachite serves as a prospecting guide for that metal. Malachite has been used as an ornamental stone and as a gemstone for centuries. In Ancient Greece, amulets for children were made of malachite. In many countries, malachite is used as a children s talisman to ward off danger and illness. It is attached to children s cradles. Amazonite Although amazonite is named after the Amazon River, and can be found in Brazil, the gem was in fact known in the Old World long before South America had been discovered. It is believed that the Brazilian Amazons gave these green stones to the explorers who visited them, thus explaining the name. This milky green stone is a beautiful compliment to stones such as turquoise and gaspeite. Lime Turquoise Lime turquoise, one of Barse s perennially favorite stones, is a true turquoise that is enhanced to achieve its brilliant green color. Most stones used in contemporary jewelry design are dyed to achieve the brilliant colors that are found in nature. Dying brings those beautiful colors in a natural stone without the exorbitant price tag of a rare stone. Chrysophase A green variety of chalcedony; chrysophase is the most valuable member of the chalcedony mineral group. The stone gets its apple green color from the presence of nickel in the crystal. Large broken pieces are often full of fissures with irregular colors. Color can fade in sunlight and when heated. Rhyolite A volcanic rock, similar in properties to obsidian. Nacozari Occasionally we will seek a more blue variety of turquoise for our designs, and for these, we use the bright robin s egg blue turquoise from the Nacozori mine in Mexico. Aventurine Serpentine Olive Aventurine Green aventurine quartz, usually assumed to be the green variety when not specified, has natural inclusions that look like sparkles. Aventurine is sometimes mistaken for jade because of its similar color. Green aventurine quartz is said to relieve anxiety, calm one s emotions and to bring opportunity. Dolomite Serpentine Generally found in shades of green with other colors streaking it, this stone has also been referred to as snakestone because of its patterning. It is the state mineral of California, where it is found in abundance. Serpentine is said to restore self-confidence. Ruby Zoisite Mined in Tanzania, beautiful deep colored ruby sometimes naturally develops within green zoisite. The result is this unusual stone that combines dark green with a ruby pink shade. Often used in reflexology, ruby zoisite is said to help focus energy, attention and to stimulate reflex points. Lemon Jasper Similar properties to other jasper, offered in a citrus color. 2

3 Opaque and Semi-Opaque Stones CONTINUED Green Jade Olive Jade Aqua Jade Lemon Jade White Jade The toughness of jade is remarkable. It has strength greater than steel and was put to work by many early civilizations for axes, knives and weapons. It was later that jade became a symbolic stone used in ornaments and other religious artifacts during the eons. A wide variety of Jade colors are used in Barse designs. Howlite African Turquoise Because of it s exotic blend of base color and dark matrix this material is known in the trade as African Turquoise. It is actually a dyed jasper. Chrysocolla This stone looks similar to turquoise, but is actually associated with properties of quartz. The name comes from the Greek chrysos, gold, and kolla, glue, in allusion to the name of the material used to solder gold. Rough Emerald Rough emerald is actually emerald in a different grade and more opaque quality than what most of us think of as emerald. Emerald is the green variety of the mineral beryl. The green color is caused by trace amounts of chromium and sometimes iron. Varacite (Varicite) Naturally colored this sherbet light green, varascite is generally mined in the United States. Native Americans use varacite in spiritual ceremonies. Cuprite Cuprite is named for the Latin cuprum, copper, in allusion to its copper content. This mineral can form both as bright transparent red crystals, and as lustrous, opaque crystals. The opaque form will have slight red veining and slight transparency upon back-lighting. Cuprite is often associated together with Native Copper in copper deposits, and frequently forms as an encrusting reddish coating over the Copper. Commonly found in copper deposits of the SW us and Chile. Rainbow Calsilica This layered, multi-colored stone is a newly discovered stone composed of layered calcium and silica. Rainbow calsilica has only recently been found in Mexico and Northern South America. Its origins and formation remain a mystery. Prehnite Found in association with volcanic rocks, it is typically pale green to yellowish green. It is the first stone to be named after a person,colonel H. von Prehn, who discovered the mineral at the Cape of Good Hope, South Africa, and brought the first specimens to Europe. Green Howlite Howlite is a stone that naturally occurs as white with gray to black streaks, web-like markings and blotches. Sometimes howlite is dyed to imitate other stones, but in Barse designs we usually use howlite in its natural form of white. The stone is named for its discoverer Henry How, a Nova Scotia geologist. Howlite is found in Canada (Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, New Brunswick), and the United States (California). Green howlite is a dyed version of white howlite, used in a few beaded Barse jewelry creations. Idaho Opal Mined in Spencer, Idaho, we use the opaque variety; similar to African opal, but this is an all-american stone. Apatite Apatite is know for its green color but it is found in a wide range of colors, from colorless to pink, yellow, blue to violet. The green variety is sometimes called asparagus-stone. The name apatite has been taken from a Greek word apate, which means to deceive. It is so named because one can get easily confused with a variety of other stones like tourmaline, peridot and beryl. Green Onxy Green onyx has the same properties as the black onyx used in our designs, but is enhanced to achieve its vivid green hue. Black Tourmalated Quartz This is a clear or milky quartz with embedded needles of black tourmaline. Boulder Turquoise Boulder turquoise, often called Ribbon turquoise, is created when veins of turquoise going through the host rock are cut in such a way that it shows off these veins. Most boulder turquoise comes from Nevada mines. 3

4 Opaque and Semi-Opaque Stones CONTINUED Tiger s Eye Red Tiger s Eye Tiger s eye is a member of the quartz group, with its major commercial source being Cape Province, South Africa. Many legends say that wearing tiger s eye is beneficial for health, spiritual well being and protection during travel. The red tiger s eye used in Barse designs is actually a heat treated version of the traditional brown tiger s eye. To achieve the desired red hue, the tiger s eye is heated, which oxidizes the iron, thus turning it red. Red Jasper Rainbow Jasper Jasper is an opaque, less pure form of chalcedony, traditionally thought of as red. Association with other minerals during formation sometimes gives jasper interesting bands and patterns (it s usually named after its pattern). Rainbow jasper has rich dark striations running through it. In the ancient world jasper was a favorite gem; the name jasper can be found in ancient Hebrew, Assyrian, Greek, and Latin. Jasper is mined in many parts of the world. Goldstone Goldstone is actually a glittering glass, a man-made substance. The sparkles you see in it are bits of copper to enhance the luster. Pink Opal A true opal, Peruvian pink opal is a beautiful pastel pink, nearly translucent variety of opal. Pink opal is most often associated as a gemstone of love and non-violence. Sunstone Sunstone is a feldspar crystal formed in molten lava and then discharged onto the surface of the earth by a volcano. Many sunstones contain copper or pyrite inclusions that cause an extra flash or shimmer as millions of the shiny aligned particles reflect light. This feature is called schiller. Sunstones are believed to have been used by the Vikings for navigation. Peach Aventurine Carnelian The name of this dark reddish orange stone is said to be derived from the Latin word Carnis, which means flesh, due to its color. Some believed in the old Roman times that the darker Carnelian represented males and the lighter, females. Many believe that it creates a bond between man and nature. Carnelian has natural variations from light to dark. Maple Jade Rhodochrosite Also known as Inca Rose, this stone ranges from rose red to pink. The name is derived from the Greek word rhodon (pink) and chros (color). Rhodochrosite is found in Argentina and South Africa. Rhodonite Rose pink in color, rhodonite often has black manganese oxide veins running through it. Thought to stabilize emotions, it soothes and brings order to feelings. It is also known as the Singer s Stone, as it is said to improve sound-sensitivity. Rhodonite is mined primarily in the United States, Brazil, India, and the USSR. Rose Aventurine Tomato Aventurine Natural peach or rose aventurines, a variety of translucent quartz, derive their color from minor inclusions of oxidized iron. Called the whisper stone, peach aventurine is sometimes used to help reach the quiet state necessary for meditation. Aventurine is available in many varieties of red and orange shades. Orange Jade Red Jade Pink Jade Our pink, red and orange varieties have similar properties to the green and yellow varieties, but are dyed to achieve the ideal colors for our designs. Stichtite Stichtite (pronounced stick-tight) is a rare mineral with an interesting purpleish rose-pink color. Mined in Tasmania, it is thought to enlighten emotions and tranquilize the environment. Blue Chalcedony Chalcedony is a stone found in almost every color and in every location around the world. Chalcedony is actually a name that includes the sub-categories of stones like agate and onyx. But in jewelry usage, the name Chalcedony is usually applied only to the light blue translucent and waxy form of the stone. The term chalcedony is derived from the name of the ancient Greek town Chalkedon. 4

5 Opaque and Semi-Opaque Stones CONTINUED Purple Turquoise Genuine Barse turquoise is enhanced to achieve its bright purple color. Many stones used in contemporary jewelry designs are dyed to achieve the brilliant colors found in nature. Purple Charolite This rare mineral was first discovered in 1978 and named for the Chara River in Siberia, Russia. Charoite is translucent lavender to purple in color with a pearly lustre. Amethyst Drusy Citrine Drusy Golden Drusy Drusy literally means covered by a large number of minute crystals. The term Drusy is used in the jewelry industry to mean a gem that has this specific type of gem formation. Golden drusy has an agate host matrix underneath that is coated using high karat gold (23K or 24K) using a vapor deposition process. Denim Lapis Denim lapis retains the same properties as lapis, but is just a lighter form of lapis, usually with more calcite present. While this color of lapis at one time was considered less desirable, its popularity today is increasing as a fashionable color to enhance denim apparel. Copper Opal Copper opal is a naturally veined stone mined in Mexico. The stone has traces of copper in it. Sometimes it is called redwood opal because it looks like redwood, but it is a genuine stone. Dumorterite This stone can range from grayish blue to greenish blue, also violet to reddish purple and brown. Barse designs have typically used the purplish varieties. Dumorterite is said to heighten organizational skills and bring a better way of seeing things in life. Lapis Lazuli Lapis lazuli, Arabic & Latin for blue stone, is composed of several minerals. The most common are lazurite (blue color), pyrite (gold/silver metallic color) and calcite (white color). For centuries lapis has been linked to divinity. The Greeks and the Romans used lapis as an award for personal bravery. Blue Agate Also known as blue chalcedony, blue agate is sometimes striated with dark internal bands of blue, and often has a colorless streak. Blue agate is found worldwide, but it is common in the mid western US. Because true blue agate is rare, those used in Barse designs are color enhanced. Lava Rock Lava rocks form when molten lava chills quickly. A thin, glassy rind forms on the exposed surfaces because crystallization of the minerals in the melt cannot take place in such a short time. This layer of glass provides the iridescent luster and black coloration of the rock. Rainbow Obsidian One of the most highly prized types of obsidian, this semi-translucent stone is dark green to dark brown and black in color. Obsidian is the result of volcanic lava coming in contact with water. The word obsidian comes from the Greek opsianos, meaning vision, because obsidian was once used to make mirrors. Black Onyx Long ago, onyx was used as a worry stone because it was believed that the stone absorbed negative energy. Onyx is considered an agate; chalcedony quartz that forms in concentric layers in a wide variety of colors and textures. Each individual agate forms by filling a cavity in a host rock. As a result, it is often found as a round nodule with concentric bands, like the rings of a tree trunk. The stone is then dyed to achieve its desired jet color. Labradorite Labradorite, a variety of feldspar, is a fairly abundant grayish mineral that has brilliant flashes of color (usually green, blue or red) after it is polished. This color variation is referred to as labradorescence. The ability of Labradorite to reflect different colors makes it a truly versatile stone. Moonstone Norwegian Moonstone Golden Moonstone Moonstone owes its name to the mysterious gleaming which appears whenever the stone changes its position in movement. Experts call this the adularescence, and in earlier times the phases of the waxing and waning moon were thought to be discerned in this phenomenon. Typically originating in Sri Lanka or India, Moonstone is also appreciated as a dream stone, as it is supposed to bring about sweet and beautiful dreams. Bronzite Often found in meteorites, bronzite usually contains inclusions of highly reflective minerals, such as hematite and goethite, which give it a beautiful bronze-like effect when polished. 5

6 Opaque and Semi-Opaque Stones CONTINUED Unakite A relatively new gemstone, Unakite naturally combines two minerals, pink feldspar and pistachio green epidote. Unakite is a stone believed to facilitate a healthy reproductive system and pregnancy. It is principally mined in the United States. African Opal We use the completely opaque variety of this stone. African opal does not have the normal color flashes associated with other opals, but does exhibit its own natural beauty, with variations of cream, brown and gray. Picture Jasper Feldspar Jasper Hematite Thickly cut hematite appears as a steel or silver gray. When cut very thin, it is red and transparent. With the common name bloodstone, hematite gets its name from a Greek word meaning blood-like because of the color of its powder. Hematite has long been a stone representing war and was thought to protect warriors and make them invincible in battle. Mineral and crystal healers associate hematite with the treatment of bloodrelated illnesses. Astrophylite (aka Hyperstein) Similar to quartz, astrophylite is a dark mineral with bladed metallic crystals. It is said to help with lucidity and a feeling of well being. Pyrite Pyrite is an opaque, metallic stone, often called fool s gold because of its similar look to gold in its raw form. The name pyrite derives from the Greek pyros for fire because sparks flew from it when hit with another mineral or a metal. Centuries ago, pyrite was polished by the Native Americans and used as mirrors. Brown Snowflake Obsidian Obsidian is a very shiny natural volcanic glass produced when lava cools very quickly. Inclusions of small, white, radially clustered crystals of cristobalite in obsidian produce a blotchy or snowflake pattern, like that found in the snowflake variety. Impression Jasper Snakeskin Jasper Dragon s Blood Jasper Eagle Eye Jasper Ocean Jasper Botswana Agate Derived from Africa, this is a naturally colored agate with no enhancement. Its colors can vary from gray to light brown with a hint of pink, always with bands of opaque white. Botswana agate is believed to stimulate the exploration of the unknown. Russian Serpentine From Russia s Ural Mountains, Russian serpentine is an olive green gemstone with a black matrix pattern. The word serpentine comes from the Latin serpens, or snake. It is thought to be named after a serpent; for its smooth and brilliant surface, like that of a snake. Faux Tortoise The use of real tortoise shell is illegal. This simulated version is made of a mottled resin that is formed to look similar to a tortoise s shell. Mahogany Obsidian Similar in properties to regular obsidian, mahogany obsidian is also formed in areas near volcanic activity. But this variety is created when impurities invade the pure black glass that becomes regular obsidian. Brown Ocean Jasper Yellow Jasper Freemont Jasper Green Jasper Jasper is an opaque and fine-grained variety of Chalcedony. Jasper is found in a variety of colors and patterns. It often contains organic material and mineral oxides that give it interesting patterns, bands and colors. Many of these patterns resemble landscapes or animal skins, thus creating interesting names. A huge variety of jaspers exist from all around the world. New varieties with exotic names are discovered often. 6

7 Translucent Stones Those which do allow light to pass through. Clear Quartz Quartz is one of the most common minerals on the Earth s crust, and encompasses many of the stones that are used in Barse designs. Types of quartz include rock crystal (clear), amethyst (purple), rose quartz (pink), citrine (yellow), smoky (dark brown), chalcedony (waxlike in a variety of colors), agate (banded colors), and jasper (various colors). Rutilated Quartz Golden Obsidian The golden variety of obsidian can appear dark, almost black, but with a golden sheen when viewed at different angles. Citrine Citrine is a variety of quartz which gets its yellow color from the presence of iron. The name appears to be taken from the French word citron (lemon) referring to its color. Most stones sold as citrine today are, in fact, heattreated amethysts. Gem quality citrine is very rare. Raspberry Quartz A quartz stone that is dyed to achieve its vivid color. Corundum Corundum is a very hard mineral, second only to the diamond in its composition. The natural red variety of corundum is known as ruby and all the other colors of corundum are known as sapphire. The corundum stones used in Barse designs are termed thermal corundum, and are synthetically produced to achieve the fun variety of colors used in our designs. Green Rutilated Quartz Rutile is a major ore of titanium, which is a metal used for high tech alloys. It often forms needle-like crystal inclusions inside quartz. This form of quartz is known as rutilated quartz and it looks like small bars of embedded gold. Blue Crackle Quartz This quartz is heated and then cooled into a dye bath to create its color. Natural occlusions add to its beauty. Lemon Quartz Usually occurring in Brazil, lemon quartz is a variety of quartz that is heat treated to achieve the desired color. Pineapple Quartz Pineapple Quartz is actually a light lemony colored glass, treated to obtain the perfect shade of lightly colored pineapple. Rhodalite Garnet Rhodolite garnet tends to be lighter in color than most other kinds of red garnet. It can be easily confused with ruby because of the similarity in color. The mixture of red and violet in rhodolites is highly desirable and popular. Purple or purple-red is the most expensive and sought after color for rhodolite. Garnet Blue Topaz (or glass, or cz) Topaz is a common gemstone that has been used for centuries in jewelry. Blue topaz, often confused with aquamarine, is rarely natural. Colorless topaz, a common variation, can be treated by irradiation to produce a wide range of shades of blue. Thus treated, blue topaz is one of the most popular and widely used of all gemstones. Blue topaz is the Texas state gemstone as well as the birthstone for the month of November. Peridot The color of peridot can vary from yellow-green to olive green. The most important deposits of Peridot are on the serpent isle of Zebirget in the Red Sea. According to Greek legend, vicious snakes lived on the island, guarding the precious stone and killing anyone who dared approach it. Cherry Quartz Glass With the look of transparent clear quartz and rosecolored inclusions swirling through its interior, cherry quartz enhances many of Barse s beaded designs. The beads are crafted from a glass base material, utilizing an extremely specialized process to produce its exquisite coloration. Rose Quartz Traces of titanium cause the rose-tint in this milky quartz stone. In ancient Rome, rose quartz was popular for making seals. Green Garnet The most common garnet is red in color, but it can actually vary from red to orange to green. Garnet has been known as the warrior s stone for centuries. It was carried by many soldiers to ward off death and injury. Shadow Quartz Similar in properties to rutilated quartz, but with grayer undertones. 7

8 Translucent stones CONTINUED Smoky Quartz Light Smoky Quartz Amethyst (or glass, or cz) Also from the quartz family, amethyst has varying shades of violet hues. The Greeks and Romans believed that amethyst prevented drunkenness and hangovers. The word amethyst comes from the Greek word amethistos which means that which pushes away drunkenness. Iolite Known as the gem of the Vikings, this purplish blue stone was used by Viking explorers as the world s first polarizing filter. Looking through an iolite lens, they could determine the exact position of the sun, and navigate safely to the new world and back. The name iolite comes from the Greek ios, which means violet. Coffee Quartz Quartz is one of the most beautiful minerals derived from the Earth, and encompasses a wide range of stones found on the market today. One of our favorites is smoky quartz. This quartz varies in color from light brown to deep, smoky hues. It is believed that smoky quartz promotes joy in living and business success. Organic Gemstones Gems that are products of plants and animals, rather than having a mineral origin, are known as organics. Freshwater Pearls As their name implies, freshwater pearls are formed in freshwater mussels that live in lakes, rivers, and other bodies of fresh water. Most freshwater cultured pearls sold today come from China. These colors are a result of the variety of mussel species, genetics, water quality and the type of cultured process used. The term cultured means that an artificial nucleus is planted in the mussel. Being irritated by the intruder, the mussel secretes a calcium carbonate substance called nacre to cover the irritant. This secretion process is repeated many times, thus producing a pearl. Angel skin coral Our angel skin coral is a pale pink coral, similar in properties to our red coral pieces. The delicate shades of angelskin coral make it one of the most valued colors of coral. True angel skin coral was popular during the Victorian era and was often used in cameos. Mother-of-Pearl Pink Mother-of-Pearl Caramel Mother-of-Pearl Spiny Oyster Shell This interesting shell forms spiky protrusions on the outer part of its shell. Spiny oyster is found in the Sea of Cortez, Baja California, Mexico. It was Cortez who discovered Baja and this beautiful shell. Colors found in the shell range from light orange to deep orange-red, with some shells actually producing a clear purple shade. Black Mother-of-Pearl This offering from the sea has been used in items of adornment for thousands of years. Mother-of-Pearl is actually the iridescent lining found in many types of shells. In China, mother-of Pearl has been prescribed for over 1,000 years for heart palpitations and high blood pressure. 8

9 Organic Gemstones CONTINUED Coral Branches Horn Abalone Shell Red Coral Coral is formed by the build-up of skeletal remains of colonies of tiny marine animals known as coral polyps. It grows in branch-like formations. Coral has been used in jewelry for thousands of years. The deeper the color, the more prized the coral. The small branches of coral that are used in jewelry making are a faster-growing variety than that found in typical coral formations. Red Sea Bamboo Coral Orange Sea Bamboo Coral This organism is found in the sea, with characteristics similar to coral, but without the protected, endangered status of coral. Coral reefs are protected because these beautifully diverse ecosystems are home to millions of fish and creatures and also provide protection to our coastal communities. Sea Bamboo is a practical alternative to using coral. Orange Sponge Coral Limestone Apple Coral Blue Coral This organism is derived from the sea, with a porous surface that resembles coral. But unlike true coral, it grows abundantly in dense colonies. The colonies can be tree-like, plate-like or column-like. Black Horn This natural organic material derives from the horns of cattle. Wood Another natural offering often used in Barse designs is wood from various types of trees harvested from sustainable conditions Golden Coral Branches Our golden coral is a form of sea bamboo that is color enhanced to achieve its hue. True golden coral is a rare natural occurrence. Salwag Nuts Often for designs that need a casual, almost island look, our designers will turn to a variety of natural seeds or nuts. Sometimes these are naturally colored, like the Salwag nut from the Salwag Palm tree. Sea Pearls By contrast, saltwater (sea) pearls grow in oysters that live in the ocean, usually in protected lagoons. Both organisms produce a pearl in the same way. Foreign material enters it and cannot be expelled. To reduce the irritation, the mollusk coats the intruder with the same secretion it uses for shell building. Paua Shell The abalone is a type of mollusk that grows predominantly in the waters in and around California. Abalone shell is iridescent on the inside of the shell, with variations of blue, green, purple and grey. Jet Jet is formed from the remains of wood immersed in stagnant water millions of years ago, then compacted and fossilized by the pressure of burial. Jet was popular for mourning jewelry in the 19th century because of its somber color. Amber Formed from the fossilized resin of trees that lived millions of years ago, amber has been used for jewelry and religious objects since prehistoric times. Most commercial amber comes from the Baltic coasts of Poland, and tends to be found in soft sediments, or in the sea. Green amber is a natural variation of Baltic amber and is generally considered more valuable than golden amber. 9

10 The Truth About Turquoise At Barse, we are often asked questions about, since it is one of the main stones used in our designs. We want our customers to be informed about the value of natural turquoise stones from Barse. We use only stabilized genuine turquoise in our designs. Following is a summary of the types of turquoise, or things that look like turquoise, being used in the jewelry market today. Be informed, and shop with confidence! Natural, straight out of the ground non-treated turquoise Turquoise is hard enough to be considered a gemstone, but it is comparatively soft. Turquoise of this quality is hard and stable enough to be cut with no form of treatment. It is extremely rare to find turquoise of this quality in today s market. Only 1-2% of turquoise mined is in this category, and it is very expensive. Genuine stabilized turquoise When turquoise is mined, it is generally too soft and brittle to sustain being cut, shaped, and polished for use in jewelry. Sometimes turquoise is mined in large chunks straight out of the ground, but it needs to undergo a process that allows it to be cut into cabs and beads, so the turquoise has to first be stabilized. This method involves filling the tiny porous parts of the turquoise under pressure and slowly filling it with a clear stabilizing agent like epoxy or acrylic. This process takes weeks to achieve. The result is a harder stable material that can be cut and polished to a beautiful shine. Sometimes a mine produces chunks of turquoise that are smaller, but no less beautiful than a larger piece of turquoise. These smaller pieces are also stabilized, and are usually done so by forming them together in a brick of turquoise that fuses the genuine pieces together, and stabilizes them. This allows larger slabs of turquoise to be cut into beautiful statement pieces that Barse is known for. We use both types of stabilized turquoise (large chunks straight out of the ground and formed brick turquoise) in Barse designs. Genuine stabilized turquoise, color enhanced This is the same as the above, however during the stabilizing process coloring agents that are compatible with the stabilizing materials are added to obtain a color of turquoise that does not naturally exist. Our lime green turquoise and purple turquoise are examples of this.

11 Reconstituted turquoise This process is achieved by taking bits of tiny turquoise pieces, those too small to be stabilized or utilized for anything else, and grinding them down to a powder. This powder is then mixed with an adhesive agent and other fillers to form a block or predetermined cabochon and bead shapes. This is not genuine turquoise; the amount of filler is usually much more than any amount of the powdered turquoise and should always be identified as Reconstituted Turquoise. Barse does not use reconstituted turquoise in our designs. Turquoise colored resin This is essentially plastic, colored to look like turquoise. In recent years this has been pumped with brown and black lines to resemble the matrix found in a lot of the natural turquoise. This obviously is a synthetic turquoise imitation and should not even be identified as anything to do with turquoise. Unfortunately a lot of manufacturers deceive their customers and a good amount of this material ends up at the retail level and sold to the consumer as real turquoise! Barse does not use this material in our designs. Natural stones dyed to resemble turquoise Certain natural stones are sometimes dyed to resemble turquoise. Two of those used the most at this time are Howlite and Magnesite. It used to be very easy to identify these. In recent years the dye process has improved and some of this looks real, and at times hard to distinguish from turquoise. At times these are identified and sold as what they are, and that is fine as long as they are marked properly, and the customer and even the distributor know what they are buying. At other times, especially in the last couple of years, some suppliers have tried to pass them, specifically the Magnesite, as turquoise.

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