East Coast Find

Hello All! I found this on east coast, and I need help identifying. Is it real? I picked it up for 22.50$ from a thrift shop, think I did good?

Thanks for sharing. Turquoise color always looks great on. This is not a real piece of turquoise, but you are on the east coast so they will not know. Enjoy wearing it.

1 Like

Awww a fake? I thought I found a thiftstore gemstone! I want to make a small teardrop pendant for a good chain.
I broke the stone open, Would you still say it’s a fake after seeing the inside?

Not an expert. My thought is yes, in fact it looks much like fake coral, fake turquise I see often. I got the best knowledge from studying the actual stone & how the matrix is made over to us and of years. The Turquoise Mine Map helps, as well as a understanding of how fake turquoise is made. As well, one must gain knowledge about Chinese Turquoise, and other overseas Turquoise. Looking at the last photo, it looks like a " gemstone " was covered with small pieces to make a layer that appears to be a matrix, yet the matrix does not go into the stone. I grew up on East Coast, I recommend buying online, a good start is Uglyotter. I have nothing to do with them, but buying from them was a good start for me. Learned a lot. Best

Not an expert either, but Jason is, and he is right. If you google “fake turquoise” or something like it, you can see pieces just like this split open. It is likely dyed howlite or magnesite that has had added “matrix” to the outside layer.

Also, if it were true turquoise, it would not be Native American at all.

PS. Jason is affiliated with Perry Null Trading, and IMHO, is one of the few online or offline places that does not sell fake made in the Philippines and Chine Native American jewelry. It’s estimated that between 50% to 70% sold in the southwest is imported, so you have to be extremely careful. Google New Mexicans indicted for fraud NA jewelry.

Hey all, thanks for the awesome assistance with this letdown. I looked at some maps and I have been looking at what appears to be authentic turqouise websites and even the ones mentioned. You guys are right, the matrix looks completely different, and I would have to aggree with yall and say that my piece is not “real turquise” : (

Well after my fake turquoise necklace letdown, I have also encountered a difficult problem. I have visited many of these authentic-native-american-turquoise websites and many of them have pieces that are crafted with sterling silver; I would rather have a gold setting.

I search for a symmetrical teardrop (about the size of the chip in my photo or two pencil erasers stacked on each other)
I search for a dark blue turquiose ( ones like from Bisbee AZ, Morenci AZ, Godber NV, Fox NV, Blue Diamond NV in the link google image here
I search for a similiar stone setting of my necklace (simplistic held on my just a thin wire [gold pref] )

Any tips on finding this as my turquoise dealers in charleston sc is quite limited? Something like this pendant is what i am looking for but with a darker turquoise pendant desire