Nice older ring! By the way, you have lovely hands. I cant remember my hands ever being so smoothā¦in my profession I was constantly washing and disinfecting them.
Just FYI, much of the No.8 turquoise you see currently is lighter blue with golden matrix. But as you may or may not know, the higher grade No. 8 turquoise is a deeper blue with deep brown or black webbing. And as @nanc9354 posted a lovely chocolate brown matrix.
Iāve included some examples of higher grade No. 8. The picture is from Waddell Gallery.
9 Likes
@Bmpdvm ^Great photo to illustrate the range. Hereās an example of dark #8 Iād posted previously, a Fred Thompson bracelet:
Iām drawn to the ethereal quality of light #8 and would like to get something with it.
12 Likes
Thatās gorgeous, Chicfarmer. I donāt have anything with Number 8 turquoise, and all Iāve ever seen is the lighter stuff. These dark stones are absolutely amazing.
I looked at some rings last summer at the Eiteljorg Market that the artist said had Number 8, but they were a little bit odd. The brown was quite chocolaty with a thicker matrix, and the turquoise was pretty light. I just wasnāt fond of them.
1 Like
What a great No 8 cuff!! I remember we shared out Fred Thompson cuffs some time ago. Wish mine was No 8, but what ever it is, so glad he used fabulous turquoiseš
7 Likes
Lone Mountain or Godber-Burnham? 
4 Likes
I donāt have any #8 pieces if jewelry (that I know of), but in response to your thoughts @Ziacat, Iāll share some cabs I picked up over the years. The first photo may be similar to what you described.
The first set is backed cabs I purchased from the turquoise museum in Albuquerque many years ago. They are the paler color with light matrix:
The second group I purchased at a gem and mineral show. Darker turquoise and matrix, and not backed:
Initially I thought Iād have a piece of jewelry made, but more than anything else, I just like to have representative cabs/ nuggets from a variety of mines.
7 Likes
These are lovely stones. The one on the bottom left of the top pic reminds me a bit of the ones I saw, except they were a little lighter blue with a really thick dark chocolaty matrix. Just looked too different for my taste.
2 Likes
This is my dark spiderweb number eight. Patania
piece that escaped unmarked, but was confirmed by Sam.
8 Likes
Iāve often wondered if this could be #8 turquoise, but the chocolate background was puzzling to me. Iām used to seeing #8 turquoise with a light or honey-colored background. I bought the ring online several years ago. It was made by the seller & sold simply as āa turquoise ringā. Itās neither NA made nor vintage. (The chunk missing at the bottom of the stone was neither mentioned in the sellerās description nor was it visible from the posted pictures 
.)
4 Likes
That looks more like what the artist had at the Eiteljorg Indian Art Market; although I yours better; I like the style of the ring. The stones he had were stabilized. What he had reminded of these picsā¦
Your buckle (?) is awesome, @Islandmomma!
4 Likes
I think stabilization darkens the matrix on #8 turquoise.
2 Likes
Looks like yāall are having a No. 8 party!
I bought these little slabs of untreated mid grade #8 from @Bigbree43 about 5 years ago! Just to familiarize myself with the material!
7 Likes
That makes complete sense! Cuz it was like dark chocolate matrix. I really liked the rings, but I didnāt buy one, because I just wasnāt feeling the turquoise.
3 Likes