I see a lot of turquoise looking stones come through our church thrift store in the donations. These beads came in and my daughter made this jewelry with them. I tried the acetone test on the beads and nothing rubbed off at all. Even after some vigorous rubbing with a q tip. How good is that test? If they are real what mine would these have come from for such a green color.
These look like green dyed howlite beads to me.
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My understanding is that test doesn’t work on everything because they have gotten very good with dyeing techniques. But these are not turquoise. I agree they look like dyed Howlite.
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I don’t think that test is that great these days…I have never had much luck getting color off stuff I even know is fake. Guessing newer dyes and plastic alternatives use better color permeation. But those beads do look like imitations to me; I do see some minor matrix in those that may be a real rock but the garish green consistent color and exact looking lines indicate a dyed stone.
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It’s good that you’re trying to understand what your donations are. Those earring stones aren’t mined turquoise. Most likely howlite (inexpensive and commercially fabricated).
https://www.etsy.com/listing/244257668/apple-green-turquoise-earrings-green
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“Guessing newer dyes and plastic alternatives use better color permeation.”
I agree plus i have a feeling that acrylic (water) based dyes will not come off with a acetone test.
And i too have had blatantly dyed coral and turquoise type stuff resist multiple acetone tests.
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