Gorgeous deep natural blue Sleeping Beauty turquoise
Flat, center drilled nuggets (like "chips" but larger and smoother)
The mine, near Globe, Arizona, was once a major producer of stunning, nearly matrix-free, turquoise sold around the world, but the Sleeping Beauty was nearly played out, and closed in 1960. It re-opened again briefly, but closed for good in 2012. Since then, the price just keeps climbing as the quantity available shrinks.
The second generation cutters I bought these from guarantee that the color is 100% natural although the stones have been stabilized, as most modern turquoise mined with explosives has been.
They are pricey, but there's nothing quite like the saturated color of Sleeping Beauty turquoise, somehow the richness of the color even makes it feel denser and heavier than other stones. It's no wonder it's been treasured so widely.
Sadly all I could afford, were these small beads, but now that I've handled it, I'll be looking for more in Tucson next year.
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