Natural Courtland turquoise (#---)
Stone: Natural Courtland Turquoise (no enhancement/alteration). Free form cabochon cut and polished by David Owen of Designs by Owen in Bisbee, Arizona.
Also Included in Purchase: Certificate of Authenticity & Soft Jewelry Bag
Miner: Michael Oster of Courtland Ghost Town in Courtland, Arizona
Source: Courtland Ghost Town Turquoise Mines (Courtland, Arizona & Gleeson, Arizona)
Comments: I was quite surprised to see this piece of Courtland Turquoise upon it’s return to me from the “cabbing” process. Prior to being polished, the future of this rock was quite uncertain: there were areas of almost a grey colored turquoise nearly a centimeter thick enveloped on one side by a dark quartzite with hints of a massive quartz formation. Typically, this combination results in unworkable material as the turquoise will remain a monolithic grey even when polished down. Normally, we see the host rock and turquoise form a defined boundary. However, in this case, as we began to grind the piece down we saw a crescent of brighter blue beginning to express itself in the upper corners and, equally surprising to us, was the grey turquoise transforming into a fog blue and melding seamlessly into the host rock. I think that this cabochon would be best displayed as the center piece in a cuff bracelet. Its hardness is superb and you can wear this natural turquoise without fear of damage or fracture. –Michael Oster, Courtland Ghost Town