Turquoise

Turquoise is one of the world's oldest gemstones, prized for its distinctive sky-blue to blue-green color. Shiyan, Hubei, China is a major global source, producing high-porcelain turquoise of superior quality with international acclaim.

Mohs Hardness

5.0-6.0

Origin

Hubei Shiyan, Anhui Ma'anshan, Iran, United States

Market Price Range

High-porcelain blue: $70-$1.4K/g; High-porcelain green: $28-$420/g; Chalk turquoise: $1.4-$14/g

Detailed Description

Turquoise is graded by porcelain quality into high-porcelain, medium-porcelain, and chalk grades. By color, it includes sky blue, blue-green, green, and yellow-green. Quality evaluation focuses on porcelain quality (hardness and density), color purity, and iron line aesthetics.

Identification Methods

Iron line observation: natural turquoise has naturally distributed iron lines; fakes are too regular

Water test: natural turquoise darkens when soaked (note: high-porcelain material shows less change)

Hardness test: high-porcelain turquoise has high hardness; fingernails cannot scratch it

Smell test: when slightly heated, resin-injected turquoise emits a plastic smell

Market Information

The turquoise market has grown steadily in recent years, with high-porcelain blue material prices rising due to scarcity. Hubei turquoise is gaining international recognition with increasing exports.