Large and Chunky Turquoise Pendant

Large and chunky turquoise pendant featuring an impressive polished gemstone mounted in a fine sterling silver setting. The turquoise gemstone which comes from stone cut in Nepal was carefully chosen prior to this pendant being crafted.

The distinctive spidery patterns that can be seen in turquoise are remnants of the host rock in which it originally formed. These markings correctly known as matrix can either be black or brown and in many cases help to correctly identify the mineral as turquoise. Pure blue coloured stones void of matrix are highly sought after and the Sleeping Beauty mine in Arizona was once one of the world's largest producers of a sky blue coloured stone that was almost completely void of any other markings. Operations ceased in 2012 and the mine now concentrates on copper.

Turquoise has been mined for thousands of years and it's a mineral that's well known by many different cultures around the world. Being graded 5 to 6 on Mohs scale of mineral hardness means that it's quite soft so must be handled with care. The colour of turquoise can vary significantly depending on the region where the stone was mined and it's one of the very few minerals to have given its name to a colour. It can fade or change colour completely because of long term exposure to bright light, acidity and moisture from the skin. Coming into contact with other pollutants in the atmosphere such as perfume and the vapour from scented candles may also cause irreversible damage. Many people are surprised at just how delicate this ancient gemstone is and sadly once damage occurs, it can rarely be reversed. Commercial grade turquoise is sometimes impregnated with wax or resin which offers a certain degree of protection.

We recommend that when not being worn this turquoise pendant be covered with a soft cloth to help protect the gemstone and minimise any build-up of tarnish on the sterling silver. It comes complete with its own stylish gift pouch which could be used for that purpose.

Weight (grams) : 54.2
Size (cms) : 6.4 x 4.6 x 1.1