Treasure of the Southwest

Centuries ago, Persians, Tibetans and Mayans considered turquoise to be a gemstone of the heavens. They believed that the striking blue stones were sacred pieces of sky. Turquoise has graced the halls and tombs of Aztec kings and Egyptian pharaohs, such as Tutankhamun, whose golden funeral mask is inlaid with turquoise. Today the most rare and valuable turquoise is found right here in the American Southwest. But the future of the blue beauty is unclear.

On our recent trip to Tucson we spoke with fourth generation turquoise traders who explained that less than five percent of turquoise mined worldwide can be set into jewelry and only about twenty mines in the Southwest supply gem-quality turquoise. Once a thriving industry, many Southwest mines have run dry and are now closed.

We found a limited supply of turquoise from Arizona and snatched it up for our Arizona Turquoise Necklace. For the silver setting, we knew where we had to go: located in the hills between Acapulco and Mexico City, Taxco is a renowned silver capital and one of the oldest mining sites in the Americas. The quality of the artisan work has cemented its modern day status as one of the principal handmade silver jewelry sources in the world.

Our Arizona Turquoise Necklace is inspired by the work of those ancient craftsmen and designed to showcase the exceptional blue stone. Completely natural and untreated, each vibrant piece features a unique, one-of-a-kind matrix. The supply of Arizona turquoise is limited so don’t miss your chance to own the Southwest’s brilliant blue treasure.