Arizona turquoise: origin, quality, treatments and care

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Arizona turquoise refers to turquoise mined in this American state (Sleeping Beauty, Kingman, Bisbee...), known for its sky-blue colour and its place in Native American jewellery.

Key points

Colours	pure sky blue (Sleeping Beauty), blue-green with brown or black matrix (Kingman, Bisbee)
Mineral family	hydrated copper aluminium phosphate, CuAl6(PO4)4(OH)8·4H2O
Mohs hardness	5 to 6, lower for porous, chalky pieces
Deposits	Arizona: Globe (Sleeping Beauty), Kingman, Bisbee, Morenci
Common treatments	wax, resin stabilisation, dyeing, reconstituted block
Safety	contains copper: no elixirs, not for the mouth
Tradition	Pueblo, Navajo, Zuni peoples: protection, sky and water

What is Arizona turquoise?

Turquoise is a copper and aluminium phosphate: copper gives the blue, and a little iron or zinc shifts it towards green. It forms near the surface, in weathered rocks around copper deposits. By value, Arizona is the leading producer of turquoise in the United States, and several deposits have given their names to highly sought-after shades.

Sleeping Beauty (Globe, Gila County): an even sky blue, almost free of matrix (the veins of the surrounding rock). The mine stopped mining turquoise in 2012, which pushes up the price of untreated stone.
Kingman: variable blue-greens, often veined with brown or black. The mine remained active at least until 2015, linked to a copper mine.
Bisbee: deep blue with brown patterns and "spiderwebs". The Lavender Pit mine closed in 1974.

For the general stone entry, see our page on turquoise.

A stone at the heart of Native American cultures

The Pueblo, Navajo, Apache and Zuni peoples have always given turquoise a spiritual value, often linked to sky and water. The ancestral Pueblo peoples of Chaco Canyon prospered thanks to crafts made from this stone. Navajo and Zuni silver and turquoise jewellery is a living and highly regarded craft tradition.

If you buy jewellery in "Native American style", check who made it: in the United States, a law (the Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990) prohibits presenting as "Native American" a product that is not. Supporting Native American artisans is a way of respecting the tradition.

Traditional symbolism

In many cultures, turquoise is associated with protection, travel and the sky. The symbolism of Arizona turquoise relates mainly to these traditions: a link with water, rain and earth. Contemporary writers present it as a stone of expression and serenity.

These are cultural traditions: they are cited with respect, but not as a promise. No stone has been shown to offer protection.

Traditional correspondences

Area	Most commonly cited association
Chakra	throat, sometimes heart, depending on the author (see throat chakra)
Element	water, air
Signs	Sagittarius and Pisces for turquoise, depending on the author
Keywords	symbolic protection, travel, expression

How to use it

In silver jewellery: ring, necklace, bracelet; turquoise pairs very well with silver.
As a cabochon (a domed polished stone) or as beads.
As a pocket stone: a small pebble to keep when travelling.
As a gift: a turquoise piece of jewellery is a lasting gift, provided you know where it comes from.

Care and purification

Turquoise is porous and sensitive. It absorbs skin oils, perfumes and household products, and it can turn green or become stained. Prolonged sunlight can change its colour.

Wipe with a soft, dry cloth; if needed, a very lightly damp one.
Avoid prolonged water, perfumes, hairsprays, sunscreen, chlorine, ultrasonic cleaners and steam.
Take it off for housework, sport and showering.
Store it separately, in a soft cloth, away from sunlight.
Symbolic cleansing: gentle smoke, moonlight or selenite, without water (see cleansing and recharging your stones).

It contains copper: do not make elixirs with it.

Treatments, imitations and traps

Turquoise is one of the most treated stones on the market. A treatment is not a defect if it is declared.

Wax or oil: a traditional treatment, accepted.
Stabilisation: the porous stone is impregnated with resin to harden it. This makes the stone more durable, but it sells for less than an untreated natural stone.
Dyeing: colouring a pale stone a more vivid blue.
Reconstitution: turquoise powder bound with resin into a block; this is not solid turquoise.
Imitations: howlite or magnesite dyed blue, glass, plastic, sometimes "turquenite".

Turquoise sold as "Arizona" is not always genuinely from Arizona: a large share of the cabochons on the market come from China. Ask for the mine, the treatment and a certificate if the piece is expensive.

How to choose it

Check the evenness of the blue, the fineness of the matrix, the hardness (the stone should not be chalky) and the mention of treatment. An untreated Sleeping Beauty stone is expensive and rare. For a more reasonable price, a stabilised Kingman stone is a good compromise. Turquoise pairs well with chrysocolla, variscite and lapis lazuli.

Frequently asked questions

What is Sleeping Beauty?

It is a turquoise from the Globe area (Arizona), with an even sky-blue colour. The mine stopped extracting turquoise in 2012.

Is Arizona turquoise always natural?

The stone may be natural, but it is often stabilised, dyed or reconstituted. The seller must say so.

Can it be put in water?

It is better to avoid it: turquoise is porous and can stain or change colour.

How can I spot imitation turquoise?

A colour that is too vivid and uniform, a light weight and a very low price should raise doubts. Dyed howlite and magnesite are the most frequent imitations.

Why is it so expensive?

Good-quality natural stones from closed deposits are rare, which pushes prices up.