The massive habit of turquoise makes it a desired stone for jewelry and carving.

However, as a lot of turquoise is very soft, porous and brittle, it needs to be stabilized with wax, resin or other binding material to make it durable enough for cutting. The colour of the stone may also be enhanced by dye during the stabilizing process.

The depend for turquoise has far exceeded the amount of the available stone leading to the creation of several imitations. It is believed that about 80% of the turquoise we see is not actually genuine turquoise (treated & untreated). The majority of these imitations are actually dyed howlite.

Due to the large amount of stabilized turquoise in the market, it can be difficult to spot imposters. Here are a few key difference between turquoise and dyed howlite:

Although I want to know if a stone is genuine before I buy it so I understand the valuable of the piece. Dyed stones can be just as pretty as natural ones and I have both in my jewelry collection.

Always pick the piece that speaks to you!