Facet Foundry Jewelry Studio

Turquoise is perhaps the oldest gem in man's history. It has been used as a gem for kings, a talisman for warriors, carved into ornamental designs for religious ceremonies, and used as a form of currency.

Turquoise was formed millions of years ago in dry and barren regions where acidic, copper-rich groundwater reacted with aluminum phosphates and other specific minerals. There are only five areas on earth that have produced significant amounts of turquoise: Persia (Iran), Egypt, China, Tibet, and the American Southwest - particularly Arizona and Nevada. Unfortunately, many of the historical sites have been depleted or produce too little turquoise to be profitable for miners. The remaining deposits are mined on a seasonal basis and in small scale.

Turquoise was discovered in North America around 200 BC by the Native American Indians located in the Southwest region. Turquoise has been very important to Native Americans throughout time. First it was used in ceremonies and prayer, and then later as a valuable trade item when Europeans came to America.

The Navajo Indians began making turquoise jewelry around 1885 for commercial trade. When tourism came to the Grand Canyon in the early 1900s turquoise jewelry was the number one souvenir tourists took home. Turquoise jewelry still remains a popular souvenir for visitors to the American Southwest.

There are several distinct styles of turquoise jewelry coming out of the American Southwest which can be traced back to three tribes: Navajo, Zuni, and Hopi. Navajo jewelry is known for its large and often free-form turquoise stones, and heavy, almost "clunky" silver that has a satin finish. Modern Zuni jewelry is characterized by stone inlays, animal shapes, and bold use of color. Fetish necklaces, that are comprised on small animal carvings, are perhaps the most recognizable jewelry item from the Zuni tribe. Hopi jewelry utilizes a technique called Overlay, which began in the late 1930s. Overlay consists of two silver layers that are formed into flat pieces of the same shape. Designs are then cut into the top piece and the bottom layer is textured and oxidized to a black color giving the appearance of depth.