Navajo turquoise bracelets represent not only significant artistic heritage but also a tangible investment. Identifying quality in these pieces requires a detailed understanding of both the turquoise stone itself and the silverwork craftsmanship. For buyers, distinguishing between genuine, high-grade examples and lesser-quality or even misrepresented items is essential for ensuring authenticity, durability, and long-term value.
Understanding Turquoise Stone Quality
The core of any Navajo turquoise bracelet is the stone. Its quality is determined by several factors, including its natural state, color, matrix, and origin. These elements collectively dictate the stone's aesthetic appeal, durability, and market value.
Natural vs. Treated vs. Stabilized Turquoise
Turquoise is porous, making it susceptible to changes from oils and chemicals. To enhance durability and color, much of the turquoise on the market undergoes some form of treatment.
- Natural Turquoise: This is untreated, unenhanced turquoise. It is the most valuable and rare form. Natural turquoise is often softer and more prone to color changes over time, developing a unique patina. Its value stems from its unaltered state and direct connection to the earth.
- Stabilized Turquoise: The most common form of treated turquoise. This process involves impregnating softer, more porous turquoise with an epoxy resin under pressure. This hardens the stone, making it more durable and preventing color change. While stabilized, it is still natural turquoise, and its value is higher than reconstituted or dyed alternatives, though less than completely natural, untreated stone.
- Treated/Dyed Turquoise: This category encompasses turquoise that has been dyed to enhance or alter its color, or treated with various substances beyond simple stabilization. The value significantly decreases with these treatments as they often obscure the stone's natural characteristics.
- Reconstituted Turquoise: This is made from crushed turquoise fragments mixed with epoxy resin, sometimes dyed, and then pressed into blocks. It lacks the natural integrity of solid turquoise and holds minimal value compared to natural or even stabilized forms.
Identifying Matrix and Color Consistency
The matrix refers to the remnant of the host rock within the turquoise. It appears as veins or splotches of black, brown, or gold. A desirable matrix can enhance the stone's character and indicate its origin.
Matrix Value: A fine spiderweb matrix, where thin, intricate lines of host rock crisscross the turquoise, is often highly prized, especially from mines like Number 8 or Lander Blue. The consistency of the matrix pattern across the stone, rather than large, distracting inclusions, contributes to its aesthetic value. Conversely, a clean, uniform robin's egg blue without matrix, like that from the Sleeping Beauty mine, is also highly sought after for its purity.
Color Uniformity: High-quality turquoise exhibits consistent color saturation across the stone. Patchy or uneven coloration can indicate lower grade material or dyeing. The specific hue, from sky blue to deep green, is less a marker of quality than its uniformity and vibrancy.
Origin and Rarity
Certain turquoise mines are renowned for producing stones with distinct characteristics and rarity, influencing their value. For example, turquoise from the now-closed Sleeping Beauty mine in Arizona is famous for its pure, intense robin's egg blue with little to no matrix. Bisbee turquoise is known for its deep blue with a distinctive chocolate-brown matrix. Kingman turquoise, also from Arizona, offers a wide range of blue hues, often with a black matrix. Understanding these origins provides context for a stone's appearance and rarity.
Evaluating Silverwork and Craftsmanship
Beyond the stone, the quality of the silver setting and the overall craftsmanship are critical to a bracelet's value and durability. Navajo silversmiths are known for their intricate handiwork.
Sterling Silver and Hallmarks
Authentic Navajo jewelry is typically crafted from sterling silver, which is 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% other metals, usually copper, for strength. Look for a ".925" stamp or "Sterling" mark, often found on the inside of the bracelet band. The absence of these marks does not automatically mean the silver is not sterling, especially on older pieces, but their presence provides immediate assurance of material quality. The gauge of the silver—its thickness—also matters. Thicker silver indicates a more substantial, durable piece that will resist bending and damage over time.
Construction Techniques and Durability
Inspect the silverwork for clean, precise execution. Common Navajo techniques include:
- Bezel Setting: The silver rim holding the turquoise in place should be smooth, uniformly shaped, and securely encase the stone without gaps. A well-executed bezel protects the stone and ensures it won't dislodge.
- Stamping and Repoussé: These decorative techniques involve impressing or pushing out designs from the silver. Look for clear, crisp lines and consistent depth in stamped patterns, and well-defined, smooth contours in repoussé work. Uneven or shallow stamping can indicate hurried or less skilled work.
- Soldering: All joins in the silverwork, such as where decorative elements are attached or where two pieces of silver meet, should be clean and smooth, without excess solder or visible seams. Poor soldering can lead to structural weakness.
Artist Signatures and Provenance
Many Navajo silversmiths sign their work with a hallmark, initials, or a distinctive symbol. While not all pieces are signed, particularly older ones, a clear artist signature adds to the piece's provenance and can significantly increase its value, especially if the artist is well-known. Researching the artist can provide further insight into the piece's authenticity and quality. Documentation, such as a certificate of authenticity or purchase records, also contributes to provenance.
Pro Tip: When evaluating a Navajo turquoise bracelet, always ask specific questions about the turquoise's origin (mine), whether it's natural, stabilized, or treated, and if the artist is known. Reputable dealers will provide transparent answers and often have documentation.
Assessing Overall Condition and Value Factors
For both new and vintage pieces, the overall condition plays a role in quality assessment. Check for any cracks, chips, or significant abrasions on the turquoise. While some minor imperfections are acceptable, especially in natural stones, extensive damage reduces value. For silver, look for excessive tarnishing that indicates poor care, or significant dents and scratches that detract from the piece's aesthetic. The weight and balance of the bracelet also contribute to its perceived quality and comfort when worn.
Securing an Authentic Investment
Identifying quality in Navajo turquoise bracelets is a multi-faceted process that combines knowledge of geological properties with an appreciation for artisanal skill. By scrutinizing the turquoise's natural state, color, and matrix, alongside the precision and integrity of the silverwork, buyers can make informed decisions. An authentic, well-crafted Navajo bracelet is not merely an adornment; it is a wearable piece of art, a cultural artifact, and a lasting investment.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most valuable type of turquoise?
Natural, untreated turquoise from historically significant mines, especially those that are now closed, typically commands the highest value due to its rarity and unaltered state.
How can I tell if turquoise is real?
Real turquoise, even stabilized, often feels cool to the touch and has a distinct weight. Look for natural variations in color and matrix; perfectly uniform, plastic-like appearance can indicate imitation. A scratch test (on an inconspicuous area) can sometimes reveal if a surface coating or dye is present, but this is best left to experts.
Does the artist's signature increase value?
Yes, a clear signature or hallmark from a recognized or highly skilled Navajo artist can significantly increase a bracelet's value due to the artist's reputation and the piece's verifiable provenance.
How should I care for a Navajo turquoise bracelet?
Avoid exposing turquoise to harsh chemicals, perfumes, lotions, or extreme temperatures. Clean it gently with a soft, dry cloth. Store it separately from other jewelry to prevent scratches, and avoid prolonged direct sunlight which can alter the stone's color.
