Heavy Sonoran Gold turquoise ring

Handcrafted by Navajo artist Curtis Willie. Willie family For the past 45 years, have been making exquisite traditional silver jewelry. They specialize in unique bracelets, pendants, rings, buckles and concho belts.  They work with highest grade stones and heavy guage silver. They reside just west of Albuquerque in To’hajilee. This ring is a great example of their heavy style jewlery. 

 Measurements:  3/4" at its widest point along the sides and tapers down to a 3/8". The oval stone  measures 7/8" x 3/4". 

Stone: Sonoran Blue Gold Canyon Turquoise is an interesting turquoise from Senora, Mexico, near Nogales, Arizona and its neighbor: Nogales, Mexico, which is the northernmost point in all of Mexico. The series of mines bearing this name are on several sites contingent to the American border. Very little hard natural material has been mined here. Most has needed stabilizing to be useful. The high-grade natural material is a medium blue, with darker blue matrix, forming a “birds eye” pattern. This is usually accompanied by iron pyrite, giving it a similar look to a high grade Morenci. The high grade turquoise from this mine is rare and is considered both esoteric and valuable.