How To Tell If The Turquoise Stone Is Real Or Fake?

We are very sure you may have seen this marvelous jewel multiple times. Whether as a jewelry piece studded on someone’s crown, a ring, or even in earrings. Or even as an unbelievable piece of decoration somewhere. 

Yes, we are talking about the turquoise stone. But if you genuinely want to own this gemstone, you must know how to maneuver yourself and save yourself from so many fakes. 

You may have been a collector and lover of Turquoise Crystals and still fall victim, because some of those fakes are just that convincing. It is equally important for you to learn about the question “Is turquoise real or fake?”. And we will be covering those very important strategies and plans to save ourselves.

A Brief Overview Of Turquoise Stone

The turquoise stone is a copper–aluminum hydro-phosphate stone. You can find it in colors that vary from pale blue to green. It has been used and adored in numerous civilizations right from the civilization of big Egyptians up to the native Americans given its supposed shield and curative consequences. 

Turquoise itself is not hard to come by in some regions of the world, but real gem-grade stones can be expensive, especially if the stones are uniformly colored and have little or no matrix – the remaining rock or mineral around the stone.

Common Types Of Fake Turquoise Gemstone

Before we even get to the ways by which you yourself will be able to determine if this person who is selling me this gemstone is lying or not, we have some very commonly found fakes of this marvelous gemstone for you:

1. MAGNESITE: They are very often offered at a cheaper price, comparable sometimes to several times lower than the true turquoise. People can color these to be an imposter version of Turquoise crystal.

2. PLASTIC/RESIN: Such synthetic materials can be prepared in a specific shape and can also be colored to this shade of turquoise. They are usually small, portable pieces of furniture, or ornaments that do not have the same longevity as the natural stone.

3. RECONSTITUTED TURQUOISE: This entails crushing turquoise gemstone scraps into small sizes before embedding the powder in a substance such as resin or another type of binder. 

How To Know If A Turquoise Gemstone Is Genuine?

• Color: Natural turquoises can therefore come in the spectrum of blue to green, and they may include some shades of the two colors with stripes or some formations. 
• Hardness: Turquoise crystal hails from the Mohs scale of hardness list somewhere in the range of 5-6. It comes in relatively low hardness to the other gemstones, something that makes it easily scratched but it is harder compared to most of the imitation stones.

• Weight: Real turquoise stone is not at all light as some limitations may feel; it has a certain weight owing to its mineral makeup. Counterfeit may be produced from plastic or resin; therefore, they will be lighter when held in hand.
• Matrix: Proof that it is not a forgery may be seen in the features present in a matrix or the web-like pattern of the surrounding rock. However, the highest quality of turquoise is matrix-free, which proves that in some cases, one can’t speak about fake stones, seeing an absence of matrix.

Methods To Check The Gemstone

1. Visual Inspection

For this kind of auditing, you should begin with visual verification. Look for:

• Natural Variations: This is one of how people tell real turquoise from fake stones as this stone usually has a hint of color further complimented by a rough texture. In other words, while the stones could be homogeneous and polished in all aspects, they could be fake.
• Matrix Patterns: It is also important to note that genuine turquoise stone is usually identified by the presence of a matrix or some sort of pattern in the gemstone. These regions should be avoided if the matrix is perfectly square or appears symmetrical even after shuffling.
• Surface Characteristics: Check for the presence of dye or a treatment of some form on the skin. It is with non-uniformity in color gradients and the color may be found concentrated on the crack areas or other forming defects.

2. Scratch Test

These properties form from the fact that turquoise crystal occupies a high rank on the Mohs scale and, therefore, it must be harder than a fingernail but softer than glass or a mineral like quartz. 

Rub the stone surface gently with the back side of a copper coin or a glass so that it slightly scratches the stone surface. This means that if it scratches easily and you find it strange, then it is either fake or just an ordinary stone like dyed howlite.

3. Hot Needle Test

Introduce heat on a needle then bring the heated part near the surface of the stone without too close. Real silver and turquoise gemstones are not and will not be affected: the plastic and/or resin will melt or begin to smell chemicals. 

Note: This test can cause harm to the stone in question and thus should only be conducted when all other options cannot be taken.

4. Acetone Test

Take a piece of cotton and wet it in acetone (nail polish remover) and then try to apply it to a hidden part of the stone. This shows that it may have been dyed if the color wears off from the stone. This is good advice for valorizing genuine turquoise because it will not react detrimentally to acetone.

Best Tips To Buy Genuine & Authentic Gemstones

If you are someone who doesn’t wanna fall into the trap of these horrible people who sell fake Turquoise crystals, take note of these smart tips to save yourself:

• Price Consideration: This must be avoided since prices that look so good must not tempt the buyer to try them out. Authentic turquoise is priceless and normally results in high costs being attached to it.
  
  
• Ask Questions: One should also ask about the origin or the raw form, the process through which the stone undergoes to be polished, and any addition that is given to the material. All honest sellers will be more than willing to provide this information because it is the truth.

Conclusion

As you will soon see, finding genuine turquoise stones takes some work, reasonable skills when it comes to evaluating gems, and a certain measure of expertise and familiarity with the stone. We hope how you will know when you see is turquoise real or fake.

Since the market is full of replicas, familiarization with the specifics of the original turquoise will assist you in making accurate assessments and avoiding getting a fake. Try to only buy from the right and good places that can even show you certifications and stay safe from these people. Good luck! 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1. Where is Turquoise Gemstones Found?

Remember that the highest and the best quality gemstones are found in the United States and China. That is where you can find the best turquoise gemstones with the least impurities and the best luster.

2. What is the significance of Turquoise Gemstones?

This is a gemstone that is known for its clarity of mind. People have also used this gemstone to prevent themselves from getting affected by negative energies & vibes, many believe it works.