Lapidaryforum.net
Rock Art => Cabochons, Intarsias, Cameos => Topic started by: Erich_R on September 13, 2016, 07:34:47 PM
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Hi, I'm new here, and I thought that I'd post a few pictures of some turquoise and variscite that I've finished in the last couple days. If there's any interest, I'd be happy to post more.
Anyway, turquoise has become my favorite stone (aside from opal, which I can barely afford).
Let me know what you think!
(I hope that the images upload!)
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very nice!
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Love turquoise. Keep posting pictures
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Damele is variscite, not turquoise.
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Hmmm.....Damele???? Variscite, varaquoise, turquoise with a odd matrix??? Turquoise usually has a matrix right? So what is matrix??? Quartz, yes. Granite, yes. Ryolite, yes. Pyrite, yes. Gold, yes, rare but yes. So if the matrix for turquoise is whatever and it has turquoise in it somewhere should it be labeled turquoise? I have seen, azurite, chryscola, gold, silver, malachite all together with turquoise in a vein. You just have to sort thru it snd higrade it. I just wonder about this, not trying to start a big deal but would like others opinion.
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the title say turquoise but the written description has turquoise and variscite both listed. I have never seen a chemical analysis of the Demale material to say if it is turquoise, variscite, faustite, or chalcosiderite or any of the other minerals in that group.
The cabs are all good looking whether they are turquoise or variscite.
Bob Johannes
The Amethyst Rose
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Hmmm.....Damele???? Variscite, varaquoise, turquoise with a odd matrix??? Turquoise usually has a matrix right? So what is matrix??? Quartz, yes. Granite, yes. Ryolite, yes. Pyrite, yes. Gold, yes, rare but yes. So if the matrix for turquoise is whatever and it has turquoise in it somewhere should it be labeled turquoise? I have seen, azurite, chryscola, gold, silver, malachite all together with turquoise in a vein. You just have to sort thru it snd higrade it. I just wonder about this, not trying to start a big deal but would like others opinion.
Probably best asked in a turquoise focused forum... Usually if it's a blend, it's labeled as what it actually is.
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There's a fairly simple way of thinking about the problem. If a stone contains more than one mineral, it's a rock. Lapis Lazuli is a good example. It's a rock usually containing lazurite, calcite pyrite and possibly other trace minerals. Maybe a solution would be to describe turquoise in matrix as a "rock containing turquoise" or whatever, but that would be a big customer turn-off since current usage is deeply embedded in the public psyche.
One source says Damele is known for turquoise, variscite and faustite. This link has interesting images and text.
http://www.durangosilver.com/damele-spiderweb-turquoise.html
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This is a picture of a larger nugget from Damele. I don't know id it is Faustite or Variscite as I have never had it tested. Due to the color, I am pretty sure it is NOT turquoise.
Bob Johannes
The Amethyst Rose
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There is a lot of green turquoise that comes from Nevada. Just because it is green dose'nt mean that is varasite. At one time the miners used to throw all of the geen in the tailings because the blue was bringing the high price. If you can find one of the old mines you can dig the tailings and find some nice green turquoise.
I have seen color from white thru shades of green, blue, blue green, blue and green in the same stone (Royston turquoise), I have some turquoise from the lazy old men mine that is more gray with just a shade of green or blue. Some of the mines have varasite and other good stones , the color back turquoise mine also has chalcosiderite
They sell it for more money than the turquoise.
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Erich, I got so involved in trying to ID Damele material I forgot to tell you how nice your cabs are. I really like the top two especially, regardless of what the exact mineral is.