Do You Love Turquoise? Get To Know All About Turquoise Jewelry

Shop Turquoise Jewelry at MIMOSA.

Pictured above is Madeline Ellis' private turquoise jewelry collection. It includes one-of-a-kind and discontinued MIMOSA pieces and pieces she's inherited and collected from various artists over the last 20 years.

Pieces by known artists include Meltdown Studio Jewelry, Beneath The Bark, and Bayou Bohemian. The rest have been picked up from various shops and markets.

About turquoise jewelry and stones

It's no secret we have a crush on turquoise. If you do, too, you're in the right place!

Before scooping up your next piece of turquoise jewelry, here are a few things to know about this popular gemstone and the meaning behind turquoise.

What is turquoise?

Turquoise is a mineral made up of hydrated copper and aluminum phosphate. But you might know it better as a beautiful blue-green gemstone nestled into all kinds of MIMOSA jewelry. ;)

Where is turquoise found?

Turquoise deposits are found around the world. Here in the United States, it particularly thrives in the Southwest region. (The stone itself and turquoise jewelry!) This makes sense as turquoise is found where it is more arid.

During the summer of 2022, Madeline and Dawson took a road trip through the Southwest and stopped at the Turquoise Museum in Albuquerque, New Mexico. (More on that below!)

While there, they met Joe Dan Lowry of the Turquoise Museum, who published a ranking of the Top 25 Turquoise Mines in the world as of 2019. It gives you a good idea of where else you'll find this fascinating mineral.

various unset blue and green turquoise cabochons

Above - various unset turquoise cabochons

Different kinds of turquoise

There are seemingly endless kinds of turquoise stones, but here at MIMOSA, we primarily use Campitos and Tyrone for our turquoise jewelry. What does that mean, you ask? These turquoise stones are named for the mine they came from.

The Campitos stones, which are bluer, are mined near Cananea, Sonora, Mexico. The Tyrone stones, which have a greener hue, are mined near Silver City, New Mexico.

A custom multi-stone turquoise locket hanging on a gold-filled chain and a stack of one-of-a-kind turquoise bracelets

Left - Custom locket by Dawson Ellis; Right - One-of-a-kind, discontinued, and custom pieces by Dawson Ellis

What does turquoise mean?

Many gemstones often have a meaning or a certain symbol attributed to them. Turquoise is no different.

Turquoise and spirituality

Joe Dan Lowry, of the Turquoise Museum, has co-authored a couple of books with his father, Joe P. Lowry. In their book, "Turquoise Unearthed: An Illustrated Guide," they cover all sorts of information about turquoise, including what this stone has meant to different cultures over time.

They explain how some cultures view turquoise as having "protective powers" while it's "an ancient talisman for health and happiness" to those native to the American Southwest.

Madeline wears turquoise jewelry rings from Beneath the Bark, Bayou Bohemian, Meltdown Studio, and one unknown artist

From left to right - Turquoise rings from Beneath the Bark, Bayou Bohemian, Meltdown Studio Jewelry, and unknown.

The Turquoise Museum

From Madeline:

If you love turquoise, push this place to the top of your travel list. In the meantime, give them a follow @tur q uoisemuseum on Instagram.

Three Turquoise Museum displays feature raw turquoise, various turquoise stones and beads, and a mannequin with an ornate turquoise necklace

Above - Just a snapshot of the turquoise displays featured at the Turquoise Museum in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

The museum is inside an eclectic old castle-style former home. It is PACKED wall to wall and floor to ceiling with the collection of 5 generations of a family who devoted their lives to turquoise.

No exaggeration, we could have spent a week reading the fact cards and information and looking at the massive collection.

Joe Dan was patient and kind and had a wealth of knowledge. He co-authored another book with his father, "Turquoise: The World Story of a Fascinating Gemstone.” It's a gorgeous book and perfect for any turquoise lover's coffee table.

Plan your visit to the Turquoise Museum!

Turquoise Jewelry You'll Find at MIMOSA

The turquoise stones we use range from bright blues to darker greens. Depending on our stock, you may receive a mix of these or all of one color. At this time, we do not take special requests for stone color preferences and do not accept exchanges because of color variations.

Shop Turquoise Jewelry at MIMOSA.