Come To The Stagecoach For So Much More!
␡
Today’s article was an unplanned, spur-of-the-moment topic. Normally when I write these, I have some time to think my ideas over and spend a few days writing. Unfortunately for me, Gary unveiled some brand-new jewelry that I only recently became aware that he was working on. Fortunately for you, this jewelry features a stone that we have never carried before and unless you are an avid follower of turquoise jewelry, you are unlikely to have seen it elsewhere. Despite my lack of preparation for this article, this unique jewelry warrants a discussion. So, let’s give this quick article a go!
My father, Gary Glandon, stocks up on most of his stones during a purchasing trip that we take each spring. Here he meets his main suppliers and picks out new stones to create new jewelry. Sometimes his purchased stones may sit in his collection for a long time, years in some cases. He may have other priorities or lacks the required inspiration at the time. This happens more frequently with a new type of stone. My theory is that a stone that Gary is less familiar with takes extra thought before making into jewelry. This was not the case with the new Golden Hills turquoise that he picked up this spring.
Golden Hills turquoise is unprecedented for several reasons. It is mined in Kazakhstan, which is a country that does not normally come to mind when thinking about high-quality turquoise. That being said, Kazakhstan is not terribly far from Iran, one of the oldest producing locations and thought by some to be the best turquoise in the world. Kazakhstan is also a neighboring country to China, which currently produces more turquoise than any other country. The mine where Golden Hills comes from is called Altyn-Tyube, located a few hundred miles from the border with Russia. It is typically known for producing Dioptase, a stunning green crystal that is quite rare. Golden Hills turquoise is a side product of this mine that began around the year 2013.
Golden Hills turquoise has rapidly grown in popularity due to its unique coloring. It is so different that I find it difficult to describe in words. As you can see in Gary’s jewelry, this material tends to be a light blue that can almost be described as white. It then shifts to a darker blue. I find myself going back and forth on whether this darker color is blue or gray. In terms of coloring, Golden Hills turquoise would be labeled unsaturated because the colors are not intense but rather soft and matte. This stone also tends to have a rust-colored matrix that runs throughout. This matrix offers a sharp contrast to these otherwise soft colors. It is said that Golden Hills is one of the purest types of turquoise, chemically speaking. Despite not having super intense colors, Golden Hills turquoise is very pretty and is a completely distinctive look in the world of turquoise jewelry.
Gary created a full set of Golden Hills turquoise jewelry, including a pendant, ring, bracelet, and earrings. All of these have those lovely pastel colors that I described above. Gary used the flower and leaf silverwork design to decorate these pieces. This is one of his absolute favorites and was a style that he learned from the Native American jewelry artists that taught him silversmithing. This styling fits these stones nicely. The leaves and flowers compliment the soft hues of the Golden Hills turquoise. I may be biased, but Gary did an excellent job using this silverwork as adornment for this jewelry.
This Golden Hills turquoise jewelry is a fantastic and unique new collection for us. Not only are the stones very pretty but they are altogether different than anything we have carried previously. If I had to choose a favorite from these four pieces of jewelry it would be the pendant. I find its shape pleasing and the silver leaves hug the stone perfectly. However, it would be a real shame to split these four pieces up. This is one of the finest matching sets that Gary has created in a long time. While you could not help but love any single one of these, together they make for a phenomenal set. I also know that Gary used most of his Golden Hills turquoise stones in creating these pieces. While I hope he can find more of this in the future, that is never a guarantee. If you fancy this Golden Hills turquoise jewelry, I suggest seizing it quickly. I would not expect it to stick around for long.
I hope you have enjoyed this article about Gary’s newest turquoise jewelry. You can see all our Stagecoach Original Turquoise Jewelry here at this link. He has some other fantastic pieces so be sure to take a look. Of course, if you have any questions, please contact us. Otherwise, I wish you a very cheerful holiday season!
Skylar Glandon
Author