Turquoise is one of December’s birthstones — the other December birthstone is tanzanite — and today’s designers are taking the robin’s-egg blue stone out of the southwest and into contemporary jewelry. Some designers look for clean turquoise without any visible matrix (remnants of the rock it was mined from, which can look like veins), while others embrace the natural look of the matrix and its organic feel. Collectors prize turquoise from the now-closed Sleeping Beauty mine in Arizona, which has a rare, vivid hue and no matrix. Designer Laura Stephanie says, “The formation of this stone and its pure blue coloration is a geological miracle. The blue color has been traced to a large copper deposit at the mountain it is mined from.” Our selection of the most beautiful turquoise necklaces, earrings, bracelets, and rings shows the versatility of this unique gemstone.
Washington, DC-based designer Laura Stephanie has a personal attachment to Sleeping Beauty turquoise, after a trip to the Sedona desert with her sisters inspired a deep love of the landscape and energy. The Sierra earrings feature two very large and well-matched stones from the Sleeping Beauty mine.
Laura Stephanie Sierra earrings in 14K white gold with 17.09 carats Sleeping Beauty turquoise and 3.68 carats diamond, $32,600, View The Earrings
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