Turquoise Unearthed: An Illustrated Guide Paperback – November 15, 2002

Good book

This book is a treasure trove of information on the legendary sacred stone of the Southwest. If you're interested in authentic turquoise jewelry, this could help you make an informed purchase.The photography is up-close and vivid and is used very effectively to make points and educate the reader.Content covers the varying hues of turquoise and their significance – and what makes turquoise considered "treated" as opposed to natural and gemstone grade. The authors explain the processes behind reconstituted, stabilized, enhanced, waxed or oiled turquoise and imitation turquoise.There are great descriptions of the output of the classic Southwest mines – with photos of their signature gemstones. There are also photos of Chinese turquoise, so you can see how easy it is to buy Chinese when what you want is Southwestern.There are discussions of turquoise with matrix – intrusions from the host rock that create desirable patterns like the sought-after spider web matrix.I was fascinated to learn that mine and matrix matter more than color in the value of turquoise.Of all the books on turquoise I’ve read,I found this one by far the most useful.

I actually gave a copy of this to a geologist friend and he loved it.

Solid basic information.

Joe Dan Lowry is internationally known for his expertise in the field of turquoise. This Guide, written by him and his father, is small enough to be carried along when searching antique stores and galleries for turquoise purchases. The book is very helpful in describing the various grades of the major kinds of turquoise and the variables to be looked for when judging whether to buy a particular piece. In the end, of course, the authors suggest that you buy what "speaks" to you, but it doesn't hurt to know the indicators of quality since quality is related to the price you should pay. The Guide also describes treated and fake turquoise and cautions to "get it in writing" to protect from misrepresentations. The Guide is well illustrated and manages in so small a volume to provide some of the history of the use of turquoise in various mediums. There is a lot of information crammed into this little book. I find this Guide useful as I continue to become an informed turquoise shopper. You will, too.

It seems to me that it's rather hard to find good information about turquoise, even if sought in person with folks who know it well. And there aren't too many books on turquoise either. This one looked the best, but I was a little disappointed with the brief content. The pictures are beautiful. There are some nice descriptions of the most famous mines. The book also contains some brief, but helpful information about the formation of turquoise, but the one thing it doesn't really do is help the beginner to learn to identify types of turquoise on their own, which really would be helpful. It's like turquoise identification is a SECRET. I so wish this author would write a second book with more in-depth identification information.

I'm a huge collector of turquoise jewelry. i bought this book to help me learn more about the different turquoise stones as well as the mines that they came from. i only gave it 4 stars because i do wish it was a bigger book. i feel like they left stuff out but they did put in a good amount of information. if you are looking for a beginning book for learning about turquoise then i recommend this book! if you are looking for more in depth information then i would keep looking.

I found out about this book when buying some Native American jewelry at The Trading Post in Garden of the Gods. It is pretty cool as it tells a lot about where genuine American turquoise mines are and what the turquoise looks like. I have gotten to the point in my Native American jewelry collection that I want a signed piece and what to know where the turquoise originated. I would prefer a US mine but many gem quality stones come from Asia. Beware the cheap, non-guaranteed, non-signed stuff if you really care about what you're buying.

Turquoise UnearthedAn Illustrated GuideA booklet rather than a book. 64 pages in total. It begins with an introduction into the origins of turquoise and the main countries and regions of supply.It follows on with developments in the USA, the fashioning of jewelry by native americans, the styles of items produced, and finishes with a chapter on the classic southwestern turquoise mines. The narrative is concise and the colour plates are superbAn informative and very readable introduction into the world of turquoise.All in all well worth the money

Great book, full of info for beginners in turquoise collecting.

A small but enjoyable book, full of interesting information, and colored pics.

Super achat. Parfait

It's not really a guide or a book it's closer to an info flyer.....Very expensive for almost no infos.