#8 Turquoise Drop
A classic American turquoise - an outrageously bright blue plays against a cinnamon brown "spider web" matrix - a match made in heaven. The #8 turquoise mine is in Nevada, where this stunning stone was discovered in 1925 and first mined in 1929. The mine is closed to turquoise mining now but is still in operation today as a gold mine. This little piece of the American Southwest is 1 3/4" long and not quite half an inch (10mm) wide. In the "group photo" with the large #8 turquoise slab, it is the bottom left pair. The wire is 14k gold-filled which lends a warmth and elegance to this earthy stone. Each earring weighs about 2 grams - less than a dime by comparison. I grew up watching classic TV Westerns as a kid - The Lone Ranger, Cisco Kid, Annie Oakley - so the West has a special place in my heart...along with #8 turquoise.