TURQUOISE PROVENANCE-ABOUT LARRY COOLEY TURQUOISE:

These phenomenal (And rare!) cuts of Blue Gem come from the late "Larry Cooley's" private collection. Mr. Cooley was one of the most reputably known turquoise vendors in the industry, who artists would go to when they wanted the highest quality turquoise for their own designs.. Since he was very knowledgeable, he knew what separated the junk from the premium grades & was committed to offering only the finest that each mine produced. He was one who wouldn't dare offer turquoise to someone, that he himself, wouldn't want.

One would be right to say that, the turquoise he collected & sold, were qualities that only the finest of the finest "Turquoise Connoisseur's" would buy..He had a vast collection of nothing BUT premium turquoise that were all natural,since his rocks were mined long before they started treating turquoise & had the best that each mine produced.

So these fabulous looking cuts are an excellent grade of natural turquoise, which is getting more & more difficult to find anymore, unless you're willing to pay top dollar per carat. That is, if you can find any, since much has gone into private collectors hands.. After Larry's passing, everyone wanted dibs on his whole collection, but because of Federico's long time connection with Larry & Larry's family, he was fortunate to purchase this 'once in a lifetime' limited collection(This is reflected in price) So once these stones are used up, they're gone!

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A LITTLE ABOUT THIS MINE:

Personally, there's nothing prettier than premium quality -natural turquoise & especially from the Blue Gem mine..Unlike other mines,Blue Gem has a distinct color & has been a true favorite of mine since the 70's, based on it's mesmerizing teal color & rich colored coppery matrix.. The production of this turquoise mine started in the 30's and continued until the 1970’s. While the Blue Gem Turquoise mine was very prolific at one time, today it is considered extremely rare, very valuable and is highly collectible . Most of the “finished” Blue Gem turquoise today is in private collections and or museums & is rarely offered for sale.

Quality in turquoise is determined by it's "Hardness" & when you have these cuts that are hard, you don't have a color change (Like what happens over time, where turquoise goes from blue to green from the turquoise being more soft & porous) because 'harder' turquoise is less porous, it doesn't absorb skin oils that create the color change. Also when hard turquoise is cut, it's quality is also validated by it's "glossier-spit shine" finishing after being cut. Blue Gem Turquoise is still some of the finest turquoise ever found on USA lands, and unlike most turquoise mines, (in which the majority mined are chalky and only usable if stabilized) most of the turquoise found in this particular mine, was of "GEM" quality. The color in these, is signature "Blue Gem" & if you are familiar with your turquoise,then you know what I'm referring to.

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THE EARRINGS:

Designed as if they stepped out of 1940's Santa Fe, these are just another perfect example of the quality that came from Larry. I refer to these as being a case where "Quality exceeds Quantity".. No, they're not long & over the top in size,but like the saying goes "Dynamite comes in small packages", these are that small package! I don't know if you're like me, but I would rather invest in one quality pair of earrings that I can appreciate for life, than a bunch of cheap ones!

They are made in a shorter,but wide design where both the tops & large wide center cuts are Blue Gem & all the oval bright blue dangles come from the now closed, Sleeping Beauty mine.Set in a contemporary finished sterling,these would be the star of the show, no matter where you live! Because of the stone size & the hefty amount of steling,these do have a bit of weight to them.So be sure to pay attention to the weight before you purchase!

These are MUCH prettier in person!