TURQUOISE PROVENANCE:

This is designed with a select cut that came from the renowned Larry Cooley collection. Larry was one of the industry’s most favorable turquoise vendors, so when artists like Federico needed top notch stones for their own designs, this was the vendor everyone would buy from. When Larry passed away awhile back, Federico had the unique opportunity to purchase Larry’s entire collection, which Larry had been carefully assembling and refining over several decades. Turquoise connoisseurs, designers, vendors, lapidarians—you name it—everyone fiercely coveted his collection.

However, thanks to Federico’s close, longstanding relationship with Larry and his family, he was able to acquire the entire collection, albeit at a considerable price. This high cost reflects the superior quality of Larry’s turquoise and the unfortunate reality that most of the mines where this turquoise originated are now depleted.

Larry was known for carrying only THE best turquoise, characterized by its exceptional hardness—a key indicator of “quality” in turquoise—meaning his stones did not require any treatments in order for the lapidarian to cut them.. Nowadays, some of the rarest turquoise cuts he owned simply can’t be found on the market, and when or if they do appear, they command extraordinarily high prices per carat. So when this turquoise supply is finally used up, it will truly be gone forever. Each and every item designed with his turquoise is literally “One of a Kind,” since these stones cannot be replaced & are from a limited stock, which makes each piece a singular treasure with history, provenance, and unmatched natural beauty.

***Anything you buy that came from Larry’s collection, will always come with a higher price tag due to rarity, availability & limited stock.*

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THE PENDANT:

This pendant may be on the smaller side for what Federico is known for, but the exceptional quality of this cut dominates and overshadows its size, speaking volumes when we talk top‑notch turquoise. This Blue Gem cut is old and represents a high to excellent grade of natural turquoise — a rarity today. Such material is increasingly difficult to find unless you're willing to pay top dollar per carat, and even then supplies are scarce, with much having gone into private collections where it has become highly valued.

The color is literally OUTSTANDING — Blue Gem doesn't get any better (nor prettier!) than this. If you know anything about our USA mines or turquoise in general, the exceptional quality and vivid color will be among the first things you notice. If you zoom in on the photos the true tone reads even richer against the hand; I’d say it’s a deeper teal than it appears in images. It’s absolutely gorgeous and really makes a statement.

‍The Blue Gem sits in a simple wire-wrapped bezel and is complemented by a small cluster of vibrant orange Spiny Oyster. It hangs from a bale with about a 12 mm opening (1/2"), so choose a strand slightly smaller than that to allow the pendant room to breathe and move freely. For those reasons I recommend using no larger than an 11 mm bead size. In my professional opinion this pendant is best worn on a necklace that measures around 18" and up to no more than 22" in length—any longer and the piece may not draw as much attention.

If you’re all about having the very best quality turquoise, then this is a no-brainer! It would also make a perfect gift for someone who truly appreciates excellent-grade turquoise and timeless Southwestern style.

A NOTE::

**In this business, you pay for what you get. And just like with any other gemstone, there are 'grades' with some being low grade which are less expensive, while others are high grade and are more expensive.. Turquoise is the same, with the cost being higher for 'natural turquoise' that are a high/excellent grade. I always say "look at the price" & that should give you some clue as to how good something is, especially in jewelry. Though I must note, that anything with Larry's turquoise will always come with a higher price tag, due to the quality & limited supply***

Artist, turquoise quality, availability, limited stock, cost per carat for this quality, how many carats, sterling cost & artists time are reflected in price.

ARTIST: Federico Jimenez

MATERIALS: Old Blue Gem Turquoise-Spiny Oyster Shell

TURQUOISE SIZE: See photo 3

WEIGHT: 1.21 OUNCES (34.7 Grams)

MEASUREMENTS: 3.50” x 1-5/8" at it’s widest (Bale to bottom)

METAL: Sterling Silver

METAL FINISH: Contemporary/Mirror Polished Finishing

PENDANT CONNECTION: Bale

HALLMARK: Sterling ~JF

Comes Gift Boxed

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SIGNATURE REQUIREMENT:
Anything with a high price tag, will have a mandatory signature confirmation requirement (reflected in shipping price).. If you're not home in the day & need it shipped where it can be signed for,please change that in your "Ship To" section before I create the shipping label***I'm sorry if this may be an inconvenience, but I do not ship expensive pieces without one. This is for your safety & mine.
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*PLEASE READ BEFORE PURCHASING:
*****I do not consider myself a 'professional photographer" but I do try to give you photos that are 'realistic" in color. Although jewelry generally always looks better in person, you still have to take the monitor you're looking at the item with, into consideration. Please go through each photo to see any variation to get an idea. Whether it be your computer monitor or phone screen, the item can appear to be either more vivid (Or duller).

In order to give you close up photos so I can provide you with all the detail, photos can tend to makes the item look GIGANTIC & everything is more magnified than in actuality. So to get an idea of size, please pull out a measuring tape, please compare everything to the measurements I provided you with.