Turquoise is one of the most prized, popular, and oldest known gemstones, having been used and traded for thousands of years. While there are many beautiful and exotic varieties of turquoise, one holds a special name that evokes images of fairytales and fantasy—sleeping beauty turquoise.
Where does this distinctive turquoise get its fanciful name? As with the fairy tale that bears the same name, the origin story of sleeping beauty turquoise involves a long slumber and a stunning reveal.
Sleeping beauty turquoise comes from Arizona's Globe-Miami mining region, where it was first discovered in the 1950s. At that time, very little high quality turquoise was being produced from the area's mines. The turquoise deposits were known but inactive—as if asleep and awaiting discovery—for years before skilled miners identified and extracted the remarkable sleeping beauty turquoise. When it emerged into the world, this turquoise made a grand entrance for its outstanding vivid robin's egg blue color and exceptional labyrinthine matrix patterns.
The vivid blue is distinctive and uniform in its bright, nearly neon tone. There is no greenish or grayish cast that lessens the impact of the color. The blue pops against the stark white and black matrix background of intricate spiderweb veining. This unique patterning and intense coloration give sleeping beauty turquoise a lively, electric look. Other turquoise tends to have softer, more varied colors and matrix patterns. But sleeping beauty stone is known for its consistently striking blue and orderly designs that resemble lichen spreading across the stone.
Another key characteristic of top quality sleeping beauty turquoise is its hardness and density. The stone takes an excellent polish and does not display any chalkiness, porosity, or weakness that would diminish its durability. A hard, natural gemstone grade turquoise like this is rare, making sleeping beauty turquoise prized in jewelry. The rich color, fine matrix patterns, and hardness mean that sleeping beauty cabochons and cut stones display superb quality.
For many years after the initial find, sleeping beauty turquoise was the premier turquoise coming out of America. Demand grew as consumers coveted the turquoise for its unique look. From the 1970s through the 1990s, sleeping beauty turquoise was highly sought after. Mine supply dwindled in the 1990s as deposits were exhausted. Only small amounts of new rough material are found today, and natural untreated sleeping beauty turquoise commands very high prices.
Fortunately, the story doesn't end there. Advanced techniques have made it possible to stabilize the original rough material and continue cutting it into jewelry stones. While the limited supply of natural sleeping beauty turquoise means prohibitive prices, treated and enhanced stones allow more people to enjoy this special turquoise. With good quality and care, treated sleeping beauty turquoise maintains its trademark vibrant blue and distinctive matrix patterns.
The turquoise itself lived up to its fanciful name by having a long dormant period before coming into prominence. And like the fairy tale princess, this turquoise awoke as a true beauty that captured attention and hearts. With its stunning blue and intricate webbed matrix, it's easy to see why the evocative moniker "sleeping beauty" has become inextricably linked with this iconic American turquoise. For both turquoise lovers and fairy tale devotees, it is a gem that conjures up notions of rarity, beauty, and magic.
