Turquoise Sterling Silver French Hook Earrings.

These Turquoise Sterling Silver Earrings are sensational and colorful pieces of hand crafted southwestern jewelry. These earrings come from Albuquerque, New Mexico. They feature lost wax designs of shimmering Sterling Silver. These earrings also feature traditional inlaid designs made from hand cut stones of genuine Turquoise. The cool blue hues of the Turquoise beautifully compliment the white shine of the Sterling Silver. These French hook earrings are 2" long.

Turquoise is a valuable mineral and is possibly the most valuable, non-transparent mineral in the jewelry trade. It has been mined for eons since at least 6000 BC. by early Egyptians. Its history also includes beautiful ornamental creations by Native Americans and Persians. Its popularity is still quite strong today. Although crystals of any size are rare, some small crystals have been found in Virginia and elsewhere. Most specimens are crypto crystalline, meaning that the crystals could only be seen by a microscope. The finest turquoise comes from Iran but is challenged by some southwestern United States specimens. The name comes from a French word, which means stone of Turkey, from where Persian material passed on its way to Europe.