The Turquoise Vault
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Exploring the art and craft of turquoise. From rough to polished, follow the process, learn the craft, and discover unique stones.
Authentic, hands-on lapidary content from my workshop to your feed.
05/20/2026
Where it all starts. In this photo we are looking at rough Kingman nuggets that were mined by LW Hardy in the turquoise boom of the 1970’s. These will be sliced into slabs and then cut and polished into cabochons.
The beginning of creating nice turquoise cabochons for jewelry pieces is sourcing workable rough material that takes a good polish. Here we see a prime example of what good stabilized rough turquoise looks like in its original form.
This Turquoise Has a Hidden Pattern- Final Decisions Before It Hits the Wheel.
In the previous video, I broke down how I planned to approach this end-cut piece of turquoise. In this follow-up, I take a closer look at the stone and refine the final direction before it ever hits the wheel.
Inside this piece, I can clearly see a bird-like pattern forming naturally in the matrix, and I want to bring that out as cleanly as possible while still preserving the sculptural feel of the stone.
The challenge is a thin area near the top, which limits how far I can push the shape. That means I’ll need to build a controlled girdle and work carefully to avoid losing the natural pattern that makes this piece unique.
Next step: taking it to the wheel.
05/12/2026
Been hard at work for some of my jeweler clients. Take a peek at these beauties I cut for them!
Reach out if you want turquoise cabs for your jewelry projects. 🙂😎💥
In this video I discuss my thoughts on how I am going to approach cutting and polishing a cabochon from a Phoenix Rising Turquoise end cut.
Phoenix Rising Turquoise is a unique variation of turquoise sourced from a Kingman Mine claim on Turquoise Mountain.
04/21/2026
Released these cabs in the first drop of the turquoise liquidation event yesterday. There are still a few left before they are all claimed.
Shoot me a message to see what’s still available. 🙂
04/20/2026
Hardy Pit Greens with Golds and Polychromes.
04/18/2026
Backing some natural Kingman water webs, Nevada #8 black webs, and a few thins that needed it.
I use regular JB Weld for my backing. The quick set only gives you 6 minutes before it sets up. I don’t like to rush or waist product.
I usually get 25 to 30 medium sized cabs out of a small tube.
Backing can be a little messy, but for certain stones it’s a best practice. 🙂
04/16/2026
Some beautiful new cuts of Nevada #8 turquoise. I love the way the imagery dances in these cabs.
12/13/2025
A few more of my creative endeavors. I’ve been polishing this Kingman Red Web and Polychrome turquoise. This is some honest-to-goodness beautiful material! Just look at these colors, aren’t they fantastic!
Send me a PM if you’re interested. Serious inquiries only please.
12/03/2025
Before and after. AAA Kingman Red Web Polychrome Turquoise Set. 62.50 carats backed. This is a perfect set for a cuff, ring, pendant combo.
11/21/2025
Few custom cuts I recently finished. A Nevada #8 turquoise shaped into mountains with a carnelion sun accent and a Vintage Kingman mountain shape cut from Kaolin Matrix turquoise mined by LW Hardy in the 1970’s.
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