This listing is for the beautiful quality Nacozari turquoise smooth polished rondelle bead temporary strand shown in the photos. The beads are beautiful shades of blue, along with very little shades of gray. These top beads will be wonderful as a necklace or incredible splashes of color in your designs. These turquoise beads were mined in Sonora, Mexico, in the Nacozari mine. The Nacozari mine is in the same mountain range as the Bisbee mine, which is in Arizona, though the Nacozari mine is south of the border in Sonora, Mexico. The mine is now closed and Nacozari turquoise is highly collectible and expensive, and quite difficult to find.

Almost all natural turquoise is stabilized to keep the color from fading away over time and to keep this relatively soft stone from splitting or crumbling apart to the point that it couldn't be drilled, although I can't be sure that this particular material has been treated, other than being cut and polished. The stabilization process does not change the characteristics of the stone, but rather strengthens it from self-destruction. Because these turquoise beads are natural, as found in nature (only shaped and polished), they have minor natural imperfections, and are an excellent quality.

These Nacozari turquoise button beads measure approximately 6.7 to 7.4 mm in diameter, and approximately 3.5 to 4.8 mm thick, and this temporary strand is about 16" long. You will receive a similar temporary Nacozari turquoise bead strand shown in the photos till stocks last.