To get back into the groove of these I'm reposting an old Rock Appreciation Day from 2013. As these are all older images please excuse the image quality and old trademark.

For each 1st of the month a different stone or gemstone type will be highlighted and given information on. Jewelry examples using that month's stone will be featured along with current for sale pieces using the stone. As a general disclaimer, I am no lapidary (stone) artist nor gemologist. All information I post here is researched by myself and sources for stone/mineral information can be given upon request.

For Rock Appreciation Day this month we have:

King's Manassa Mine Turquoise

Manassa mine turquoise has also been called King’s Manassa turquoise, King’s turquoise, and was originally called the Lick Skillet mine. It is located in South Central Colorado near Manassa. The Manassa mine is reputed to be the oldest turquoise mining deposit in Colorado, and was speculated to have been mined by the Anasazi Pueblo peoples. The mine was “rediscovered”, or founded, by Israel Perviose King when he was searching for gold in 1894. He filed claim on it the next year. The mine has stayed with the King family and is now with his grandson Bill King.

The turquoise from this mine is some of my favourite. It is known for it’s deep greens with host rock rhyolite golden brown matrix, but can produce turquoise in a range of colours.

The turquoise can come in solid colour, bi-coloured, or with host rock webbing. It pairs beautifully with gold and some of the most saturated dark greens are among the most collectible. I love that turquoise from this one area has been used for over 1,000 years and is still seen as a prized and treasured finite commodity.