Sterling Silver Hubei Turquoise Navajo Cuff

Hubei turquoise is all the rage these days. Why? It looks different. This is the key thing to remember about this: Each piece of turquoise is itself a unique gem, though various mines have various characteristics. These characteristics have to do with the amount of copper and/or aluminum in the mine. Some mines are older, some are younger, and a host of regional differences lead to particulars with each stone. Hubei is from the Hubei Province in China. There are several mines there with differing characteristics, but above all, they have characteristics that aren’t too much like many of the famous American mines. Artists love originality and novelty, so many of the new pieces I see are coming from Hubei, Campitos, and of course Kingman.

China has been using turquoise for thousands of years, but jade is really the king in Asia. Burmese jade being some of the priciest gemstones in the world. With globalization and cultures sharing more, the Chinese market has taken an interest in turquoise. The Japanese market has an affinity for Americana, not unlike how Americans have an affinity for Japanese culture, and they’re quite fond of Navajo and Zuni jewelry -- but turquoise jewelry is picking up the pace. As China’s middle class grows, the turquoise they shipped overseas is now fetching a premium, as local markets are now interested in turquoise as much as the west is. This means the prices go up. This sort of thing happens all of the time. It happened with American mines when Europeans became interested in American style with Ralph Lauren and other designers selling American clothing (Jeans, felt, wool, etc). This pays dividends to artists who make American crafts, etc. This is boring, but I’m saying all of this to say Hubei is popular, and watching prices rise in the past year has been an interesting lesson in culture and economics.

For you, though, you get to have a piece of Hubei turquoise with its gorgeous swirls and dark matrix. It’s very unique amongst turquoise, and the piece compliments it well. Sizing is a breeze, just check out our sizing guide. It’s 73 grams, and cleaning it is as simple as using a dry cloth to keep the tarnish even as it ages. Still, if you need more info, check out our care guide.

D 2.42 / W 1.43 / 73.64 g