How to Make Jewelry with Turquoise Stones + Design Ideas
Getting into the jewelry business can be extremely lucrative. According to the latest reports, the global jewelry market is worth $330 billion. That means there is plenty of space for up-and-coming creative jewelry makers.
If you are an aspiring jewelry business owner, you may be looking for styles to set your jewelry line apart from the competition. After all, the space has thousands of creative and unique lines.
Have you considered turquoise stones for your jewelry? Turquoise is among the oldest gemstones in the world. It is also beautiful, meaningful, and totally unique. 🥰
Why else should you choose turquoise to make jewelry? And how exactly do you get started with turquoise jewelry making? We will answer both of these questions next, plus we will give you some amazing jewelry design ideas. ✨
Why Use Turquoise Stones for Your Jewelry? 🤔
Turquoise is a blue-green gemstone native to New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, and southern California. This stone has a long history of use among certain Native American peoples, including the Navajo and Hopi tribes.
But you can also find turquoise outside of the US. For example, historians believe that Egyptians were the first culture to use this stone in jewelry. Ancient Persia soon followed.
But aside from the turquoise stone's long and storied history, why else should you consider turquoise for your jewelry line? Here are the top reasons to consider this beautiful stone.
Turquoise Has a Unique Color 🤩
The color of turquoise stones is so recognizable that English speakers have named a color after it. Most turquoise stones have a lovely blue-green color, though more expensive versions may appear more blue than green.
This unique and aesthetically pleasing hue is perfect for jewelry making because it goes with everything. The veined appearance of the stone also lends a natural quality.
Turquoise Is Highly Symbolic 😌
Like all gemstones, turquoise has meanings associated with it. People love wearing turquoise for its calming and relaxing properties. Some people also associate turquoise with never-ending love, and everlasting hope.
In Native American cultures, turquoise stones bring good luck. They may also help protect you against bad spirits.
How to Make Turquoise Jewelry 📝
Before we discuss how to make different types of turquoise jewelry, we want to mention a few terms to know. First of all, you need to understand the different types of turquoise shapes, including turquoise beads, chips, and ovals
Turquoise ovals also go by the name of cabochons. Turquoise cabochons are shaped and polished into rounded gemstones with flat backsides.
You can compare cabochons to faceted gemstones. Facets add glitter and shin to gems, helping them refract light. But turquoise stones are so beautiful that they do not typically require faceting, only a polish.
Now that you know the different shapes of turquoise stones, it is time to start making jewelry! But first, you may need the following silversmithing tools for beginners:
- A ball peen hammer
- A mallet
- Needle-nosed pliers
- Cross-locking tweezers
- Metal files
- A soldering kit and a solder
- Flux
- Protective equipment
- A Dremel
How to Make Turquoise Rings 💍
Turquoise rings are the perfect addition to any man's or woman's jewelry box. If you know how to smith jewelry, you can start your rings from scratch. Otherwise, you can simply add a turquoise cabochon to a ring setting.
Here's how to make a turquoise ring setting yourself.
- Wrap a fine silver bezel strip around your turquoise cabochon, marking where the two ends overlap with a permanent marker
- Use shears to cut the bezel strip where you marked it and apply flux to adjoin the seams
- Solder a small wire chip to the seam and apply heat until the seam is secured
- If there are any gaps in the bezel, use a hard surface to gently shape the strip around the stone
- Sand the bezel strip until it is smooth and flat
- Add a backplate in the same material you used for the bezel, apply flux, and use medium solder to solder the backplate to the setting
- Use a half-round wire and a ring-forming tool or pliers and your hands to create the band
- Use long tweezers or pliers to hold the band in place as your solder the band to the plate
- Add the finishing touch with a metal polisher
- Use a bezel roller to secure the turquoise cabochon into the setting
And that's it! Follow these steps to get a DIY silversmith turquoise ring.
How to Make Turquoise Bracelets ✨
Other than using turquoise cabochons, turquoise beads are one of the options when making turquoise bracelets. These turquoise shapes come in various sizes and colors.
Here are the steps for making a turquoise bead bracelet.
- Cut a leather cord to the length of your wrist, or about 10 inches
- Loop one end of the cord through the circular end of a jewelry clasp
- Wrap the looped cord with a metal wire in your desired finish
- Using a pair of needle-nosed pliers, tighten the wire around the cord until it is secure and does not come loose when you tug on it
- Add your turquoise beads to the loose end of the cord
- Repeat steps 3 and 4 for the other end of the cord, adding a finding ring if you prefer
You do not have to use turquoise beads alone for your bracelet. You can also add other stone colors or metal spacers to achieve your desired aesthetic.
How to Make Turquoise Necklaces 🥰
Turquoise chips are flat, shard-like pieces of turquoise with pre-drilled holes. These chips are perfect for making necklaces, bracelets, and more. Chipped turquoise is natural-looking, coming in multiple different shapes and sizes.
Here's how you can make your very own turquoise chip necklace.
- Buy or smith two linked chains, matching jewelry wire, jewelry finders, and a clasp
- Using the two linked chains as the back of the necklace, cut the matching wire to your desired length
- Use needle-nosed pliers to loop the end of the wire so that it will attach to the linked chain
- Add your turquoise chips to the open end of the wire
- Repeat step 3 for the open end of the jewelry wire
- Add a jewelry finder to each loop and close it around the finders on the ends of each linked chain
If you like, you can also create a wire choker that does not have the linked chain back side. Just fill the neck-length wire with beads, add a finder to one side and a clasp to the other, and you are done!
How to Make Turquoise Earrings 🫶🏼
Turquoise ovals are a great option for creating earrings. These beads typically come with holes drilled through the middle, allowing you to create unique designs without having to learn how to silversmith.
This may be the easiest turquoise jewelry design on this list! Here are the steps to make your customers' new favorite pair of earrings.
- You will need two pre-made earring hooks and two headpins in your desired metal or color
- Place one turquoise oval on each headpin
- Using needle-nosed pliers, bend the straight end of the pin into a tight loop
- Slide the loop around the loop on the earring hook to secure it in place
- Repeat steps 3 and 4 for the other earring
These earrings are super simple to DIY, making them the perfect project for the first entry in your jewelry line! You can also opt to use turquoise cabochons for any turquoise jewelry you intend to create.
Classes for Jewelry-Making Beginners ✨
If you are just getting started with your jewelry making journey, or are wanting to take that step further to level up your jewelry making game, it's important to connect with the best and most reputable ones in the industry.
We partner with teachers from Renee Ford Metals, the Crested Butte Jewelry School, Lucy Walker Jewelry, Silvera Jewelry School, Metalsmith Society, and more.
Check out our educational resources at this link to learn everything you need to know about making jewelry with turquoise stones!
Turquoise Jewelry Design Ideas 👀
Before we go, we want to offer you some inspiration for your first jewelry piece. Here are three of our favorite ways to use turquoise stones in jewelry making.
Turquoise and Silver
Turquoise and silver is a classic jewelry combination popularized by various Native American tribes. Pieces typically have intricate and detailed designs featuring symbols like the sun, moon, and other natural icons.
Turquoise and Coral
Another design idea inspired by the Native American tribes that popularized turquoise jewelry, consider adding coral stones to your products. Coral stones have a beautiful salmony-pink color that goes perfectly with turquoise hues.
Plus, turquoise and coral have deep meanings. Like turquoise, coral offers relaxation and long-lasting love. Wearing the two stones together can amplify these effects.
Turquoise Inlay Jewelry
Inlay jewelry features an unfilled channel where you can set one or more stones. For example, you could fill a long rectangular channel with small turquoise chips for a customizable turquoise jewelry charm.
To find some turquoise jewelry inspiration, check out these gorgeous #MadeWithMoose creations by The Moose Community!
Find Genuine Turquoise Online
Turquoise stones are both beautiful and meaningful. They are also easy to use to create jewelry. We hope these tips and ideas have helped you start brainstorming about how you can use turquoise in your jewelry designs!
Are you searching for bulk turquoise for your jewelry-making business? At Moose, we specialize in one-of-a-kind, high-quality stones your customers will love. Browse our turquoise cabochons to find the beautiful gemstones you need.
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