Turquoise Gemstone Beads
Dakota Stones curates one of the widest turquoise bead selections on the market—everything from Arizona’s famed Sleeping Beauty sky-blue rounds to the chocolate-matrix patterns of Kingman, the sea-foam hues of Campitos and Elisa, and the richly veined material from China’s Hubei province. We stock multiple shapes and sizes—heishi, nuggets, rounds and rondelles—so designers can match color and matrix across an entire suite of pieces.
Geologically, turquoise forms when mineral-rich groundwater percolates through aluminous host rock and copper deposits, replacing pockets of material over thousands of years. The result is a hydrated copper-aluminum phosphate revered since the Egyptians and Aztecs for its vivid, naturally waxy luster. Our inventory includes both untreated stones and carefully stabilized strands (clearly labeled) to ensure durability without sacrificing authentic color.
Whether you’re chasing the robin’s-egg tone of classic Southwestern jewelry or the intricate spiderweb matrix prized by collectors, you’ll find a strand here that fits. Mix turquoise with sterling silver for timeless desert style, pair it with coral for striking contrast, or use small heishi as accent spacers—the palette possibilities are as vast as the landscapes where these legendary stones are mined.
Products: 187
Nevada #8 Turquoise 10-20mm Nugget with 2mm Hole Size - Single Bead
Turquoise is an ancient gemstone, one of the first known to man. Known to Egyptian and Aztec cultures thousands of years ago, Turquoise is now mine...
View full detailsElisa Turquoise 10-20mm Nugget with 2mm Hole Size - Single Bead
This turquoise is mined from the Sonora mines in Mexico. Like all other natural turquoise, its coloring is the result of the chemical reaction that...
View full detailsHubei Turquoise 4-8mm Light Blue Nugget AA Grade - 15-16 Inch
Hubei Turquoise is sourced from Hubei Province in Northern China, one of the most recognized turquoise-producing regions in the world. This materia...
View full detailsHubei Turquoise 4x6-5x8mm Blue/Green Tiny Nugget AA Grade - 15-16 Inch
Hubei Turquoise is sourced from Hubei Province in Northern China, one of the most recognized turquoise-producing regions in the world. This materia...
View full detailsKingman Turquoise 8-12mm Nugget Green 9-10 Inch Strand - Limited Editions
Turquoise is an ancient gemstone, one of the first known to man. Known to Egyptian and Aztec cultures thousands of years ago, Turquoise is now mine...
View full detailsHubei Turquoise 7x9-8x10mm Blue Nugget AA Grade - 15-16 Inch
Hubei Turquoise is sourced from Hubei Province in Northern China, one of the most recognized turquoise-producing regions in the world. This materia...
View full detailsSonoran Mountain Turquoise 7-8mm Nugget - 17-18 Inch
Sonoran Mountain Turquoise is a high-quality turquoise variety mined in Sonora, Mexico. It often features a mix of vibrant blue and green hues, som...
View full detailsSonoran Mountain Turquoise 8-9mm Blue Nugget - 17-18 Inch
Sonoran Mountain Turquoise is a high-quality turquoise variety mined in Sonora, Mexico. It often features a mix of vibrant blue and green hues, som...
View full detailsHubei Turquoise 6x8-7x9mm Blue/Green Nugget AA Grade - 15-16 Inch
Hubei Turquoise is sourced from Hubei Province in Northern China, one of the most recognized turquoise-producing regions in the world. This materia...
View full detailsHubei Turquoise 8x10-9x14mm Blue Nugget AA Grade - 15-16 Inch
Hubei Turquoise is sourced from Hubei Province in Northern China, one of the most recognized turquoise-producing regions in the world. This materia...
View full detailsCaballo Campitos Turquoise 10-20mm Nugget with 2mm Hole Size - Single Bead
Turquoise is an ancient gemstone, one of the first known to man. Known to Egyptian and Aztec cultures thousands of years ago, Turquoise is now mine...
View full detailsSonoran Mountain Turquoise 8-9mm Nugget - 17-18 Inch
Sonoran Mountain Turquoise is a high-quality turquoise variety mined in Sonora, Mexico. It often features a mix of vibrant blue and green hues, som...
View full detailsHubei Turquoise 8-9x10-13mm Blue Nugget - 15-16 Inch
Hubei Turquoise is sourced from Hubei Province in Northern China, one of the most recognized turquoise-producing regions in the world. This materia...
View full detailsHubei Turquoise 9x-10x10-15mm Blue Nugget - 15-16 Inch
Hubei Turquoise is sourced from Hubei Province in Northern China, one of the most recognized turquoise-producing regions in the world. This materia...
View full detailsKingman Turquoise 9x11-11x20mm Blue Brown Graduated Nugget - 15-16 Inch
Kingman turquoise, mined in the Acerbate Mountains near Kingman, Arizona, is renowned for its vibrant, intense blue hues, often featuring a black, ...
View full detailsLone Mountain Turquoise 4-6mm Nugget - 18 Inch
The Lone Mountain turquoise mine was rediscovered in 1920 by Lee Hand, a man known as the "turquoise king" of his day. It is considered rediscovere...
View full detailsHubei Turquoise 4x6mm Nugget AA Grade - 15-16 Inch
Hubei Turquoise is sourced from Hubei Province in Northern China, one of the most recognized turquoise-producing regions in the world. This materia...
View full detailsEgyptian Turquoise 2x4-4x5mm Side Drill Nugget - 15-16 Inch
Egyptian Turquoise is one of the oldest known sources of turquoise, historically mined in the Sinai region for thousands of years and prized since ...
View full detailsEgyptian Turquoise 2x4-4x7mm Graduated Side Drill Nugget - 15-16 Inch
Egyptian Turquoise is one of the oldest known sources of turquoise, historically mined in the Sinai region for thousands of years and prized since ...
View full detailsEgyptian Turquoise 3x5-5x9mm Graduated Side Drill Nugget - 15-16 Inch
Egyptian Turquoise is one of the oldest known sources of turquoise, historically mined in the Sinai region for thousands of years and prized since ...
View full detailsEgyptian Turquoise 3x4-4x7mm Graduated Side Drill Nugget - 15-16 Inch
Egyptian Turquoise is one of the oldest known sources of turquoise, historically mined in the Sinai region for thousands of years and prized since ...
View full detailsTurquoise 6x8-8x10mm Rough Nugget - 15-16 Inch
Turquoise is an ancient gemstone, one of the first known to man. Known to Egyptian and Aztec cultures thousands of years ago, Turquoise is now mine...
View full detailsAbout this stone
Frequently asked questions
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Is your turquoise real, or is it dyed howlite?
Turquoise is hydrated copper-aluminum phosphate. Dyed howlite and dyed magnesite are common imitations sold as "turquoise" in the broader bead trade — those are different minerals entirely, not turquoise. Treatment category (Natural, Stabilized, Composite / Reconstituted) should be disclosed — ask before buying if a strand doesn't specify treatment or mineral identity. -
What does "stabilized" turquoise mean — is it fake?
Stabilized turquoise is turquoise that has been infused with clear epoxy resin under pressure to harden the naturally porous stone for jewelry use. It's color-stable and the industry-standard treatment for the vast majority of bead-grade material. It's distinct from composite/reconstituted material, which is bonded particles rather than treated whole stone. -
What's the difference between Sleeping Beauty, Kingman, and Hubei turquoise?
Sleeping Beauty (Arizona, mine closed 2012) is pure even sky-blue with little or no matrix — scarce and supply-constrained. Kingman (Arizona, active) covers the full Arizona range from clear blue to deep blue with bold matrix. Hubei (China, active) is the dominant commercial bead source — typically blue to blue-green with rich veining, almost always stabilized. -
Will the color change over time?
Stabilized turquoise is color-stable and will look much the same in five years as it does today. Untreated natural turquoise can shift slowly over years from skin oil and chemical contact — some designers and collectors prize this aging; others want consistent color, in which case stabilized is the right pick. -
How do I tell if turquoise is real?
Practical tests include weight (real turquoise feels denser than plastic or resin), a fingernail scratch on an inconspicuous spot (howlite at Mohs 3.5 will scratch easily; turquoise at 5–6 will not), a hot-needle test (plastic imitation will smell of melting plastic), and an acetone swab (dyed material will release color). The most reliable signal is buying from a seller that discloses treatment and origin per SKU.