Small Turquoise “nugget” bead necklace, with Silver end ring and spring clasp.
The above Small Turquoise “nugget” beads are basically off-cuts in the Turquoise gemstone cutting process, machine tumble polished to remove roughness and produce sheen. The beads are of approximate uniform size, around the 5mm mark, and are of a uniform green-blue colour. The size, “nugget” form and greenish colour definitely point to Chinese origin.
China presently has over a dozen working Turquoise mines and they all, among other colours, produce Turquoise in shades of this green-blue.
The U.S.A. is the largest market in the world for Turquoise; it is said that over 70% of small cuts of Turquoise sold in that country originates in China.