3. Check the product description to see if the inlaid turquoise is natural.
Read the product description to see if the necklace contains stabilized or natural turquoise stones. Note that stabilized stones are adjusted so they can be more sturdy in a necklace, while natural turquoise stones haven’t been altered at all. Most authentic squash blossom necklaces contain natural turquoise, as opposed to the stabilized variety.
American law requires that sellers state what kind of turquoise is in their jewelry.
While there isn’t an easy test that determines the authenticity of turquoise, the item description might be a good indicator. For instance, “blocks” of turquoise tend to be fake.
Did you know? Original, 19th and early 20th century Navajo squash blossom necklaces didn’t have a lot of turquoise, and were made with silver beads and squash blossom components.[12] The Zuni tribe added more turquoise stones to the jewelry, which is why modern squash blossom necklaces contain so many.