THE GEM OF HEAVENLY BLUE

TURQUOISE The gem of Heavenly Blue

It was not too long ago that the Wall Street Journal printed something about diamonds and turquoise being the two best investments one might make. This earth-shaking prognostication caused a tide that sent waves of turquoise and Indian jewelry into inlets and outlets previously marked "hazardous" on maps of mer-chandising pilot houses. Jewelry buyers and fashion coordinators of the nation's better department stores and specialty shops came to the Southwest, while traders of Indian jewelry travelled in eight directions filling the display cases of merchants eager to cash in on the "new high fashion look" of Indian jewelry.

The fashion plate pages of Harper's Bazaar and Vogue featured the turquoise and Indian look. Concho belts were worn low and lazy on swinging hips of slim waisted television and movie personalities, often complemented by flamboyant, massive squash blossom necklaces.

So now what's new? Nothing is new, really only the "show business" exposure which, praise be to God and the Wall Street Journal, awakened the dying turquoise industry, opened the vaults of dead pawn and dusted off hidden hoards of "high graded" turquoise. Old mining claims were probed and new veins opened. On the reservations Indian silversmiths stepped up production and scores of non-Indians joined the arts and crafts renaissance.

Meanwhile in Boston, Massachusetts, Mrs. Percy Emerson Longfellow, after reading the Journal article, telephoned a dealer in Scottsdale, Arizona, where she occasionally spends the winter, and asked him to send her several pieces of Indian jewelry, turquoise preferred, unadorned with gold or silver.

The following week Mrs. Longfellow received a single necklace of Lone Mountain Spider Web turquoise nuggets, one three strand bead and chunk top grade Morenci turquoise and a three piece ensemble of extra fine Bisbee Blue set in gold squash blossom necklace, bracelet and ring to match. After spending a complete morning of evaluation, Mrs. Longfellow decided to keep the consignment, convinced that she had in her possession the start of a very fine turquoise collection Her mirror could not deny the sensuous appeal of fine jewelry. Any woman who has worn a fine turquoise necklace, especially the multi-strand beads, or nugget specimens, remembers the compliments and attention which diamonds and pearls do not always command. Turquoise adorns with authority. Once one has known the satisfaction reflected by fine adornment, one cannot be happy until he can afford the ultimate luxury of a truly fine specimen When Mrs. Longfellow sent her dealer a check for eighteen thousand and two hundred plus taxes dollars, she did not realize what a "better than diamonds" investment she had made:

On a recent trip to the Southwest Mrs. Longfellow was offered $18,000 for the gold and turquoise ensemble alone. Mrs. Longfellow's favorite dealer has since added several exceptional pieces to her collection