We have just a few of these large Pilot Mountain stones and this reduced stock is dwindling. Here is another of these incomparably rich blue, large jewels. The black and mahogany-colored matrix in this stone heightens the rich blue shade and further illustrates the component parts of this stone in its formation over time. This is some of the finest Pilot Mountain turquoise you'll find today; as good as any Bisbee turquoise for color and quite large. This is Pilot Mountain "saw rock" from the top of the mountain (see note at the bottom of this listing). The large, heavy starred buttons surrounding the stone perfectly balance the weight of the stone and provide a sparkling frame. This large, flat-slabbed stone is set in a straight-edged bezel wrapped with twist wire. It is suspended from a round bale with scalloped edges; studded with buttons on the front and stamped on the backside of the bale.

***NOTE ABOUT STERLING BEADS**: The beads pictured in the photographs shown above are sold separately. We pictured Erma Arviso's 12 mm. diameter beads in those photos. The proportion is just right in terms of bead size to the pendant. The length of the beads you choose will, of course, be a question of personal style. See Erma Arviso's antiqued Sterling beads of 12 mm. diameter.

Hallmarked with a "D" on its side over an arrow and stamped "Sterling" on back.

Stone: 1 7/8" x 1 1/8"

Dimensions of pendant (excluding jump ring & bale): 2 1/2" x 1 3/4"

Total hang (including jump ring & bale): 3 3/8"

***Sterling Beads Sold Separately!! See Options Below***

Note on Pilot Mountain "Saw Rock": This type of Pilot Mountain turquoise is known as "saw rock" because of the nature of the turquoise deposit. The turquoise was initially deposited in very thin layers between the strata of host rock. Squeezed between these layers for millions of years, this stone is the hardest Pilot Mountain turquoise there is; it's very tight-grained and takes a nice polish. As the Pilot Mountains of Nevada were thrust upward in their creation, the strata of rocks between which this turquoise was deposited were made to stand straight up and diagonally. This is "top of the mountain" rock which is exposed in thin veins layered between the host rock. To liberate this turquoise, the surrounding layers of host rock are sawed away, hence "saw rock." Then a grinder is used to strip away the remaining host rock until the thin layer of vivid coloration is exposed. Less and less of this rock is now found because the mountain has been mined for a long time. In essence, this is "stash rock" mined years ago and squirreled away by the miner as an investment. We ran to ground the source of this turquoise and acquired several prime stones which we spread around among the silversmiths we work with.