1.28 Ct. Bluish Green Cabochon Turquoise from Persia(Iran)

This Persian turquoise presents as an opaque oval cabochon weighing 1.28 carat, with dimensions 8.10 by 6.22 by 3.52 mm, medium color intensity, and an excellent polish. The material is natural, with no enhancement, and provenance is Persia, Iran, a region historically prized for its high quality turquoise. The cutting style is classic cabochon, executed to emphasize the stone body color and surface luster rather than faceted sparkle. The dome profile is carefully proportioned relative to the table dimensions, producing a balanced silhouette that optimizes light interaction for this cryptocrystalline phosphate. Surface finish is highly refined, yielding a soft waxy sheen and an even reflective response across the convex face, while the base plane has been flattened sufficiently to facilitate secure bezel setting without compromising the cabochon curvature.

Color evaluation places the hue in the bluish green range with medium saturation and a medium light to medium dark tone, a combination that reads as cool and slightly verdant under daylight balanced illumination. The color distribution on this piece is notably uniform, with subtle internal variations that contribute to depth without visible banding. Unlike heavily stabilized or dyed material, this specimen exhibits the natural scattering behavior typical of fine turquoise, where submicroscopic internal texture and micro porosity interact with incident light to produce a soft, diffuse glow. These optical characteristics are particularly well preserved because the piece is untreated, allowing gemologists and experienced buyers to assess authenticity by color, translucency, and response to raking light. The overall color grade situates the cabochon among desirable Persian material that favors a softer blue green rather than the saturated robin egg blue sometimes associated with other localities.

Inclusions and internal features are treated here as diagnostic attributes that enhance provenance and individuality, rather than defects to be obscured. The cabochon contains fine mineral inclusions and occasional micro veining consistent with natural host rock remnants and minor iron staining, providing a fingerprint that can be used for comparative identification. These inclusions appear as delicate linear or speckled structures at low magnification, set against a homogeneous groundmass of hydrated copper aluminum phosphate. Minute hairline microfractures are present at a scale typical for untreated turquoise, but they have been closed and polished during the lapidary process to yield a smooth surface. The presence, pattern, and distribution of these inclusions allow trained observers to distinguish genuine untreated Persian material from stabilized or reconstituted alternatives, and they contribute to the stone narrative by recording formation conditions, mineral admixtures, and the interaction between turquoise and its matrix during diagenesis.

From a craftsmanship and practical use perspective, the cabochon proportions are optimized for jewelry applications that require long term stability and secure setting. Dome height relative to the length and width provides an attractive profile that reads well in both bezel and partial bezel settings, and the polished convex face minimizes abrasion and surface retention of oils or solvents. Specific gravity and Mohs hardness for turquoise are moderate, therefore the absence of enhancement and the meticulous polishing imply that the piece will age naturally with appropriate care rather than responding unpredictably to heat, solvents, or oils. The Natural Gemstone Company guarantees the origin and treatment status of this cabochon, making it suitable for collectors who require verifiable provenance and for designers seeking material that integrates authenticity with refined lapidary technique. For valuation and certification purposes, the inclusion ensemble and untreated nature serve as positive factors that reinforce both aesthetic and collector value, while the measured dimensions and weight allow precise mounting specifications for custom work.