Howlite
Howlite has a genuine problem: it is very good at being dyed, and the trade has spent decades dyeing it blue and selling it as turquoise.
What is howlite?
A borate mineral, chalk-white and opaque, threaded with fine grey to black veining that looks a great deal like marble at small scale. It forms in nodular masses in evaporite deposits, and it is porous — which is precisely why it takes dye so completely and so convincingly.
Why is howlite dyed and sold as turquoise?
Dyed blue, howlite's grey veining reads as turquoise matrix. It is inexpensive, abundant, easy to cut and available in large clean pieces. A great deal of cheap "turquoise" jewellery, particularly in beads, is dyed howlite. It may also be sold as "white turquoise", "white buffalo turquoise" or "turquenite" — the last of which is a marketing word for dyed howlite and nothing more.
Two quick tells on a dyed piece: the colour often concentrates in the veins rather than the body, which is backwards from real turquoise where the matrix is darker host rock; and a hidden spot rubbed with acetone on a cotton bud may lift colour.
Does ZIVORI sell dyed howlite as turquoise?
We sell howlite as howlite. Undyed, white, and described as itself. It is a good-looking stone that does not need to pretend to be another one, and the marbled white against oxidised silver is a look we would choose on its own merits.
If you want turquoise from us, you will find it in the turquoise collection, described as turquoise, with its treatment stated.
Is howlite durable enough for daily wear?
Mohs 3.5, which is soft — comparable to malachite and softer than most things it will share a jewellery box with. Set protected, worn sensibly, it is fine. Left loose in a drawer with other rings, it will pick up marks.
How do you care for howlite?
Dry soft cloth. A barely damp one if needed, dried immediately. Being porous, it will absorb oils and staining liquids, so keep it away from perfume, tea and anything coloured. No ultrasonic, no soaking, no solvents.