Cheap Turquoise

RECENTLY LARGE QUANTITIES OF VERY CHEAP TURQUOISE JEWELRY HAVE APPEARED IN MANY MARKETS IN THE UNITED STATES AND WESTERN EUROPE.  THE BIGGEST  OFFENDER, AS ONE MIGHT SUSPECT, IS CHINA.  THE CHINESE HAVE DEVELOPED A METHOD OF CRUSHING LOW GRADE TURQUOISE AND THEN COMPRESSING THE CRUSHED PARTICLES TOGETHER AND THE END PRODUCT RESEMBLES GOOD SOUTHWEST TURQUOISE.  I WOULD SUGGEST YOU BUY YOUR NEXT TURQUOISE PIECES ONLY FROM LEGITIMATE STORES AND SPECIFICALLY ASK IF THE STONES ARE THE REAL THINGS AND NOT SOME JUNK FROM "THE PEOPLES REPUBLIC OF CHINA". WE GET THE SHAFT FROM CHINA IN ENOUGH WAYS NOW WITHOUT HAVING THEIR CRAPPY TURQUOISE SLIPPED IN ON US.