Uncovering the story of turquoise in Lava Collection
Dive into the tale of this captivating gemstone as it finds its place in our exquisite Lava Collection, inspired by the sensation of natural, molten forms.
A brief overview of turquoise
Turquoise has long been revered for its distinct shade of blue that can steer towards sea-green. One of the earliest known turquoise mines was situated in Mada, Iran. The rich history of turquoise from the Nishapur district has contributed to the gemstone's various shades of blue, such as “robin’s egg blue” and “sky blue”.
This trend continued to excel with the increasing demand for turquoise as these areas expanded in economic significance, despite gemstones being supplied from other sources. Besides colour, the texture and the prominence of dark inclusions known as matrix are the three major factors when grading turquoise.
Turquoise sometimes displays a deep shade of blue with black matrix as shown in this Lava pendant crafted from 18K rose gold, accentuated by orange sapphire.
Sourcing our turquoise
The unique colour combination of non-dyed turquoise in the Lava series is reminiscent of spider-web patterns, sourced from a special lot in Colorado during the 1980s.
Over the decades since, mines across Southwest America ran dry and miners shut down operations. As a result, acquiring authentic gem-quality turquoise is indeed a rarity and has become a valuable investment for collectors and jewellery enthusiasts. The stunning beauty of this gemstone is a must-have in bold collections.
Making turquoise the star of jewellery design
Inspired by Atlantis and volcanic activity around the Greek islands, the Lava collection is the essence of a bold statement. Each piece is truly one-of-a-kind and the blue-orange-pink colour scheme highlights the striking formations that occur in nature.
At the core of this collection is the lava flow motif, crafted to express fluidity. It captures the burst of lava ejecting into the ocean. Designer and goldsmith Bibi Cheung draws from this phenomenon in detachable 18K rose gold earrings, intending for the drop to be removed. The pieces can be adjusted easily to showcase the sculptural qualities of each design. Pendants join these earrings with equally bold aesthetics. Surrounding each turquoise are hand-selected orange sapphires, rubies and diamonds, all set in rose gold for a vivid interplay of colour and texture.
Historical references and inspiration
The design process started when Bibi became fascinated by volcanic imagery. A dive into history reveals that around 1600 BCE, an eruption happened along the northern coast of Crete, having a colossal impact on the land that would later be the formation of present-day Santorini. The volcanic eruption on Thera, which preceded Santorini, is among the most significant records in human history.
Transforming inspiration into exquisite jewellery
In the studio, the creative process is highly intuitive. Bibi pairs up natural natural blue turquoise slices with other coloured gemstones (orange sapphire, pink tourmaline, rubies, and diamonds) with photographs as the only reference material, exploring combinations to focus on creative, playful designs.
Experienced in sculpting directly in wax, she shapes jewellery designs on the chosen gemstones with an intuitive, fluid approach—allowing shapes to emerge organically as molten lava. Once the wax models are done, they are transformed in precious metal by the lost-wax casting method.
The metal pieces are cleaned up and refined before they move on to gemstone setting phase. Finally, polishing further refines the jewellery pieces, resulting in the tactile appeal of lava cascading dramatically into the ocean.
Discover Lava fine jewellery pieces on the TVRRINI shop online.
