Golden Hills turquoise comes from the Altyn-Tyube mine in Kazakhstan, whose name translates as “golden hill.” A relatively recent arrival to the market, it is prized for a soft periwinkle-blue body — often leaning lavender — set against a dramatic reddish-brown to chocolate matrix, and for being unusually hard and pure.
Unlike the Southwest's storied mines, Golden Hills comes from Central Asia — the Altyn-Tyube deposit in Kazakhstan, whose Kazakh name means “golden hill.” The stone reached the wider gem market only in the 2010s, debuting at the Tucson shows, and has since been embraced by Southwestern silversmiths for its distinctive palette.
Golden Hills is known for a delicate, pale blue that often carries a lavender or periwinkle cast — softer than the high blues of Arizona stone — wrapped in a striking reddish-brown to deep chocolate matrix. The contrast of gentle blue against warm, dark veining is the stone's calling card.
It is also regarded as one of the harder and more chemically pure turquoises on the market, which means a good deal of Golden Hills can be worked closer to its natural state and holds a fine polish. That durability, combined with its unusual color, has made it popular quickly.
That combination of soft color and durability has made Golden Hills a popular choice for contemporary silverwork, where its periwinkle blue offers a cooler, more lavender alternative to the high blues of classic Arizona stone. It is set as cabochons, inlay, and beads, and a clean Golden Hills cabochon with a well-figured chocolate matrix is a distinctive, modern-looking stone against sterling. As a newer material from a single foreign source, it also rewards buying from sellers who know its origin and can speak to its grade.
Because it is newer to the market, it is worth confirming origin and treatment with the seller, just as you would for any mine. A documented Golden Hills piece names the Kazakh source and states whether the stone is natural or stabilized.