Number 8 Turquoise

The Number 8 mine in Eureka County, Nevada, produced turquoise from the early twentieth century until the deposit was exhausted and the area was absorbed into gold-mining operations in the 1970s. In its day it yielded some of the most distinctive spiderweb turquoise ever found.

Because no new Number 8 has been mined for decades, existing stones — and the vintage Native American pieces set with them — are considered important collector's items, and high-grade spiderweb cabochons can be extraordinarily valuable.

Number 8's bold, high-contrast webbing made it a showpiece stone, set as the centerpiece of important Navajo and Zuni pieces where the matrix itself is the design. Old pawn and vintage jewelry featuring Number 8 is sought by collectors worldwide.

As turquoise, it shares the sky stone's protective significance, with the added weight of scarcity and provenance.

Number 8 is best known for its matrix: fine to chunky webbing in golden brown, amber, and black, set against blue to blue-green stone. That dramatic, well-defined spiderweb — rather than color alone — is its signature and the chief driver of its value.

Quality is judged by the tightness and contrast of the web and by the hardness of the stone; the finest Number 8 is natural and untreated.

Given its rarity, care for Number 8 turquoise meticulously. Keep it dry and away from perfume, lotion, sunscreen, and chemicals, remove it before any water activity, and store it on its own. Clean only with a soft, dry cloth.