Exotic Rare Golden Hill Turquoise Graduated Necklace

Our Exotic Golden Hill Turquoise Necklace is a rare collector’s strand, composed of beautifully graduated natural turquoise nuggets selected for their extraordinary color, matrix, and individual character. The necklace begins with more delicate stones near the clasp and gradually builds toward more substantial nuggets at the center, creating a graceful, beautifully proportioned sweep across the neckline. Measuring approximately 4 millimeters to 8.3 millimeters at their narrowest point, the elongated, organic forms have far more visual presence than conventional round beads. Icy robin’s egg blue, soft aqua, lavender-gray, taupe, and warm golden-brown matrix come together in a palette found nowhere else in the turquoise world.

Golden Hill turquoise comes from the remote Altyn-Tyube region of Kazakhstan. Its name translates to “Golden Hill,” referring to its place of origin rather than the color of the stone. Introduced to the American turquoise market only in recent years, this remarkable material immediately drew the attention of collectors for its singular coloring: a delicate blue that can move toward periwinkle and lavender, crossed by natural matrix in soft brown, taupe, rust, and gold. Each stone is entirely individual, yet finding enough beautiful rough to create a graduated strand with this degree of harmony is exceptionally difficult.

The rarity of Golden Hill is inseparable from the conditions under which it is mined. Production is limited to a brief winter season, when frozen ground allows access to the deposit; during the warmer months, flooding makes mining far more difficult. Fine material enters the market in limited quantities, and only a small portion of that rough possesses the exceptional color, soundness, and natural patterning required for beads. To assemble a necklace such as this, the cutter must begin with enough compatible rough to create a smooth progression in size while preserving the unique character of every nugget.

Golden Hill has also become one of the most exciting materials in contemporary Southwestern jewelry. The Navajo squash blossom necklace, developed in the late nineteenth century through a rich meeting of Diné, Spanish, and Mexican design traditions, has long provided one of the great settings for turquoise. When Golden Hill began appearing in the United States, contemporary Navajo silversmiths embraced its ethereal blue and lavender matrix in remarkable squash blossom necklaces, naja pendants, rings, and cuffs. Its color is instantly recognizable and has become deeply sought after by collectors who want something beyond the familiar turquoise palette.

Jean Marie personally sourced these extraordinary stones in India through one of the world’s foremost gemstone dealers—a relationship built through years of travel and a shared insistence on exceptional material. She chose this strand because it celebrates what makes Golden Hill so special: no two nuggets are identical, yet the necklace feels beautifully composed from beginning to end. The subtle graduation, the luminous blue, and the distinctive natural matrix create a piece that cannot be duplicated precisely.

Finished with an 18kt gold-plated sterling silver clasp, this necklace has the ease of a lifelong favorite and the presence of a true collector’s piece. Wear it with white linen, or a flowing Pax Philomena kaftan and let the stones become the conversation. Available only at Pax Philomena, it is an exceptional expression of rare natural material, discerning sourcing, and the pleasure of wearing something genuinely unlike anything else.

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Length 18"

Graduated nugget beads, approximately 4mm–8.3mm at their narrowest point

18kt Gold-Plated Sterling Silver Clasp

Made in India