Three of the most popular turquoise sources for working silversmiths are Kingman, Royston, and Number 8. They are commonly mentioned in the same breath, often compared, and routinely confused. Each has a distinct visual character, a different supply story, and a different role in a designer's stone library.
This is a side-by-side comparison written for designers actively sourcing for their next builds. By the end you should know which of the three fits the piece on your bench today and which you should stock for the work you have coming up.
At a Glance: The Three Compared
| Feature | Kingman (Arizona) | Royston (Nevada) | Number 8 (Nevada) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Color range | Light blue to deep blue-green | Blue-to-green shifts in single stones | Blue-green to teal with golden background |
| Matrix | Black, brown, or webbed | Brown to gold, often heavy | Golden to black spiderweb |
| Typical hardness range | Mohs 5–6 (stabilized higher) | Mohs 5–6 (stabilized higher) | Mohs 5–6 (stabilized higher) |
| Mine status | Active | Active | Closed since 1970s |
| Supply | Abundant | Steady | Fixed, declining |
| Price tier | Entry to mid | Mid | Mid to premium |
| Best for | Production work, learners, all techniques | Character pieces, color-shift designs | Collector pieces, statement work |
| Treatment most common | Stabilized (natural available) | Stabilized (natural available) | Mostly natural |
| Typical cab sizes available | Wide range, calibrated and freeform | Wide range, often freeform | Smaller selection, often freeform |
The deeper differences are below.
Kingman Turquoise (Arizona)
Where it comes from
Kingman turquoise comes from the Mineral Park mine outside of Kingman, Arizona. It is one of the oldest active turquoise mines in North America and has been a steady source of stone for the Southwest jewelry tradition for over a century. Active production means consistent supply across grades and sizes.
What it looks like
Kingman's color range runs from light sky blue through deep blue-green. The matrix varies considerably depending on which part of the mine the rough came from. You will find:
- Clean blue Kingman with little to no matrix
- Blue Kingman with black or chocolate-brown matrix
- Heavier-matrixed material with bold veining
- Some webbed Kingman, where matrix forms a tight pattern across the surface
Kingman is also often the material behind "Black Web Kingman" or "Ithaca Peak" labeled stones — both of which come from specific zones of the same broader mining area.
How it sells
Kingman is the workhorse material for production silversmithing. It is widely available in both natural and stabilized form. Stabilized Kingman cuts and sets predictably, takes a high polish, and survives the bench work of production builds. Natural Kingman costs more and is favored for collector and commission work.
You will find Kingman in nearly every calibrated size. Calibrated stones are easy to source for production runs. Freeform Kingman is also abundant and offers more character per dollar than calibrated.
Best uses
- Learning bench: forgiving stone, easy to source replacements
- Production silversmithing: predictable cut and set
- Stacking rings and multi-stone designs: consistent color across batches
- Commercial Southwest-style work: the look matches buyer expectations
Browse the current Kingman turquoise inventory.
Royston Turquoise (Nevada)
Where it comes from
Royston comes from the Royston mining district in Nye County, Nevada — a cluster of mines including the Bunker Hill, Royal Blue, Oscar Wehrend, and others. The Royston district is still actively worked, though production is smaller and more episodic than at Kingman.
What it looks like
The signature of Royston is color variation across a single stone. A typical Royston cab will shift from blue at one end through teal to green at the other, with brown matrix tracing through the color zones. No two stones look alike. This variation is the entire point of buying Royston — it is the character that distinguishes it from cleaner-colored materials.
Royston matrix tends to be brown to chocolate, sometimes with golden tones. The matrix is often heavy and wandering rather than tight and webbed. On freeform stones, the matrix can become a significant compositional element of the cab.
How it sells
Royston is sold in both natural and stabilized form, with stabilized being more common in the cab sizes most designers work with. The blue-to-green color shift means that even within a single mine, you cannot really order Royston by color alone — each cab needs to be evaluated for its specific character.
Royston cabs tend to be sold more often as freeform than as calibrated, because the visual character of the stone is partly about following the natural shape of the rough. Matched pairs in Royston are harder to find than in Kingman, again because of the color variation.
Best uses
- Character-driven custom rings and pendants
- One-of-a-kind statement pieces where the stone's variation is the design
- Designers building stone libraries with visual variety
- Pieces where the brown matrix complements warm metals like copper or brass
Browse the current Royston turquoise inventory.
Number 8 Turquoise (Nevada)
Where it comes from
Number 8 turquoise comes from the Number Eight mine in Eureka County, Nevada. The mine was actively worked from the early 1900s through the 1970s, when commercial production ended. All Number 8 turquoise on the market today comes from old stockpiles or material recovered as a byproduct of other Nevada mining operations.
This matters: Number 8 supply is fixed and declining. Every cab cut and sold today is one less cab available tomorrow. Prices have been climbing for decades and will continue to climb.
What it looks like
The signature of Number 8 is its matrix — a tight golden-to-black spiderweb pattern over a blue-green ground. The webbing is often so distinctive that an experienced eye can identify Number 8 across a room. The ground color tends toward blue-green with hints of teal, sometimes brighter or darker depending on the specific pocket the rough came from.
Some Number 8 carries less webbing and reads more as a clean blue-green stone with brown highlights. Both are legitimate Number 8. The spiderwebbed material commands a premium because the pattern is the visual signature.
How it sells
Most Number 8 on the market today is natural — the existing stockpiles have been carefully cut and sold without stabilization to preserve the character of the original material. Some stabilized Number 8 exists, typically from softer or more fractured rough that needed strengthening to be worth cutting.
Available sizes skew smaller because the remaining rough does not always yield large cabs. Freeform is more common than calibrated for the same reason — cutters work each piece to its best yield.
Best uses
- Collector and investment pieces
- High-end commission work where provenance matters
- Statement rings and pendants where the spiderweb is the focal design element
- Pieces marketed to buyers who recognize and value Nevada turquoise specifically
Browse the current Number 8 turquoise inventory.
Which to Pick for Your Project
If you are doing production work
Buy Kingman. It is the most consistent, the most available in calibrated sizes, and the most forgiving at the bench. Stabilized Kingman in 10x12mm and 14x10mm ovals will cover most of your everyday ring inventory at a sustainable cost.
If you are designing one-of-a-kind character pieces
Look at Royston. The color variation makes every stone a unique design element. Buy freeform Royston when a particular stone speaks to a particular build, not as standing inventory.
If you are building a high-end or collector piece
Number 8 is the answer when the stone needs to carry both visual weight and provenance. Buyers who pay collector prices know Number 8 and will pay for it. Be prepared to spend more per stone, and to wait for the right cab to come up — quality Number 8 sells fast.
If you want a single mine to build a recognizable style around
Any of the three works, but they push your style in different directions. Kingman supports a clean, consistent Southwest aesthetic. Royston supports a character-driven, painterly aesthetic where the stone is the painting. Number 8 supports a collector aesthetic where each piece is treated as a finished work in its own right.
If you are sourcing for a customer who asked specifically for one
Give them what they asked for. The three are not interchangeable in the eyes of an educated buyer. Substituting Kingman for Number 8 in a customer's commission will not pass — the matrix patterns are different and the provenance story is different. Buy the stone the customer asked for.
The Supply Story (Why It Matters for Sourcing Decisions)
A practical consideration that does not show up in most cabochon guides: how stable is the supply of the stone you are about to build a product line around?
- Kingman is the safest bet. Active mine, consistent production, you can re-order similar stones for years.
- Royston is moderately stable. Smaller production, more variation in what is available season to season, but supply is unlikely to run out in your career.
- Number 8 will be more expensive every year. If you build a product line around Number 8 and it sells, you will eventually price yourself out of the material. Plan for that.
For more on selecting any cabochon at a tactical level, see our designer's sourcing guide. For matching cab sizes to specific settings, see our cabochon sizes guide.
Beyond the Big Three
Kingman, Royston, and Number 8 are not the only turquoise sources worth knowing. A few others that frequently come up in designer conversations:
- Carico Lake (Nevada) — Bright lime greens to deep teals, often with intense matrix
- Golden Hills (Kazakhstan) — Icy lavender-blue with chocolate matrix, a striking look that sells on sight
- Sonoran Mountain (Mexico) — Clean robin-egg to deeper blues, popular for stacking and clean designs
- White Buffalo (Nevada) — Not turquoise, but a Nevada magnesite-family stone often used alongside turquoise for white-and-dark contrast
For the full mine-by-mine inventory, see our All Items page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is more valuable — Kingman, Royston, or Number 8?
Number 8 commands the highest prices of the three because the mine is closed and supply is fixed. Royston is mid-tier. Kingman is generally the most accessible. Within each, top-grade stones with clean color and tight matrix can command significantly more than average pieces from the same mine.
Is Number 8 turquoise still being mined?
No. The Number Eight mine in Nevada was actively worked from the early 1900s through the 1970s, when commercial production ended. All Number 8 on the market today comes from old stockpiles or recovered material. Supply is finite and declining.
What's the difference between Royston and Kingman turquoise?
Kingman tends toward consistent blue or blue-green color across a stone, with black or brown matrix. Royston shows blue-to-green color shifts within a single stone, with heavier brown matrix. Kingman is the more production-friendly choice; Royston is the more character-driven choice. Both are Southwest staples but they sit at different points in a designer's palette.
Can you tell Kingman, Royston, and Number 8 apart visually?
Often yes, with experience. Kingman tends toward solid blue or blue-green with relatively quiet matrix. Royston shows obvious color shifts across the stone with brown matrix. Number 8's signature is its golden-to-black spiderweb. Stones from each mine can occasionally look like another, especially when matrix is unusual, but the typical examples are distinguishable.
Which turquoise is best for everyday rings?
Stabilized Kingman is the most practical for everyday ring wear. It is harder than natural Kingman, more available in calibrated sizes, and the cost is sustainable for production work. Royston and Number 8 are better choices for statement and collector rings, where the wearer accepts a more delicate stone for the character it brings.
Why is Number 8 turquoise so expensive?
The Number Eight mine closed in the 1970s and the remaining material comes from existing stockpiles. As those stockpiles work down, supply tightens and prices climb. The spiderweb matrix pattern is also recognized and prized by collectors, which sustains demand at the same time supply is shrinking.
Can I substitute Kingman for Number 8 in a design?
Visually, no. The matrix patterns are different and an educated buyer will see the substitution. If a customer commissioned a piece with Number 8 specifically, deliver Number 8. If the customer is open to suggestions and the design does not depend on the spiderweb pattern, Kingman is a fine substitute at a much lower price point.