The turquoise mine near Kingman, Arizona, is the most prolific in the world, producing more than 500 natural blue/green shades of the gemstone.
Down the road from the mine, Gemstone Tile does something with the turquoise no other company does: It creates bespoke tiles suitable for any interior application, including counters, backsplashes, showers, fireplaces and flooring. They have also been installed in luxury superyachts and commercial environments around the world.
When you are investing in a product like this, you are putting something in your home that not many people have.
— CAROLYN VANCLEAVE
“It’s jewelry for your home,” says Carolyn VanCleave. She and her husband, Danny, a former silversmith, have owned the company with Matt Ruzicka for almost six years.
The turquoise is stabilized first: hardened to protect the stone. Once stabilized, it won’t absorb dirt, oil or any liquids, so the vibrant color lasts forever. The final product is durable, elegant and unique, especially when used in the home.
One of the oldest gemstones in the world, turquoise is highly sought after because of its color. “It really delivers the ‘wow factor,’ even when used just as an accent,” VanCleave says. “When you are investing in a product like this, you are adding value to your home, but not only that, you are putting something in your home that not many people have. I don’t know anybody who sees turquoise and doesn’t stop to admire the stone.”
Gemstone Tile uses authenticated, jewelry-quality turquoise produced from the nearby mine. The company works closely with clients to visualize the possibilities of adding turquoise to a home. Only a select few showrooms carry its products, including Montana Tile and Stone, in Bozeman, Montana, the closest one to Jackson.
“Because of the nature of the gemstone, we don’t have a warehouse full of slabs of turquoise tiles,” VanCleave says. “Our work is extremely custom. People often say, ‘Wow, I’ve never seen anything like that in my life.’ There’s a reason for that—we’re the only ones who make it.”
