Since 1981
The Mine
Four decades of working the earth. The story of Old Evans Mine, from a family claim in the high desert to a trusted name in the gemstone world.
The Story
Our Timeline
The First Claim
Robert Evans staked his first turquoise claim in the Cerrillos Hills of New Mexico. Working weekends with hand tools, he pulled his first significant find — a 4-pound nodule of deep blue turquoise — in the summer of that year.
Going Full Time
After seven years of part-time mining, Robert left his day job to work the mine full time. The operation expanded to include a small cutting shop where rough material was shaped into cabochons for local jewelers.
Second Generation
Robert's son Daniel joined the operation after studying geology at the University of New Mexico. He brought systematic prospecting methods and expanded the mine's reach to additional claims in Nevada and Arizona.
Adding Opals & Agates
The Evans family diversified beyond turquoise, sourcing Ethiopian opals and Southwest agates through a network of trusted mine operators. Every supplier is personally vetted and visited.
Going Direct Online
Old Evans Mine launched its first online presence, selling direct to collectors and jewelers worldwide. Cutting out the middleman allowed the family to offer better prices while maintaining full control over quality.
Still Family Owned
Three generations of the Evans family now work the operation. Every stone is still hand-selected, every order packed by someone who knows the material. Nothing has changed about how we do business — except the reach.
The Process
How We Mine
Turquoise forms in the oxidized zones of copper deposits, typically in arid regions where copper-bearing groundwater reacts with phosphate minerals over millions of years. The American Southwest — New Mexico, Nevada, Arizona, Colorado — produces some of the finest turquoise in the world.
Our mining is small-scale and deliberate. We use a combination of hand tools and light machinery to expose the turquoise-bearing zones without damaging the material. Every piece is extracted carefully, cleaned on-site, and evaluated before it leaves the mine.
We do not treat, stabilize, or enhance our turquoise unless explicitly stated. What you receive is what came out of the ground — natural color, natural matrix, natural character.