Turquoise
Some gemstone has the magic to transport us to a world of positive thinking merely through the colour they possess. Blue, one of the earth’s most beautiful colours, imparts a deep sense of hope, bliss and throw us into a reflective mode. Indeed, there is no colour as beautiful and soothing as that of an azure sky. And when a gemstone reflects that intense deep blue colour, it sure does give the feeling of it being dropped from an azure heaven. Turquoise, the one gemstone with a tranquil hue is one of the most ancient gemstones, that was highly revered throughout history. They were, in fact, one of the first gemstones to be mined and one of the oldest gemstones to be mounted in jewellery.
A traditional birthstone for the month of December, Turquoise’s beauty lies in it being a holy stone, a ‘gemstone of the people’. The term ‘turquoise’ dates back to the 17th century. It comes from the French word ‘turques’ which stood for ‘Turks’. This was in reference to the fact that the mineral was first transported to Europe from Turkey. It went on to become the only gemstone that has a colour named after it. Turquoise is widely used in jewelleries today, especially in ethnic and tribal jewelleries. Large size turquoise stone is widely seen in jewelleries like rings, earrings, necklaces, pendants, bracelets, engagement rings, eternity rings and bridal set rings as they make a bold statement. Owing to its colour, it makes for a perfect summer gemstone. It can be made to ornate a simple design as well as an intricate design.
AG & Sons, has carved out a niche for themselves in the gemstone market over the years. They are hailed as one of the most comprehensive hub for all your gemstones need. We have an impressive array of turquoise jewelleries like necklaces, pendants, earrings, rings, bracelets, eternity rings, engagement rings and bridal set rings.
History and Lore of Turquoise
Turquoise’s history is as fascinating and rich as the stone itself. The earliest known turquoise producing mine in the world was found in Persia. They were particularly famous for their rich robin’s egg blue colour. Ancient Egyptian rulers were very fond of turquoise and used to adourn themselves with turquoise jewelleries. They in fact laid out the evidences we have today of turquoise jewelleries being used in Egypt, as the oldest piece of turquoise jewellery was a bracelet found around a mummified arm of Queen Zar who was a ruler of Egypt in around 5500 BC. Turquoise jewelleries were also present amidst the royal burials of over 6000 years old. The Chinese used it for various carvings for more than 3, 000 years ago. It is today regarded as the national gem of Tibet.
According to various legends, Native American Indians used to dance and celebrate at the arrival of the rains. The tears of joy got mixed with the rains and soaked into the earth to produce what is known as turquoise. The Native American Indians used different terms to refer to turquoise which, when translated into English generally referred to it as the ‘sky stone’ or the ‘sky-blue shade’. For the Native Americans, turquoise is life, as they possess great healing powers. In fact, for centuries the ancient Mesoamericans, Egyptians, Tibetans and Native Americans have always believed in the magical powers of turquoise and considered it to be a sacred stone. Many cultures believed that turquoise has the ability to reveal the health of the wearer by changing its colour. When worn by someone with ill health, the color fades, and when worn by someone healthy, the color deepens.
The Hindus belief that turquoise was associated with the clearing of the third eye chakra or Ajna and the throat chakra or Vishuddha. Ajna has connection with the pituitary gland, pineal gland, intellect and intuition while vishuddha has a connection with wisdom, purification and verbal communication. The Aztecs in Mexico made their ceremonial masks with turquoise which, according to them was holy. Many cultures regarded the stone as a symbol of nobility, wisdom and immortality. They were also used as amulets by the Turkish soldiers. The court physician of Emperor Rudolph II, Anselmus de Boot in 1609 wrote about the immense significance of turquoise by saying that no man could consider his hand to be well adorned till he wore turquoise.
The Native American tribes of the Southwestern US regarded it as a ceremonial gem. It was also their medium of exchange. The gem was also popular amidst the people of the Chaco Canyon area of New Mexico and hence, were widely used by them over 2000 years ago. Thousand of years ago, Native American tribes began turquoise mining at the Mineral Park Mine. 19thcentury saw the surfacing of the most popular varieties of turquoise jewellery, thanks to the Navajo tribes. The process is still very much apparent today. Several ancient mining sites were discovered in and around the Southwest.
Turquoise’s demand may have risen and fell over the years, but it was always very much a favourite amongst the people and was widely used in jewelleries like earrings, rings, bracelets, pendants, necklaces, eternity rings, engagement rings and bridal set rings.
Formation of Turquoise
Turquoise is a secondary element which implies that it is not a primary element like copper, iron, silver etc. As a secondary element, turquoise formation is as a result of years of mineral accumulation in the crust of the earth through the processes of oxidation and weathering. They are usually present in the form of nuggets or encrustation in cracks. Climate plays a key role in its formation as turquoise usually appears in cavities and fractures in volcanic rocks and arid regions.
When water travels through the porous rocks, minerals like aluminium, copper and iron are dissolved. Most of these minerals are derivatives of other secondary elements. With the passage of time, the minerals amass in the cracks, pores and crevices and form deposits of substances which are known as turquoise. In addition, oxidation of other minerals present at the location also contributes to the formation of turquoise.
Turquoise’s process of formation may vary from place to place, and even from one location to another in the same place. This is the reason behind some of the most unique appearances in turquoise. Turquoise is therefore sometimes named after the mine from which it surfaces. Due to its availability in different colours, turquoise makes an attractive gemstone for use in jewelleries like earrings, pendants, necklaces, rings, bracelets, eternity rings, engagement rings and bridal set rings.​
Sources of Turquoise
Northeast Iran is said to produce some of the best quality turquoise. Other turquoise deposits are found in Argentina, Brazil, Israel, Australia, Afghanistan, Tanzania, Mexico, India and USA.
Turquoise Color and Properties
Pure blue turquoise is rare. The most sought after and popular colour of turquoise is the sky blue or robin’s egg blue colour. Some people term it as Persian Blue. The green or blue-green or apple-green coloured turquoise ranks second to the blue. The various turquoise colours are due to the presence of either iron or copper or other minerals. The USA turquoise contains iron more than aluminium and hence is mostly green in colour. Turquoise generally comes interspersed with dark-grey, brown, black veins and they can either be dense or sparse. In other words, they may comprise of inclusions of its host rock, termed as matrix, which make the material appear with brown spider-webbing or black or patches
Turquoise varies from being translucent to opaque. Though the former is rare, yet they are the most desirable. They also display a waxy to matt lustre. The veined turquoise, sometimes displays an attractive pattern accounting for its immense demand. Many cutters try to exclude the matrix, however, it is not always possible as the matrix is finely and uniformly spread through the stone. Turquoise with heavy matrix is generally not so desirable and is avoided. Turquoise is available in such varieties as Kingman turquoise, eilat stone, Persian turquoise and Navajo turquoise.
For the purpose of jewelleries like earrings, bracelets, necklaces, rings, pendants, eternity rings, engagement rings and bridal set rings, turquoise is cut en cabochon, oval or even fancy cabochons. For the purpose of jewellery, even the spherical turquoise beads are very popular.
Healing Properties of Turquoise
Turquoise’s natural energy helps one to communicate with truth. They are basically purification stones and aids in dispelling all the negative energy. They can protect the wearer against various external influences and pollutants. As a stone of spiritual attunement, turquoise is very strong and effective. They are known to effectively balance all the chakras. In addition, they stabilise mood swings and instills in the wearer a sense of inner calm. Turquoise is an excellent stone for people suffering from depression, anxiety and exhaustion. They also possess the power to prevent panic attacks. They are widely considered a symbol of friendship and romantic love. Promoting self-realisation and assisting one to solve their creative problems are some of the many magical properties of the stone.
Turquoise helps one to enhance their immune system in addition to healing their whole body. They are great stimulators of body tissues. They are known to relax the mind and ease mental pressure. Turquoise is blessed with detoxifying and anti-inflammatory effects. They are known to help one in alleviating body pain and body cramps. It helps people suffering from rheumatism, stomach problems, gout, overacidity and other viral infections. They also assist in healing the eyes, purifying the lungs and in clearing sore throats. In short, they are known to strengthen the entire body. For the many healing properties it possesses, turquoise is largely worn by believers in the form of necklaces, pendants, rings, earrings, bracelets, engagement ring, eternity rings and bridal set rings.​
The Collection of Turquoise at AG & Sons
AG & Sons have a huge collection of turquoise gemstones in its collection. Being a power stone, we have ensured that the jewelleries mounted with turquoise are exclusively designed. We have turquoise jewelleries like earrings, bracelets, pendants, necklaces, rings, eternity rings, engagement rings and bridal set rings. We have turquoise of pure and radiant sky blue color which are not just highly esteemed but are also considered to be of the best quality. Possessing a turquoise is like enjoying a piece of heaven.
