Turquoise

Some facts about Turquoise

• Turquoise is the stone for the people who are born in the month of December.
• Turkish, Persian, and the horsemen of Samarkand, often used to attach Turquoise to the frontlets and bridles of their horses as talismans to look after them from ill-effects of consuming cold water when overheated by due to exertion. It used to enhance their endurance as well.
• The Zuni people used to believe that Turquoise could protect them from evil spirits.
• In earlier times, Turquoise was assumed to have the capability to telling the time correctly if changed from a string inside a glass. It was believed that the exact number of strokes that the stone hit against the sides is the correct hour.
• There is an old saying about Turquoise:

"If cold December gave you birth

The month of snow and ice and mirth

Place on your hand a Turquoise blue

Success will bless whatever you do”

An opaque gemstone, Turquoise is the mineral that is made up of hydrous phosphate of copper and aluminium. This combination of minerals is considered to be of a fine grade in the category of gem and ornamental stones. However, the limitations, treatments, and synthetics that have been introduced in the recent markets have devalued the uniqueness of Turquoise.

The most excellent quality of Turquoise is also prone to fracture, and as a result of which it reaches an utmost hardness of just in between 5-7 on the Moh’s scale. Characteristically, Turquoise is a cryptocrystalline mineral and does not form a single crystal. Its shine is usually between waxy to semi-vitreous.

Turquoise is a permeable gemstone, and thus it can easily be dyed. The dying of Turquoise is done to emphasize its blue color from those stones which are mottled or have a high amount of green in them. However, these dyed stones can eventually wear off by the time and certain chemical exposures. Moreover, to enhance the lustre of Turquoise, which is a little dull, a kind of wax or a plastic lubricant is also used. The chemical name for Turquoise is “Aluma Phosphate”.

Types of Turquoise

• White Turquoise

White Turquoise or White Buffalo Turquoise is a popular stone that is used in the southwest silver jewellery. It is somewhat creamy-white in color with a waxy texture. The black speckles on this stone make it similar to that of the skin of a buffalo, and hence it is called as White Buffalo Turquoise, or White Turquoise. It is considered to be holy.

• Sleeping Beauty Turquoise

Sleeping Beauty Turquoise is found in the south-western part of the United States in Arizona. These are highly demanded stones and have made an incredible impact on the history of Turquoise over the past few years. The stone is called Sleeping Beauty Turquoise because the hilltop where it is mined resembles a woman who is sleeping with arms crossed. It is purely and beautifully sky-blue in color.

• Copper Turquoise

Mainly in blue and blue-green color, Copper Turquoise is called so because this stone is more enhanced by nature as it has amazing copper speckles on it, which the blue color of Turquoise more prominence.

• Web Matrix Turquoise

The dark veins, which are somewhat similar to spider’s web, and often runs through Turquoise are called Matrix. Web Matrix Turquoise is basically the leftovers of the rock that helps the formation of the Turquoise through oxidation and weathering procedures over millions of years.

Turquoise gemstone exhibits its blue, green and sea green colors that enhance its appealing gape.