Turquoise is believed to be one of the first gemstones ever to have been mined and its origins can be traced to the Sinai Peninsula as early as 6000 BC where it was being mined by the Ancient Egyptians. Turquoise was also found in Egyptian burial chambers dating from around 3000 BC and the most famous Egyptian artifact in which it was found, was the burial mask of King Tutankhamun.
Colour can vary greatly from sky blue, to blue/green to apple green and Turquoise is one of the very few gemstones which has attributed its name to a colour. When referred to as a colour, it is most commonly with reference to the valuable light blue coloured Turquoise and rarely would something be called Turquoise if it was a shade of green despite this being quite common. The blue colouration is as a result of copper, green is Iron and yellow although rare, is caused by Zinc. The distinctive dark spidery markings often found in Turquoise are known as matrix and are part of the host rock in which the gemstone evolved and hence they can often vary slightly in colour. Patterns can also vary quiet significantly and some Turquoise lacks any matrix at all and these pieces are highly sought after.
In the 17th Century the french named Turquoise "Pierre Turquoise" (Turkish Stone) believing it had come from Turkey when in fact it had only passed through there on its way to Europe from Persia. The Roman author and philosopher Pliny the Elder had already written about Turquoise in his works Naturalis Historia which was published around 77 AD in which he referred to it as Callais or Callaina.
In the ancient world in certain cultures, only those with great wealth or who ranked highly in society were permitted to own and/or wear Turquoise and one of the reasons for it being held in such high esteem was because of its similarity in colour to the sky. In Asia it was thought to offer protection from the evil eye and in Tibet to this day, it remains highly sought after especially for use in in jewellery, religious ceremonies and medicinal practices. A Tibetan would take great offence were Turquoise to be referred to as a gemstone because they believe it to be something in its own right hence refer to it as "a Turquoise". The Apache Indians believed it would help with their aim hence arrows and spears were tipped with it and the Native American Zuni tribe believed it offered protection from evil spirits. Due to the belief that it offers protection, Turquoise was often used to decorate daggers, spears and other battle weaponry.
Turquoise was once used to insure property and also to protect against accidents and it has been esteemed by the Tibetan Shamen as holding both spiritual and protective powers. They also used it in shamanic ceremonies and also in the sacred valley of Shambhala. In the Bible it is mentioned as being one of the gemstones in the breastplate of Aaron which is also known as the high priest's breastplate. The Egyptian Pharaohs loved it as did the early Native American Indians and in some societies, it was used to promote status and wealth. It remains sacred to many of the American Indian tribes who consider it to be a bestower of goodness and hence it continues to be used extensively in American Indian jewellery.
Considered as being one of the master healing gemstones, Turquoise is used extensively in crystal healing and its powers are far too innumerable to mention. It is important to emphasise that crystal healing is not a substitute for conventional medicine. Used to help with the immune, respiratory, waste and skeletal systems and to detoxify the body from traces of alcohol, poison, pollution and radiation, Turquoise can also help with the treatment of high blood pressure, asthma, infections and dental problems and in general can strengthen the body against illness. A stone of communication, it is associated with the throat chakra hence may help those who struggle with or have a fear of public speaking. It can help improve ones mental state by increasing serenity, creativity, empathy, positive thinking, sensitivity, intuition, happiness and wisdom. It is believed to emanate a purifying energy which may dissipate negativity, induce understanding and enhance trust, kindness and the recognition of beauty.
One of the very first gemstones to be copied by the Ancient Egyptians, this practice has continued to this day. Various materials have been used to try and replicate Turquoise and Howlite is currently one of the most popular choices with Chrysocolla following closely behind. Howlite is white or grey and is known to be very porous hence holds dye well, it also has fine spidery black or grey veins which to the untrained eye, could be confused with the matrix seen in Turquoise. Man's obsession with imitating precious materials comes about mainly because of their decreasing availability and high price. Other known tricks include trying to improve the colour and/or hardness of low grade Turquoise and using similarly coloured minerals such as Chrysocolla and very occasionally Chalcedony, although the latter when dyed is generally much less convincing.
Napoleon I gave his second wife Empress Marie Louise a diadem (a particular style of crown) on the occasion of their marriage in 1810 which was made by the French jeweller Etienne Nitot et Fils of Paris. It featured Emeralds and Diamonds set in gold and silver and was quite exquisite. In 1953 it was sold to Van Cleef and Arpels who at some time between 1956 and 1962 replaced the Emeralds with 79 Persian Turquoise cabochons totalling 540 carats. The Emeralds were subsequently sold in other pieces of jewellery and were promoted as being Emeralds from the historic Napoleonic diadem.
Along with Citrine, Turquoise is the birthstone for the month of December and it's also the anniversary gemstone for the 11th year of marriage.
The most important producers are Iran, South West United States, Tibet, China, Afghanistan and Australia.
To keep Turquoise in pristine condition it must be well looked after. Failure to do so can result in it becoming dull, losing its colour and possibly in extreme circumstances even cracking. Although measuring 5 to 6 on Mohs scale of mineral hardness it is still considered to be quite fragile. Known to change colour with excessive heat, it is porous so will absorb moisture and can easily be damaged as a result of contact with chemicals including those such as hair spray, cosmetics and perfumes. Our page entitled "Caring for Silver Jewellery & Gemstones" offers good advice on how to look after all of your gemstones.
Further reading:
Turquoise
Turquoise
Turquoise
Our collection of Turquoise jewellery
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