Turquoise
Turquoise is technically the traditional birthstone of the month of December. This particular stone is found in very few regions on Earth, due to the particular conditions it needs in order to form. It is mostly found in arid and dry places, such as Iran, New Mexico, Nevada, and the Hubei Province of China.
Turquoise has been found as early as 4,000 BC, with archaeologists finding it buried in Ancient Egyptian tombs. Turquoise was originally called “Mefkat” by Ancient Egyptians, which means “joy.” However, the name comes from a French expression, “pierre torques” or Turkish stone. This December birthstone was also popular in the Aztec culture as it was believed to be the god Quetzacoatl’s treasured stone. Montezuma, thinking Francisco Cortes was this god, gifted the explorer turquoise.
In Native American culture, Turquoise was and still is an influential and powerful gemstone. It was used in ceremonial exchanges between tribes and was attached to bows and arrows to increase its accuracy. In the American Southwest, the popularity of turquoise can still be seen in the culture to this day.
Turquoise is formed in dry regions where copper-rich groundwater penetrates the soil and reacts with phosphorus and aluminum deep within the ground. The copper gives the stone its bright blue color, and the veins are formed in reflection of the surrounding rock. The quality of the gemstone is judged by the shade of blue, the texture, and whether it contains a matrix or not. The matrix of turquoise is the pattern and veins that are represented on the stone.
Lika Behar Gold Sonoran Turquoise Sunshine Ring
Since turquoise is a porous stone, it has a low hardness level of 5 or 6 on the Mohs hardness scale. This means the stone must be handled with extra care. It is vulnerable to breakage and discoloration in high heat and can be discolored by acids, skin oils, cosmetics, and other chemicals. The best way to clean the stone is gently, with warm, soapy water. Check out Skeie’s Turquoise collection to add this stone to your jewelry.
