Turquoise - peoples gemBy: Nandita Ray
Summary: Aristotle spoke about it. Marco Polo wrote about it. Truly a people's gem, it has adorned the human race for ages. Its universal appeal is intact even today.
Queen Zara of Egypt wore it in 5000BC. She probably started the trend! King
Tutankhamen wore it. The Pharaohs of Aztec wore it, the Native Indians used
it, the high priests wore it to invoke the God Spirit. The Tibetans and the
Chinese wore it. Even the Indians of the sub- continent adopted it.
Aristotle spoke about it. Marco Polo wrote about it. Truly a people's gem,
it has adorned the human race for ages. Its universal appeal is intact even
today. This is none other than the turquoise, so named after Turkey. It was
introduced into Europe through the Turkish Trade route. Some say it was
introduced into Europe during crusades (holy war). Its exact entry into
Europe is, however not very clear.
Physical Properties
It is a semi precious stone, found in the deep recesses of the earth.
'Pierre Torque', the dark blue stone, as the French called it is 'Robin
Blue' in color. This is the most natural color. However, it comes in various
shades of blue, green, bluish green, brownish gray to even bright Chinese
green. The best Turquoise comes from Persia, now Northern Iran.
Chemical Properties
This is a mineral called Phosphate. The color of the mineral is the result
of underground water running over lumps of copper or aluminum phosphates,
embedded in the parent rock. A chemical reaction takes place between the
salts already dissolved in the water, with the copper or aluminum phosphates
present in the rock. And this chemical reaction gives it the various shades
of color. It takes more than a million years for the Turquoise to get the
color. If the copper present is more, the mineral will take on blue color.
If aluminum is more then the color becomes pale or white. Presence of iron
in the water and its reaction with the phosphate will give it the bluish
green tint. Sometimes the presence of zinc leads to yellow color.
Sediments or impurities present in the water leave dark spots or thin vein
like lines in the Turquoise. Some of the veins form patterns which look like
a spider's web. These black designs are also called matrix. The American and
Mexican variety sports matrix. Many people insist on buying this type of
Turquoise as a mark of authenticity. Turquoise from Iran is spotless. Some
natural Turquoise may contain irregular white patches. Sand stone, Jasper,
Limonite or pieces of rock are the impurities found in the stone.
History
First discovered in 5000-4000 BC, in the semi-arid deserts of Sinai, it was
mined by the Egyptians. They used it extensively for various purposes. In
1900's, huge deposits were found in the South Western part of America. Peru,
Chile, Argentina, Australia, Tibet, China, Turkistan, Iran, and Mexico
produce this gem. While in the USA, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico and
Colorado, produce this gem too. The mines of Iran used to supply a lot of
Turquoise to Europe, Western Asia and America, before production ceased.
Mines in America and Mexico are facing closure due to over mining. Today,
Tibet and China supply three fourths of this gem in international market.
The names of the various types of Turquoise are always based on the mines
from where they are produced. Example-Sleeping Beauty, King man, Blue Gem
etc.
Types
The real stone is getting rarer each day. Only three percent of the
Turquoise sold in the international market is natural. In its natural form,
it is a very expensive gem .Inexpensive variety is quite popular today. The
most common one is Stabilized Turquoise. It is a soft and chalky stone. It
is mostly covered with a coating of resin or plastic. This is done to
protect it from damage and also to help keep the color intact. This is the
best one after natural Turquoise. Treated ones are also soft. The color of
the resin is dyed. Then there is the Reconstituted Turquoise. It is made up
of low grade chips or powdered Turquoise. They are compressed and shaped.
They are saturated with resin. Imitation Turquoise is dyed stone or even
plastic. It is made to resemble the gem. It is shiny and oily. If Turquoise
is dipped in color, it should be mentioned.
Turquoise is never facetted. That is, it doesn't have the plane surface of a
cut gem like the diamond or ruby. This is because it is soft.
Popularity
Turquoise is very popular because it has many sterling qualities. The
Egyptians considered it a Godly stone, having Divine powers. They not only
used it as jewelry but also wore it as charms and amulets to keep evil away.
The high priests wore it stitched on their upper vests when calling on the
Higher Spirits. From kings to the commoner wore Turquoise. A Persian
philosopher put it aptly 'the wearer shall never be poor'. Meaning health,
wealth and happiness will come to the wearer. It was also used by the Native
Americans, who also believed that it had spiritual powers. They thought that
there existed a deep connection between the spirits residing in the blue sky
and the blue stone found in the earth. They surrounded themselves with this
stone. It was not only made into jewelry but also on all essential articles.
To make hunting easy, they used it on arrow heads. Totem Poles, daggers,
bridle of horse and burial ground, all had pieces of Turquoise. Some
believed that a piece of this stone dropped in the river, would bring rain.
The Aztecs decorated their mask with chips of Turquoise. Even today, people
wear this stone for their personal safety. Especially people working as
pilots or astronauts.
Benefits
Turquoise is considered to have beneficial effects on the wearer. It is
supposed to carry the female i.e. the moon's power. Therefore people
suffering from low spirits or depression, benefit from this stone. It
soothes and calms the nerves and rejuvenates the spirit. It is supposed to
relief the body from aches, pains and muscle soreness. It regulates
metabolism and rejuvenates the pancreas. It protects against accidents and
violence. People seeking spiritual growth are advised to wear this stone.
Jewelry
Set in silver, it looks stunning. This is because the blue of the stone
contrasts with the white of the silver. It can also be set in gold. In fact,
in India, where the stone is called 'Phiroza', the original Persian name, is
set in gold when making Navratan
or Kundan sets. It can be used in necklace, bangles, rings, earrings and
bracelets. It can also be made into belts, hair bands, pins, watch bands,
buttons and brooches.
Upkeep
It is a soft stone. It is also porous. It can get bruised easily. Over
exposure to intense heat or light can change its color. Strong detergents
and oil can also erode it. It can easily absorb oil and should be kept away
from hand creams and lotions. Strong soaps and acids used at home, can
damage it. It can get chipped easily. Therefore it should not be kept with
other pieces of jewelry. It can be cleaned with warm water and polished with
a soft cloth.
This is the Birthstone for people born in December. It is considered lucky
for people born on 1,3,4,6 and 8.
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