Gem Library

BUYER’S OVERVIEW:
Turquoise is considered to be a semi-precious gemstone and clean, large, natural stones are readily available although some colors will command a very high price. Turquoise comes in a wide range of colors including light to medium blue and green to greenish blue. It is often mottled and shows veins of matrix in black, tan or pyrite. The most highly prized materials are the clear robin egg blue with no matrix that was originally found in Persia (Iran), the rich darker blue material with black matrix that comes from the Kingman mine in Arizona and the robin egg blue material from the Sleeping Beauty Mine in Globe, Arizona.

COLOR:
Turquoise comes in a wide range of colors including light to medium blue and green to greenish blue. It is often mottled and shows veins of matrix in black, tan or pyrite.

APPEARANCE:
Opaque, with and without matrix.

SIZE RANGE:
From melee (0.01) to 100 carats; large specimens are available.

TYPICAL CUTTING STYLES:
Opaque: beads, cabochons, inlay, carvings

POSSIBLE ENHANCEMENTS & TREATMENTS:
Turquoise may be impregnated with plastic in order to preserve its color as it is porous and will discolor aver time if not treated or cared for. Other treatment methods include wax and dye impregnation, all are common and relatively stable.

HARDNESS:
5 to 6 on the Mohs scale.

BEST USE OF THE GEMSTONE:
Turquoise is not a strong gemstone and as such, earrings, pendants, pins, and tie tacks are probably the safest choice for this stone. Rings should be limited to occasional wear and the stones should be set with a protective setting. Avoid rough handing.

CARE & CLEANING:
It is best to never expose colored gemstones to cleaning solvents or chemicals of any kind.
Common cleaning methods include:
Ultrasonic: never
Steamer: never (may damage treatment)
Warm soapy water: safe
Reaction to Chemicals: can be damaged by acids and cosmetics.
Reaction to Heat: usually decrepitates (i.e., pieces “explode” off the main mass until nothing remains), turns flame green.
Stability to Light: stable

INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT THIS GEMSTONE:
Turquoise is one of the oldest known gemstones and the first mention of the gem was by the Egyptians in 3200 BC. The origin of the name Turquoise is apparently drawn from the original dealers and traders of the gem as it was first brought to Europe from the Eastern Mediterranean by Levantine traders, commonly known as Turks. For centuries, the most valuable Turquoise came from Persia (Iran), the material being a clear robin egg blue with no matrix, often referred to simply as “Persian”, today this name is applied to any Turquoise meeting these standards.

The Aztecs mined Turquoise in the area of the South Western United States now covered by New Mexico, Arizona, California and Nevada. Turquoise is usually found near copper deposits and the more copper in the gem the bluer the color. If the Turquoise contains iron instead of copper it will be green. Turquoise is also found in China and comes in blue and green colors with a golden color matrix.

Turquoise has long been important in many cultures; the Asians believe it protects you from the evil eye, the Persians believed it promoted prosperity and the Zuni that it protects you from demons. In Europe today, Turquoise is given as a forget-me-not gift. Regardless of belief, combining the blue of the sky and the green, brown, or black of the earth is bound to give the wearer a tranquil and uplifting feeling.

DESIGNATION:
Turquoise is the birthstone for December and the 11^th wedding anniversary.

GEM LORE