Turquoise Jewellery buying guide

Turquoise Jewellery buying guide

Turquoise, with its brilliant blue shades, has been a favorite stone for adornment since time immemorial. The tomb of King Tutankhamen of ancient Egypt shows extensive use of this stone in the royal mask and jewellery. Several other primeval cultures have also treasured this azure gem and we see turquoise being used by the Aztecs, Native American Indians and many other ancient people like the Chinese, Mongolians and Persians. In fact, Persia was a prominent trader of turquoise from the early days onwards.

The birthstone of December, turquoise is also prized for its mystical and healing properties. The stone’s beneficial impact on the wearer has been a longstanding belief. Right from the olden times, it was believed that turquoise brought fame, prosperity, luck and health and hence the stone was also used to make charms, amulets and fetishes, apart from jewellery.

The appealing color of turquoise is determined by several factors and also has a definite effect on its value. The true blue turquoise is valued much higher than then a greenish shade or even a speckled one. Clear blue Persian turquoise is considered the most exquisite though most of the superior quality blue turquoise today is mined at the Sleeping Beauty Mine near Arizona. Mines in China yield a unique lime-green colored turquoise while India produces greenish blue turquoise. In fact, turquoise has a broad range of colors ranging from dark teal blue as well as sky blue to greenish hues. This is due to the amount of mineral present – the blue shade is deepened when there is copper in the site, the green shade is present when there is aluminum, a yellowish-green tint is observed if there is presence of zinc. This yellow-green turquoise is, however, a rare variety, mined in the Orvil Jack mines in Nevada. This type of turquoise is fast gaining huge popularity in manufacturing jewellery and accessories all over the world. The dark markings in the turquoise stone are the matrix or the impressions of the rock that the turquoise was formed in. Attractive matrix patterns enhance the beauty of the stone. Only Persian turquoise occurs without any apparent matrix.

Turquoise is not a hard stone having a score of only 5-6 on the Mohs scale. It, therefore, has to be treated with resin, paraffin or wax to stabilize or harden it. In America, a new treatment called the Zachery treatment is also used to harden the stone without change of color thereby increasing durability. Natural turquoises which can be used without chemical treatment are very high quality stones and are therefore exorbitant.

A favorite way of wearing this alluring stone is turquoise earrings. Although the stone had fallen in grace because it was used by the hippies in the latter half of the 20th century, it has today regained all its dignity and distinction. Turquoise is used by the leading fashion and jewellery houses today in their brand new lines. Turquoise dangling earrings are very popular all over the world. This blue stone is usually set with diamonds and pearls in elegant and precious jewellery and is used much more in silver setting than gold setting. However in the backdrop of pale yellow gold or white gold, too, this gem steals the light due to its brilliant shades of blue color. It can be cut into various shapes when soft (that is, in its natural state) and therefore, are exceptionally beautiful in gem settings with inimitable contours and patterns. Turquoise is also crafted into cabochons and beads; or in other words, can be fashioned into free forms, too.

Turquoise necklaces have also charmed the present generation and have adorned the shelves of many famous designers. Turquoise bracelets, chokers, pendants are also hot favorites, with many designers adopting the south-western and Native American Indian designs. Modern designers and jewellery websites have exquisite rings, nugget bracelets, cuff bracelets, multi-strand necklaces, and even buckles and belts designed out of turquoise.

Since turquoise is a soft stone, it needs its share of care to keep it looking its radiant best. It needs to be kept away from solvents, perfumes, sunscreen, hairspray, oils, chemical cleaning substances as these can damage the stone, causing change in hydration, thereby altering color and shine. The stone may also become brittle and hence get chipped or scratched. It is best to clean turquoise jewelry in warm water and dry with a soft cloth. It should be stored separately to avoid scratching by harder stones.

Catapulting into the fashion circles and evolving into the “blue-eyed” gem of the big names in jewellery design industry, turquoise jewellery has emerged out of the folds of Native American Indian finery and has taken the world by storm. Considering that each piece of this gem is distinct from another turquoise stone, it is no surprise that this beaming blue gem is conquering the skies.

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