Turquoise: The Native Stone
Turquoise, derived from the French word for Turkish has been
adored since before 4000 BC. A lot of the early European
turquoise came from the Middle East in what today is known as
the country of Turkey. That is where the stone’s name hails
from. It is said to have healing properties, therefore
beneficial to human wellness by keeping the blood pure and blood
pressure low.
Turquoise is December’s birthstone and signifies success. It was
once considered a luxury and only for the truly noble, but has
since found its way into everyday lives. It is found in many
countries, including the United States, mainly the west and
southwest areas. The best grade turquoise is from Iran (formerly
Persia), Tibet and China. The southwestern United States boasts
high-grade turquoise as well but in the U.S. where it is
predominately mined, (mainly Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico and
Colorado) the mines are either closed or fairly depleted.
Therefore, most turquoise is imported from Tibet and other parts
of the world. The biggest use for turquoise today is by Native
Americans to make jewelry.
Turquoise is a mineral, a hydrous basic phosphate. It is
comprised of copper and aluminum, which is formed as water
trickles through a “host” stone for what is said to be about 30
million years. Yes, 30 million! That water, over time leaves a
deposit in the stone. The stone can hold onto moisture or dry
out. If it dries out in sunlight it can change colors, anywhere
from bright blue the medium green. The colors can vary too,
depending on the mineral components. More aluminum equals a
green to white color range. More copper equals a bluer color
range. If there is an addition of zinc, a yellow-green color
will appear. There is not a best color in general; it is a
matter of personal taste, as is a matrix. Matrix, as it is
called forms because the turquoise stone itself takes on colors
from the host stone it forms in. The host rock has been seen in
black, rust, brown and even darker shades of blue or green. The
most commonly seen matrix is black. You can see it well as it
often resembles a spider’s web and adds to the beauty of the
stone, making it more sought after in jewelry.
Turquoise can come in a variety of grades. The high end is
harder and not very porous, and also more expensive. The lower
end is soft and fairly, if not almost totally porous. This can
cause the stone, over time to absorb oils and grease, mainly
from human touch. The more porous stones are normally apt to
changing color with skin oils and actually make the turquoise
change to a beautiful conglomeration of colors. However, some
like to prevent this so a treatment called stabilizing is
performed. It’s actually quite simple because the stone is
merely soaked in or sprayed with a liquid plastic-polymer
material and then allowed to dry. This plastic when hardened
seals the pores and prevents oils and grease from affecting the
stone. Stabilizing also deepens the color making the low-end
turquoise look high-end. In actuality, all natural stones
(untreated or unstabilized) are porous to some degree and are
apt to change colors due to human handling and normal wear. As
with what is known as “natural” turquoise, no coating or
alteration is added to the stone. Each stone is cut or faceted
and then polished for use or sale, as with any “natural” stone.
And so, turquoise as we all know it is still very much alive and
being used in many original and imaginative ways. It’s best and
often seen in jewelry pieces pared with sterling silver. Ah,
what a classy yet laid-back look!
This article may be reprinted and/or republished provided it is
not altered in any way, and proper credit is given to the
author.
