Turquoise Color

The turquoise color has long been a favorite for jewelry as well as clothing. As a color for jewelry, the turquoise stone is an outstanding gem and can be combined with other stones or used alone as shown in our jewelry showcase. This color is a must have for spring and summer clothing, jewelry and accessories.

Turquoise has long been cherished for it’s color and uses in Native American jewelry and carvings, but it’s uses go back to 200 BC. Uses of turquoise are evident in Egyptian tombs where colorful jewelry adorned with this timeless stone has been uncovered. This popular stone can range in color from sky blue to greenish blue and is characterized by the dark veins that run throughout. Although quite porous and chalky, most turquoise has been stabilized for use in modern jewelry and has a shiny polished look. Turquoise can be strung as beads, carved into animal fetishes and combined with a variety of other colorful gemstones to make striking handmade jewelry.

Turquoise has been used for it’s powerful healing properties for many centuries. It is said to be useful to anyone who has trouble speaking in public and is reputed to help keep you calm as well as enhance creativity. The wearer of turquoise my also notice improved wisdom and honesty as well as a new sense of empathy. This stone is said to have the ability to help one keep a positive attitude and realize their inner self as well as enhance your relationship with others. As a healing stone it is used to remove toxins from the body and is thought to help those with asthma and to have the ability to treat infections.

Most turquoise in it’s natural form is too soft to be used in jewelry and, therefore, it is an acceptable practice to “stabilize” the stone by treating it with a resinous substance. This treatment hardens the stone making it less susceptible to chipping and keeps the color from changing due to contact with the oils in your body. When buying turquoise, you must be careful to know what you are getting as some jewelry is made with ““reconstituted turquoise” which is actually the ground up powder from inferior stones mixed with an epoxy and formed into stonelike pieces. There are also some unscrupulous jewelers who try to pass off howlite dyed to a blue color as turquoise. While either one of these might look nice in jewelry, make sure you are not paying the price for a real turquoise stone. Turquoise is mined in China, Turkey, Egypt, Iran and Persia as well as Arizona and New Mexico.

Like all gemstones, turquoise should be cleaned carefully. This porous stone can become damaged if submerged in chemicals and you should never use anything other than soap and water. Never use steam or ultrasonic cleaners for your turquoise jewelry. The gentlest method of cleaning turquoise is to dip a Q-tip in warm soapy water and wipe the stone with that - wipe again with plain water to remove any soap residue. Avoid submerging your jewelry in any kind of liquid as this can cause problems from moisture years later. Some collectors feel that the patina accumulated on old turquoise is part of the value, so be careful when cleaning old jewelry with turquoise stones.

Other Interesting Articles:

Buying A Turquoise Pendant Necklace?
Wearing unique handmade jewelry can help you make a statement and express how unique you really are. Find out more about the history, processing and healing properties of turquoise.

Raw Turquoise Stones
Raw turquoise stones can be quite a bit different than the stones that you see in jewelry. In their natural form, these stones can be porous and chalky. Depending on the quality of the stone, they may need to be treated in order to be used in jewelry.

Native American Turquoise Jewelry
Native American turquoise jewelry of all ages is highly collectible and very wearable. Although the vintage and antique pieces are highly valued and sought after, the newly made Native American turquoise pieces are just as prized and many are just as valuable.

The Turquoise Gem Stone
Find out the history, processing and healing powers of this sought after stone. Feat your eyes on turquoise jewelry!

Native American Indian Turquoise and Silver Jewelry
Read about some of the most highly sought after cultural jewelry made today.

The Birthstone Turquoise
Turquoise is the birthstone for the month of December and a popular stone used in jewelry making. Birthstone jewelry has been worn for centuries and while December has also been associate with the birtstones lapis lazuli, blue topaz and zircon, The American National Association of Jewelers formulated a standard list of birthstones in 1912 and named Turquoise as the birthstone for December.

Loose Turquoise Stones
Loose turquoise stones in their natural form, can be quite a bit different than the stones that end up in jewelry as they can be porous and chalky. In order to keep them from breaking and chipping, they are typically treated before they are used in jewelry.

Sleeping Beauty Turquoise Beads
Named for the mine it comes from, these beads and stones are well sought after for jewelry making and a favorite of the Zuni Pueblo silver makers who incorporate it into their traditional inlay jewelry.

Sleeping Beauty Turquoise Mine
The Sleeping Beauty Turquoise Mine located in Arizona is one of the largest turquoise mines in North American and produces a stunning sky blue turquoise that has no matrix and is referred to as “Sleeping Beauty Turquoise”.