Newsletter - September 3, 2008

The Jewelry Crafter

A newsletter for the home jeweler

This newsletter will be published every 2 weeks, and will include hints and tips for your jewelry business. Any feedback or comments about the topics presented here are always appreciated. Click here to e-mail us.

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All About Turquoise

By

Mary Harvey

One of the oldest gemstones known to man, the turquoise is prized for its’ robin’s egg blue color. There is evidence that turquoise was mined in Egypt in 6000 BC. Ancient Chinese civilizations prized it nearly as much as Jade. It was worn by Aztec kings and used by Indian tribes both in America and Mexico as far back as 200 BC. In the late 1800’s, Native American tribes began setting it in coin silver. Today, it is still prized for its’ beauty.

Turquoise is found all over the world.  Arizona is the largest producer of Turquoise, but veins are also found in California, Colorado, New Mexico and Nevada. It is also found in Iran, China, Tibet, Siberia, Germany and France. For thousands of years, the finest quality turquoise was found in Persia (northern Iran), but in the 1800-1900’s, gem quality turquoise was found in Arizona, and now the US is the largest producer of fine turquoise.

Turquoise comes in many different colors, ranging from the prized robin’s egg blue, to a blue-green, to yellow-green. Turquoise can be a solid color, or spider-webbed with black or brown veins, which are a part of the host rock. Usually, the solid color, untreated turquoise is most valuable, selling for upwards of $2200 per kilogram.

Turquoise is a relatively soft stone, only 5.5 on the Moh’s scale of hardness. For this reason, treatments were developed to make the stone more durable. One treatment is stabilization, which is accomplished by immersing the rough stone in an epoxy resin. The stone absorbs the resin, and when it is dried, makes the stone easier to cut and polish, as well as making it durable. A “colorshot” turquoise is stabilized with a colored resin, evening out the color of the stone. Turquoise can also be waxed or oiled to bring out a shine in the stone.

In myth and lore, turquoise is seen as a stone of protection and wealth. It was thought to bring safety to Native American warriors and hunters, and arrows with turquoise heads ensured an accurate aim. The Egyptians used its healing properties to treat cataracts. Ancient Turkish warriors attached it to their horses’ bridles, so they would be sure-footed. It was also believed to protect the wearer from falls.

As you can see, turquoise has been prized by many civilizations over thousands of years. Today, it is still sought after as a beautiful, sophisticated stone for modern jewelry.