Turquoise-colored Jewelry

One of the most highly prized gemstones that are known for their deep color

, attractive and ancient heritage is the gemstone, turquoise. It is found in only a few areas, with Southwest America being the world's largest producer. Australia, Chile, Iran, Mexico and Tibet are other producers of turquoise, and it is in these areas that turquoise has been used for centuries to make beautiful jewelry.

Turquoise is believed to have been mined in Tibet and discovered in Ancient Egypt somewhere around 4,000 to 5,000 BC. Turquoise arrived first in Europe by trade routes, and even the name of the stone is derived from the word "Turkish".

Death masks that were inlaid with the turquoise mosaic were recovered from ancient tombs. What is most evident in these artifacts are the talents that were worked in the stone by the Aztecs, Olmecs and Toltecs.

The Tutenkhamen is the place inside of Ancient Egypt to find turquoise inlays that are also evident in desk masks.

Turquoise must still be mined and handled with respect, as Pueblo miners believe.

Native Americans believe that turquoise brings the spirit of the sea and sky to bless warriors and hunters. Carvings of turquoise were placed into Native American graves, as it is believed to bring rest to the dead. The untreated turquoise would change color and it was believed this symbolized the circle of life between birth to death, as believed in Tibet. In South East Asia, turquoise was worn by horsemen and their horses to protect them, and in Russia, rings of turquoise set in silver are given to brides, as turquoise is believed to bring peace to women and good health and prosperity to men. In Persia, many people have turquoise centerpieces in order to focus the mind into prayer.

Turquoise is often viewed as something inside of intricate and delicate gold settings. Silver is often set with Native American turquoise. The porous, soft, properties of turquoise are usually set into chunky settings to hide it.

Whether you are wearing denim or evening wear, turquoise is great to add to any style of clothing to dress up the outfit or add striking touches. A lot of handmade jewelry are used with turquoise.

Turquoise is the birthstone for December, and the anniversary gemstone for the 5th and 11th year of marriage. Turquoise varies from intense medium blue to greenish blue in color, often with brownish lines - a result of reaction with different minerals in the earth.

There is a potential for turquoise to experience a rebirth as it is a spring color, so now is the time to start looking for these unique pieces.

by: Christina Bowden.

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