Huang's Mandarin House of Asian Antiques

Relief Pendant

Turquoise - The Gemstone of Folklore and Legend

Turquoise is one of the oldest gemstones discovered by mankind having been first discovered in Egypt nearly six thousand years. Over the centuries, turquoise jewelry has generally remained popular with the masses, although the demand for this gemstone has risen and fallen based on the notoriously fickle fashion market! Today, turquoise is considered by most to be one of the most popular gems in the world of jewelry design. The blue and blue-green shades of this stone are very popular and versatile and as result, there are a myriad of jewelry designs available with turquoise as the focal stone of the piece. With all these designs available to shoppers, no single genre has more fans than silver turquoise jewelry from the American Southwest. The talent of these artists and the beauty of their creations have become legendary the world over!

For the technical fans amongst us, here is some geological, physical, and chemical background about this stone. The first steps in the development of turquoise started several million years ago when groundwater and rainwater dissolved phosphatic salts of aluminum and copper and precipitated them within the parent bedrock formation. Under the actions of geologic load in a high temperature environment, the salts hardened. The blue color is due to its copper content, and the dark dendritic pattern is the remains of the bedrock where the turquoise was formed. Turquoise has a hardness rating of between 5 and 6 and is thus moderately hard. The stone has a somewhat dull and waxy luster. The blue color of the stone makes is suitable for combination with other gems. Common combinations include coral and turquoise, and alternating turquoise and freshwater pearls in a pearls necklace.

There are numerous legends and stories of folklore associated with this gemstone. Native Americans believed that turquoise brings together the gods and humans. This stone was also considered to be a symbol of male power and strength. So, the bravest warriors in the tribe wore this stone into battle. Some of the legends border on the strange and bizarre though! In days gone by, some believed that a change in color of the stone were a sign of physical or mental changes. In the world of metaphysics, turquoise is believed to bring good luck, calm, and harmony. It promotes healing from physical and mental illnesses. Some also believe that it can neutralize acidity, helps relieve the symptoms of rheumatism, provide relief from stomach problems, and can help in the treatment of viral infections. It is believed to mitigate pain and relaxes cramps.

About the Author

Dale is a geo-professional in the Southwestern United States, and an avid and amateur gemmologist and a jewelry buff.

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