Turquoise Gemstone: A Few Facts and Trivia

Everybody loves blue. With its calming and rejuvenating shade, this color blue has often been associated with the sky and water. Blue has also been the color that symbolizes royalty and tranquility.

These are one of the few hundred reasons why it is not hard to love turquoise. To own jewelry made of turquoise is like looking at the open sea.

Turquoise gemstone can be mined all over the world. They have it in India, China, and US. One of the finest and most respected kinds of turquoise is the Persian turquoise.

 

The apparent Value of Turquoise

Turquoise was among the first gems to be mined. Many historic sites have been depleted although some are still being worked even nowadays day.

Turquoise is rare and valuable in finer grades and has been prized as a gem and ornamental stone for thousands of years owing to its unique hue.

However, in recent times, turquoise has been devalued, like many other opaque gemstones, by the introduction onto the market of treatments, imitations, and synthetics.

 

Why the Color Change?

Perhaps it’s because of the influence of the mineral present. The higher the mineral content in the gem, the more it will be enhanced. Naturally, blue will shine within the stone if copper becomes present. But if, as it is formed, aluminum is more dominant, a green shade will appear.

 

All about Gemstone Formation

Turquoise is formed when percolation of water occurs inside rocks containing aluminum, copper, and other minerals found within the depths of the earth. As chemical reaction occurs, turquoise is produced.

This simplified explanation for the entire process happens for millions of years and happens in suitable conditions only. Oftentimes, the climate and temperature both belonging to extremes are factors that affect molding of this gemstone.

 

Turquoise Dark Markings

You call those markings as the matrix. It is that piece of rock where this stone was formed into. If you tend to cut this stone, you would notice that sediments of these rocks are still suspended within the center of it. About the different color changes in the matrix, it is due to the fact that turquoise is formed among varieties of rocks. If the lining of the matrix is extended throughout the item, it is called as spider webbings for it resembles the strands of a spider web.

 

Justifying the Hardness of a Turquoise

When used for jewelry making, the hardness that makers require must be within the scale of 5-6. Other than that, they treat it.

Common Treatments used for Turquoise

1. Treatment for color they usually use chemicals to change the stones color or elaborate it.

2. Stabilizing this is done by infusing substances or resin inside the pores of the material.

Other treatments are used for an unusable turquoise to turn it into something usable. A lot of turquoise gemstones are either enhanced or treated. It is seldom that you find a turquoise that is all natural. But if you do, the price would not be less extravagant.

You could identify a turquoise that was made natural by looking at its features. You have to be sure that no other treatments have been made. No changes of the artificial kind should be involved.

 

Unusual Turquoise Gifts

 

Turquoise Care

Here are some tips on how to handle your turquoise with so much care without having the fear of neither scratching it nor breaking its viability.

Have it hidden in a separate place away from harder stones to promote scratch reduction.

Keep it away from extreme heat and pressure.

Avoid any contact with dangerous chemicals that might destroy its usefulness like perfumes, cleaners and oils.

To clean your gem, use warm water and dry it immediately. No cleansers needed.

 

Nontraditional uses of Turquoise Gemstone

• In healing place over the heart, throat or thymus to ease breathing
• In healing it can open the flow of emotional expression
• Wear over the chest for psychic and personal protection
• Eases feelings of negativity
• Supports and energizes the thymus chakra

 

Buy from known Merchandisers

Sometimes it is hard to tell the difference between real turquoise gemstone and fake. The most important thing to keep in mind when buying turquoise gemstone or jewelry is that you should purchase it from merchandisers who are known. Otherwise you may end up with fake turquoise and possibly a lot of money wasted.