Blue minerals are rare, and that is why turquoise captures attention in the gemstone market
Blue Minerals are rare, and that is why Turquoise captures attention in the Gemstone market. The most desirable color of turquoise is a sky blue or robin's-egg blue. Some people inappropriately describe the color as "Persian blue" after the famous high-quality material mined in the area that is now known as Iraq. Using a geographic name with a gem material should only be done when the material was mined in that locality. The crystals are microscopically small and can hardly ever be recognised with the naked eye.
After blue, bluish green Stones are preferred, with green and yellowish green material being less desirable. Departure from a nice blue color is caused by small amounts of iron substituting for Aluminum in the turquoise structure. The iron imparts a green tint to the turquoise in proportion to its abundance. The color of turquoise might also be altered by small amounts of iron or Zinc substituting for Copper in the turquoise structure.
Some turquoise contains inclusions of its host Rock (known as matrix) that appear as black or brown spider-webbing or patches within the material. Many cutters try to produce stones that exclude the matrix, but sometimes it is so uniformly or finely distributed through the Stone that it cannot be avoided. Some people who purchase turquoise Jewelry enjoy seeing the matrix within the stone, but as a general rule, turquoise with heavy matrix is less desirable.
Some turquoise localities produce material with a characteristic color and appearance. For example, the Sleeping Beauty Mine is known for its light blue turquoise without matrix. Much of the turquoise from the Kingman Mine is bright blue with a spider web of black matrix. The Morenci Mine produces a lot of dark blue turquoise with pyrite in the matrix. Much of the Bisbee turquoise has a bright blue color with a chocolate brown matrix. People who know turquoise can often, but not always, correctly associate a stone with a specific mine.
Turquoise, the captivating sea-green stone of the ancients, represents wisdom, tranquility, protection, good fortune, and hope. For example, the Apaches fashioned amulets and charms out of turquoise. Finally, the majority of the southwestern tribes wore turquoise amulets for personal protection from harm, illness, and negative energies. The ancient jeweled works of art from Turkey and Persia demonstrate their love of turquoise, as well. Furthermore, they believed turquoise enhanced their courage, providing the inner calm necessary to master fear. Meanwhile, in England, maidens offered gifts of turquoise to their lovers as a symbol of enduring love. Not surprisingly, these strong associations between turquoise and wisdom, tranquility, and protection remain strong in modern times. To this day, turquoise is associated with the development of wisdom. Since turquoise naturally enhances trust, kindness, and understanding, it helps us let go of justice and embrace forgiveness. Not only does turquoise confer wisdom, it also provides a calming influence. As it always has, turquoise remains a stone celebrated for its power to protect. (source) In addition, aviators and those traveling by air sometimes rely on turquoise jewelry to protect them and infuse them with a dose of courage. Whether by horse or by air, by ship or by car, crystal experts believe a person on the go can rely on turquoise to pave the way for smooth and safe travel. As you can see, turquoise promises many rewards to those who wear it.
