Turquoise: The Perfect Gift for a December Birthday
The birth stone of December is turquoise, a show-stopping blue gemstone that’s been capturing eyes and hearts for centuries. Wearing the birthstone connected with your month of birth is believed to generate good luck and protection, and what better way to wear it than in a stylish turquoise necklace or bracelet, handcrafted and finished in Sterling silver or 9ct gold.
Turquoise is made from hydrated copper aluminium phosphate and it is found in igneous rocks which are rich in aluminium. Literally translated it means “Turkish”, a nod to the history when Levantine traders shipped the gemstone to Europe via Turkey. Turquoise is among the few opaque jewels, providing it a unique deep-pigmented tone which can range from green to sky blue depending on its make-up, with or without black veins threaded across the stone called its matrix. Bright blue is the most sought-after type of the gemstone, a popular colour in fashion and jewellery. Turquoise and blue topaz are the birthstones of December, and Turquoise is also the traditional gem stone for those celebrating their 6th or 11th wedding anniversaries.
Turquoise was among the first semi-precious stones to be excavated, predominantly within the Sinai region of Egypt, Iran, and the south west United States and Mexico. Having been mined since as long ago as 3,000 BC, understandably resources of the mineral is running low. This has led to imitation gemstones becoming commonplace in modern jewellery, and a higher worth placed on real turquoise.
Turquoise offers a history rivalled by no other gem stone. The mummy of Queen Zer, the ancient Eqyptian monarch, was discovered decorated in bright turquoise bracelets when she was discovered in nineteen hundred. She had chosen the precious stone to wear for 7,500 years. And think of the famous gold mask of Tutankhamen: it too is set with precious turquoise stones.
The reason behind its historical significance is that turquoise has been highly respected by a lot of ancient colonies who believed it posessed powerful unearthly qualities. Around Asia the jewel was believed to protect against the evil eye, and the Aztecs reserved the stone for the Gods in ceremonial masks. In the 16th century American Indians thought that turquoise embodied the spirits of the ocean and sky, using it as both a form of exchange and also to bring luck and protection to fighters and hunters.
Even these days turquoise is regarded as having protective properties. In modern gemstone therapy it is thought to boost confidence and relieve depressive disorders, stomach problems, viral infections and rheumatism. If given as a gift turquoise is deemed a sign of friendship. Whether you believe in these legends or not, it’s hard not to see the beauty which this show-stopping stone has.
Turquoise is made from hydrated copper aluminium phosphate and it is found in igneous rocks which are rich in aluminium. Literally translated it means “Turkish”, a nod to the history when Levantine traders shipped the gemstone to Europe via Turkey. Turquoise is among the few opaque jewels, providing it a unique deep-pigmented tone which can range from green to sky blue depending on its make-up, with or without black veins threaded across the stone called its matrix. Bright blue is the most sought-after type of the gemstone, a popular colour in fashion and jewellery. Turquoise and blue topaz are the birthstones of December, and Turquoise is also the traditional gem stone for those celebrating their 6th or 11th wedding anniversaries.
Turquoise was among the first semi-precious stones to be excavated, predominantly within the Sinai region of Egypt, Iran, and the south west United States and Mexico. Having been mined since as long ago as 3,000 BC, understandably resources of the mineral is running low. This has led to imitation gemstones becoming commonplace in modern jewellery, and a higher worth placed on real turquoise.
Turquoise offers a history rivalled by no other gem stone. The mummy of Queen Zer, the ancient Eqyptian monarch, was discovered decorated in bright turquoise bracelets when she was discovered in nineteen hundred. She had chosen the precious stone to wear for 7,500 years. And think of the famous gold mask of Tutankhamen: it too is set with precious turquoise stones.
The reason behind its historical significance is that turquoise has been highly respected by a lot of ancient colonies who believed it posessed powerful unearthly qualities. Around Asia the jewel was believed to protect against the evil eye, and the Aztecs reserved the stone for the Gods in ceremonial masks. In the 16th century American Indians thought that turquoise embodied the spirits of the ocean and sky, using it as both a form of exchange and also to bring luck and protection to fighters and hunters.
Even these days turquoise is regarded as having protective properties. In modern gemstone therapy it is thought to boost confidence and relieve depressive disorders, stomach problems, viral infections and rheumatism. If given as a gift turquoise is deemed a sign of friendship. Whether you believe in these legends or not, it’s hard not to see the beauty which this show-stopping stone has.
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