Facts And Trivia About The Gemstone Turquoise

by Caroline Todd

Everyone loves blue. With a soothing and rejuvenating color, this color is often associated with sky and water. Blue has also been a color that symbolizes royalty and tranquility. This is one of the hundreds of reasons why it is so easy to fall in love with turquoise. Owning turquoise jewelry is like looking out to sea. Turquoise can be mined all over the world. They have it in India, China and the United States. One of the best and most respected types of turquoise is Persian turquoise.


Why the Color Change?

This may be due to mineral effects. Gems are high in minerals. Naturally, if copper is present, blue shines inside the rock. But, as this formation is found, if aluminum is more powerful, a green shade will appear.


All About Gemstone Formation

Turquoise is formed when water enters rocks containing aluminum, copper and other minerals found in the earth's intestines. Turquoise is formed as a result of a chemical reaction. This whole process is easily explained over millions of years and only under the right conditions. Often, extreme weather conditions and temperature are factors that affect the formation of this substance.


Turquoise Dark Markings

These marks are called matrix. It is the rock fragments that formed this stone. If you tend to cut this stone, you will notice that these rock deposits are still floating in the center of the stone. The color change of the matrix is due to the formation of turquoise between the different rocks. When the lining of the matrix is spread over the entire item, it is called a cobweb because it looks like a strand of cobweb.


Justifying the Hardness of a Turquoise

When used for making jewelry, the hardness required by manufacturers should be in the range of 5-6. Other than that, they consider it.


Common Treatments used for Turquoise

  1. Treatment for color – they usually use chemicals to change the stone’s color or elaborate it.

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

Other remedies are used on unused turquoise to make it something useful. Many turquoise gems are either enhanced or treated. It is very rare that you find a turquoise that is all natural. But if you did, the price would be no extravagance. You can recognize the turquoise that was created naturally by looking at its features. You need to make sure that no other treatment has been done. No artificial changes can be made.


Turquoise Care

Here are some tips on how to handle your turquoise with care, without scratching or damaging its vitality.


  • 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.

The most important thing to remember when buying turquoise is that you should buy it from merchants who are known to save you money on fake ones.

 

Why not try: Angelic Turquoise Essence Energy Attunement

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