Jan

Top 10 Turquoise Jewelry Facts

1	Turquoise is the birthstone for the month of December. It is also associated with both the fifth and eleventh wedding anniversaries.
2	This mystical gemstone has been mined for thousands of years by various cultures, with evidence suggesting that the ancient Egyptians mined turquoise as far back as 6000 B.C. In modern day, turquoise is mined in a number of places including the United States, Iran, China, and Tibet.
3	In 1810 Napoléon Bonaparte presented his Empress Marie Louise with a wedding gift — a breathtaking crown of diamonds and turquoise. Originally the crown was made up of diamonds and emeralds, but Napoléon arranged to have all 79 emeralds removed and replaced with turquoise prior to giving the crown to Marie Louise.
4	Throughout the centuries various cultures have believed that turquoise jewelry brings luck and possesses a variety of powers, including the ability to promote wealth, attract love, and bring happiness.
5	The word “turquoise” is believed to have been derived from the French term “pierre turquoise” which means “stone of Turkey” or the German term “turkisher steins” which means “Turkish stones”.
6	Turquoise is formed, over a span of millions of years, by a chemical reaction that occurs when water leaks through rocks which contain specific minerals such as copper and aluminum. The percentages of those various minerals in the rock dictate the gemstone’s shade.
7	Considering the millions of years it takes for turquoise to form, you will definitely want to handle your turquoise jewelry with care. Turquoise is a naturally porous gemstone and as a result it can suffer from color change if it is not cared for properly.
	Symbolism of turquoise jewelry is often mentioned in literary text. “The Merchant of Venice”, written by Shakespeare presents a turquoise ring as a symbol of adoration, which a gift of turquoise jewelry can often represent – especially in Europe.
9	In 17th century England, turquoise jewelry were a must for gentlemen. It was the sign of a well-dressed gentleman.
10	With not much global reserves of turquoise, and an associated turquoise supply much less than the growing market demand for turquoise jewelry, prices of turquoise jewelry are expected to escalate in coming years. Due to this economic dynamic, purchases of high-quality turquoise jewelry pieces can be viewed as an investment in an appreciating asset – much like diamonds or other valuable gems and stones.