How much do you know about this beautiful stone?! Here are five facts about my all time favorite stone, TURQUOISE!
✰Turquoise is a pretty soft stone. It is a little harder than window glass, making it ideal for carving! This does mean that turquoise rings have a tendency to get beat up (scratched, chipped, etc) and may need to get replaced from time to time.
✰Turquoise is the world’s oldest gemstone, used in some of the world’s oldest jewelry! Archaeological excavations revealed turquoise in many tombs that are from Ancient Egypt. The Ancient Egyptians called turquoise “Mefkat” meaning “joy” or “delight.” Ancient Chinese turquoise carvings dating back 3000 years have also been found.
✰Contrary to popular belief, turquoise was not named after its color! The name “turquoise” comes from the French word for “Turkish stone”. This name began in the 13th century. The color “turquoise” came after the stone.
✰Turquoise has long been considered a stone that brings you health, good fortune, and protection from evil.
✰It takes millions of years and the right conditions for turquoise to be formed! Turquoise is formed when water enters an iron-rich limonite or sandstone which contains copper and other minerals. The gemstone’s blue color is due to the presence of copper while the presence of aluminum adds a greenish hue to the gem.
