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Chinese Turquoise
Chinese turquoise today is usually stabilized
meaning it is epoxied. A side effect of the process is that stabilized
stone is less likely to absorb lotions and body oils, which may change
the color of the stone over time. Today China has mines that produce a
great deal of turquoise. Northwest of Shanghai is the Ma'ashan turquoise
mine, and the Hubei Province produces turquoise in colors reminiscent of
the now closed mines in Nevada. This turquoise ranges in color from sky
blue to spring green as well. Today there are no known producing mines.
Turquoise from mines in China accounts for about 80% of the stone on the
U.S. market today, due to the scarcity of American turquoise. Only a
handful of turquoise mines in the American southwest are commercially
operating.
Natural vs. Stabilized Turquoise
Stabilized turquoise is a grade of natural stone
that has been treated under high pressure with clear plastic resins and
other products to enhance its color and increase its durability.
Reconstituted turquoise is made up of tiny chips that have been epoxied
together and treated under high pressure. The best Turquoise quality
shows a clear and light sky-blue. The color is highly appreciated, with
or without the fine regular spider web lines. The quality decreases with
the increase of green in color, and the increase of spots and
irregularities in the spider web.
Because turquoise remains so popular today, much of the
mass-market material has been dyed or color stabilized
with resins to seal it and to improve color.
Turquoise Use in Ancient China
There is evidence of turquoise use in China dating at least as far back
as 1700 BC as evidenced by a bronze plaque with turquoise overlay from
the Erlitou culture site in Menan Province displayed at the Academy of
Social Sciences in Beijing. Although some turquoise was mined in China
in ancient times, more commonly is was acquired in trade with Mongols,
Persians, and Turks. Mostly the Chinese used turquoise for carvings and
other art. Jade has been the preferred stone for jewelry in Chinese
culture. The Tibetans, on the other hand, have preferred turquoise to
any other gemstone and virtually every Tibetan possesses some turquoise.
Believed to bring good luck, it is worn set in rings and bracelets, as
beads in necklaces, and as adornment directly on hats and other
clothing. Domestic animals such as horses wear necklaces of felt with
turquoise sewn on.
Man-made Treatment to Turquoise is Common
Most turquoise needs some form of treatment, and there are lots of
different processes. There's a "clear treat" in which acrylic resin but
no color is added. Then there's a "color treat" with epoxy resin and
color. The important thing to understand is that treatments must exist
or there won't be enough turquoise for the market.
Have you heard of Tibetan Turquoise?
The Tibetians, on the other hand, have preferred turquoise to any other
gemstone and virtually every Tibetian possesses some turquoise. Believed
to bring good luck, it is worn set in rings and bracelets, as beads in
necklaces, and as adornment directly on hats and other clothing.
Domestic animals such as horses wear necklaces of felt with turquoise
sewn on.
Turquoise Imitations
How does one select good-quality natural turquoise
and not get caught by natural substitutes or the multitude of synthetics
and imitations that have infiltrated the industry over the years?
Turquoise is often dyed and stabilized with resins to produce a harder
stone, which retains its color and polish. Reconstituted turquoise is
made from small chips and "chalk" to which dyes and plastic resin is
added. Pure turquoise is a relatively soft stone ranging between 5 and 6
on the Mohs scale of hardness. Most turquoise specimens are
cryptocrystalline, meaning that the crystals can only be seen by...
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How to Tell Original Turquoise from Fake?
Of all the natural substitutes, there are a few
common culprits. To distinguish between these and natural turquoise, it
is always good to know a bit of gemology.Turquoise is often imitated by
"fakes" such as the mineral chrysocolla. This is actually a part of the
chalcedony group of stones, in which the mineral chrysocolla is finely
disseminated, giving the chalcedony an intense medium blue green
color...
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more...
The Origin of the Name
The name means "Turkish stone" because the trade route that brought it
to Europe used to come via Turkey. Some say that in the thirteenth
century, Turquoise was named in the mistaken belief that it came from
Turkey. Others say that the name comes from the Persian word for
Turquoise, firouze, since Persia has been a major source of this
gemstone for thousands of years. When turquoise first came to the
attention of man is unknown. There are archeological as well as literary
references that pre date the Christian era by five millennia. The word
“turquoise” is also believed to have been derived from the German term
“turkisher steins” which means “Turkish stones”.
History of Turquoise
Turquoise is one of the oldest known gem
materials. The Egyptians were mining turquoise in the Sinai as early as
5,500 BC. Turquoise was worn by Pharaohs and Aztec Kings. Its prized
blue color, is so distinctive that its name is used to describe any
color that resembles it. Pre-Columbian Indians used turquoise for beads
and pendants. From,500 BC Burial grounds, in Central America and Mexico.
Teeth were found decorated with turquoise. A tribute to early dentistry
as well as a different idea for adornment. It was also extensively used
around 200 BC, by both southwestern US Native Americans and by many of
the Indian tribes in Mexico. The Anasazi and Hohokam mined turquoise...
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Turquoise Facts
Turquoise came in Europe through Turkey, but
its origin was Persia, where it has been mined for thousands of years.
The blue color of turquoise was thought to have powerful metaphysical
properties by many ancient cultures. In ancient Mexico, turquoise was
reserved for the gods and could not be worn by mere mortals. In Asia,
turquoise was considered as effective protection against the evil eye.
In Tibet even today, turquoise is by far the most popular of all
materials used for personal adornment, and still play an important part
in religious ceremonies...
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Turquoise Myths
Turquoise has been a treasured gemstone around the world for thousands
of years. It was used for beads by the Egyptians as early as 5500
BC. The deposits in Sinai were already worked out by 4,000 BC. In many
cultures, Turquoise is regarded as a harbinger of good fortune, success
and health. In ancient Persia it was once believed that the wearing of
turquoise talismans would protect the wearer from death. It was
also believed – not only among Persians but also among a number of other
cultures – that a change in the color of the turquoise was a sign of
danger or illness...
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The Lore and Beliefs
The lore, beliefs and myths of turquoise not
just date back to the ancient times, but some people still hold some of
these beliefs today. Good Luck Charm? Because, over the millennia of its
use, much of the world's supply of the stone has come from Persia, the
number of superstitions surrounding Turquoise that originate from Persia
and the surrounding area of the Middle East is great. To begin, Hebrew
tradition states that Isaac opened the first mines in Persia. Having
seen the reflection of the new moon in a stone of Turquoise, a person
was believed to encounter good luck soon, according to Persian lore.
Arabian superstition said it was a lucky stone and that it had good
powers of benevolence. They also attributed the accumulation of wealth
and prosperity with the stone...
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How to Care for Turquoise
Turquoise is a naturally porous gemstone and
as a result it can suffer from color change if it is not cared for
properly. Exposure to oils, perfumes, cosmetics, chemicals, high
heat, and direct sunlight can all affect the color of this gemstone;
therefore, it is essential that you avoid prolonged exposure of your
turquoise jewelry to those elements. It is also recommended that
you clean your turquoise jewelry with warm soapy water and a soft cloth
– thoroughly drying the gemstone immediately after washing. When
storing your turquoise jewelry, remember to keep your turquoise jewelry
separate from your other jewelry to avoid scratches...
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Back to 'All About Turquoise' Summary
Turquoise, the robin's egg blue gemstone worn by Pharaohs and Aztec
Kings, is probably one of the oldest gemstones known. Yet, only its
prized blue color, a color so distinctive that its name is used to
describe any color that resembles it, results in its being used as a
gemstone. The true value of turquoise is in the beauty of the
stone. Buy at the level you can afford and buy what speaks to you, what
you find most attractive. There's no stone like turquoise, and rarely
are two pieces alike...
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Chinese Turquoise
