Turquoise

Specifications

Turquoise's characteristic blue tones come from the copper present within the stone. The colour can range from China blue through to dark blue greens and yellow greens. While colour is a matter of individual taste, generally speaking, the most desirable is a strong sky blue to Robin's egg-blue. The mother rock in which turquoise is found can often be seen as splotches, or as a network of brown or black veins running through the stone. This veining is often very beautiful and can give a complementary result.

Origin

Turquoise is often found in desert areas. It is present around the Red Sea, in Mexico, in the United States, in Afghanistan, in China, in Israel, in Brazil ... but the most beautiful turquoises come currently from Iran, in mines located near Nishapur, in the Northeast of the country. Their quality has been recognized since the time of the Persians and their intense colour is much sought after.

Virtues

The Indians, precisely, already used the turquoise for its curative virtues as it was thought to treat scorpion stings and snake bites. Transformed into balm and applied on the eyelids, it was supposed to avoid blindness.

Tibetan Buddhists associated it with red coral, symbolizing spiritual wealth and good fortune.

In lithotherapy, today it is attributed many benefits; it is said to protect its owner from negative waves or harmful radiation, such as electromagnetic waves. Its capacity to absorb these negative emanations causes a change of colour, even a loss of brightness. Perhaps because of its cloudless sky color, it is a source of balance and unification: harmony of mind and body, male and female tendencies ... It develops the finesse of intuition and empathy. For people practicing meditation, turquoise is a good catalyst, in connection with the third eye chakra. Raising certain inhibitions, it allows positive energies to manifest themselves and avoid psychological blockages to its bearer. In relation to the chakra of the throat, it facilitates the communication and thus the interpersonal relations; it would be appreciated by speakers, reducing the stress of speaking in public and facilitating speech. Finally, in harmony with the chakra of the heart, it brings calm and serenity, amplifying the capacities of love.

History

The name "turquoise" comes from the fact that when the Venetian merchants introduced it in Europe, it was believed to have originated in Turkey: in reality, it came from Persia, where it was used as early as 5000 BC and where we still find the most beautiful specimens. It was used as a talisman against the evil eye, to adorn the turbans, or for dignitaries in ring seal.

But the love story between man and turquoise goes back further back in time. We found in Egypt many turquoise jewelry. Some date back to 6000 BC. In America, turquoise was a sacred stone, and it was even used as currency. The Aztecs made marvelous mosaics with this stone, like the carved serpent found in the treasure of Montezuma II, or the contemporary king of the arrival of the Spaniards. In South America, it was the stone of Gods and men were unworthy of it. As for the North American Indians, they saw pieces of heaven in it ... Many objects carved in turquoise were found on sites of ancient occupation by Indians in western America. Nowadays, Navajos and other Native American people continue to make splendid turquoise and silver jewellery that are sold all over the world.