The precious stone used in December birthstone jewelry is the turquoise, a bluish green stone that is a phosphate of copper and aluminum. It is a rare gem that's been used in ornamental pieces and jewelry for many thousands of years and was worn from around 6000 B.C. by the Ancient Egyptians. It was a prized precious stone worn by the kings of the Aztecs and the Pharaohs. It was also used in exquisite decorative and ornamental work by the Native Americans and Persians. The majority of specimens found are very small, often so tiny that they need a microscope to be visible. The best quality turquoise is mined in Afghanistan, Australia, Iran, Arizona and New Mexico in the US.
The name turquoise is believed to derive from the French word that means Turkey as it was incorrectly believed that the gemstones came from that country as they were traded in the bazaars to merchants from Europe. Actually they most likely came from Sinai Peninsula or Iran. It may also have come from the French word pierre turquin which means blue stone. It is often found in deposits of copper usually in dessert or very dry conditions.
Before turquoise was discovered in the USA the finest quality gemstones, with an intense blue color, were from Persia and ‘Persian Turquoise’ is still used these days to designate the finest quality gems. In the latter part of the nineteenth century turquoise was discovered in the United States with deposits that rivaled the quality of the Persian gemstones. Today the US is the largest producer of this gorgeous gem.
The Use of Turquoise by the Aztecs
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