Collection: TURQUOISE

Azure sky, robin’s egg blue: Vivid shades of Turquoise define the colour that’s named after this gem.

Turquoise is found in only a few places on earth: dry and barren regions where acidic, copper-rich groundwater seeps downward and reacts with minerals that contain phosphorus and aluminium.

The result of this sedimentary process is a porous, semitranslucent to opaque compound of hydrated copper and aluminium phosphate.

Turquoise is a prime example of an opaque coloured stone that can be marketed both as a gem for jewellery and as an ornamental material.

Turquoise might lack the sparkle and clarity of transparent coloured gemstones like ruby, emerald, and sapphire, but its multi-layered history and soul-satisfying colour make it a desirable gem. Its colour can range from dull greens to grass greens to a bright, medium-toned, sky blue. People value turquoise highly for its combination of ancient heritage and unforgettable colour.

The traditional source for the top colour, sometimes described as robin’s-egg blue or sky blue, is the Nishapur district of Iran, the country formerly known as Persia. So, quite often, you’ll hear people in the trade call turquoise of this beautiful colour “Persian blue,” whether or not it was actually mined in Iran.

Top-quality turquoise has inspired designers to create elegant jewellery. It’s most often cut into cabochons, but it might also be cut into beads or flat pieces for inlays.

Turquoise is one of the world’s most ancient gems.

Archaeological excavations revealed that the rulers of ancient Egypt adorned themselves with turquoise jewellery, and Chinese artisans were carving it more than 3,000 years ago. Turquoise is the national gem of Tibet, and has long been considered a stone that guarantees health, good fortune, and protection from evil.

Turquoise was a ceremonial gem and a medium of exchange for Native American tribes in the southwestern US. They also used it in their jewellery and amulets. The Apaches believed that turquoise attached to a bow or firearm increased a hunter’s or warrior’s accuracy.

Turquoise is also a recognised Birthstone for December.