Gemstones, Diamonds, Pearls - Multicolour.com
My Shopping Cart My Account Gem Library
|Welcome to Multicolour.com|Single Stones|Calibrated Stones|Pairs|Mix Lots|Closeouts|Carved Gems|lapidary and gemological tools and supplies|Gem Smart Search|
 Home / Gem Library / Natural Gemstones / Turquoise March 29, 2024  


Natural Turquoise
E-mail this article to a friend

There are 78 Turquoise(s) available at Multicolour.com


Turquoise is a gemstone that has captivated people’s attention and desires for much of humanity’s existence. From the vast assortments offered at gem and jewelry shows, we might conclude that it is a plentiful mineral. Yet this is hardly the case, and natural untreated gem-quality Turquoise is quite rare. It is the end product of a chain of chemical and physical processes that could only evolve under specific conditions spanning thousands or millions of years. The finest grades are elusive and have been prized, collected, and worn since prehistory. Most of what is available today is treated in some manner and often misrepresented.

The purest Turquoise approaches a hardness of 6 on Moh's scale and is slightly harder than glass. Although triclinic in terms of crystallography, it is a cryptocrystalline mineral that usually forms as veins or fracture fillings that may be nodular, botryoidal, or irregular. Its physical properties like density and hardness vary because of inconsistencies in chemistry and composition.

The gem's name comes from the French expressions Pierre tour ques or “Turkish stone". The name, which originated in the thirteenth century, reflects the fact that the material probably first arrived in Europe from Turkish sources. The gem turquoise owes its beauty almost entirely to its superb color. It has been used for ornamentation since 3000BC and possibly before.


Known Facts
Color Key: Blue, Greenish Blue
Refractive Index: 1.62
Chemical Composition: CuAl6(PO4)4(OH)85H2O
Hardness: 5.5-6
Density: 2.60- 2.90
Crystal Group: Triclinic
Ocurrence: Iran; Arizona, USA; India; Tibet; China; Eygpt; Chile; Russia; Australia.

Turquoise can be translucent or opaque with a color that usually ranges from light medium blue to greenish blue. It is often mottled and sometimes contains dark splotches or veins of black matrix running through it. In the case of spiderweb turquoise, fine seams of matrix form distinctive web like patterns. Although matrix may be desirable and attractive, the most valuable turquoise is considered to be an even medium blue, with no matrix at all. The best color is known in the trade as "robins egg" blue. The most important market for turquoise is the American Southwest where it is commonly set in silver as the focal point in many of the Native American designs.

Because turquoise is frequently too chalky or unstable and full of holes and cracks, it is often treated with dye or stabalized with plastic.

Turquoise supposedly helps one to start new projects. Turquoise has been thought to warn the wearer of danger or illness by changing color. In the 13th century, Turquoise was thought to protect the wearer from falling especially from horses. Legend has it that the Indians believed that if turquoise was affixed to a bow, the arrows shot from it would always hit their mark. It was also believed to bring happiness and good fortune to all.

The latest proprietary turquoise treatment is commonly known in the trade as "enhanced turquoise or Zachery treated". The treatment has been used to enhance millions of carats of Turquoise for the last decade. Standard gemological techniques cannot detect it. The primary treatment involves the dissolution of quartz in an ethanol mix to be impregnated into the Turquoise and mimics a naturally occurring process that results in the turquoise being silicified or silicated.

Tests show that this process effectively improves a stone's ability to take a good polish and may or may not improve a stone's color. It also decreases the material's porosity, limiting its tendency to absorb discoloring agents such as skin oils. Examination of numerous samples known to be treated by this process revealed that Zachery-treated turquoise has gemological properties similar to those of untreated natural Turquoise and that the treatment does not involve impregnation with a polymer. Most Zachery-treated Turquoise can be identified only through chemical analysis and most efficiently by EDXRF spectroscopy. It contains significantly more potassium than its untreated counterparts, which will appear in the spectra.

The key advantages of this treatment are that the treated stones take a better polish and are more resistant to "oxidation" or discoloration over time, apparently due to a significant decrease in their porosity.

When turquoise cabs intended for use in the Native American jewelry trade are cut, they are almost always sawed thinly and then backed using some type of epoxy. An epoxy backing can be applied to give a thin stone both height and strength, along with a flat bottom for convenient use in a bezel setting. Backing turquoise is generally an American concept that started in the 1950s for a number of reasons.


Illustrations
Turquoise Turquoise Turquoise
Check our Top, Largest, Smallest or Latest Turquoise's.


Turquoise Stats/
Popularity Index: 24670854hits
Total Items: 78items
Total Weight: CTS 2915.72
Cheapest: USD 15.20
Most Expensive: USD 358.00
Largest: CTS 198.76
Smallest: CTS 8.04
Last Added: 11/03/23 08:55:06

Knowledge Search/
Enter Keywords:
Enter one or more keywords (i.e madagascar sapphires ).

About Gemstones /

Gem Library/
Gems Legend and  Lore Gems Legend and Lore
Some of the latest of ways that gems have been associated with Birthstones and Signs of the Zodiac.
Understanding Gemstones Understanding Gemstones
Learn about Physical and Optical properties, color, clarity and cut of gemstones.
Gems Glossary Gems Glossary
Ever wonder what are "Blemish", "Luster", "Saturation" "Uniformity" or "Mine Run" means?
Reference and  Links Reference and Links
Recommended books and links to Gem, Jewelry&Mineral Magazines, Gem Institutes and Labs.

Book’s Corner/
Buy at Amazon.com Ruby & Sapphire by Richard W. Hughes
Price: USD 98.00
"This book is surely the best study ever done on the exotic subject of rubies and sapphires..."
see more Multicolour.com recommendations

 Top of Page Need help?  

Gemstones for sale: Alexandrite, Garnet, Diamond, Opal, Spinel, Sapphire, Tourmaline, Tanzanite, Tsavorite,
Gemstones by Category: Calibrated, Carving, Closeout, Jewelry, Mixed Lot, Pair, Rough, Single, Best Sellers or Featured Gemstones.
Gemstone education: Colored Gemstones Guide, Gems Library, Gemstone Treatments, Gemstone Glossary, Gems and Astrology,

All Transactions secure by Thawte certificate - click here to validate Ebay Power Seller Gem Certification Various Shipping Options Major Credit Cards Accepted

All trademarks and logos shown herein are the property of their respective owners. © Copyright Multicolour.com, 1998-2011. All rights reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of Multicolour.com Return Policy, Privacy Policy and Trading Guarantee. Published and operated by David Wein Ltd. 32 Hollywood Road, Central, Hong Kong Island Hong Kong. Lost? Check site map or resources page.

Site design and maintenance by NetComposite ®.