TURQUOISE 101 By Emmaly Wiederholt
T
he blue-green rock you see everyone in New Mexico rocking as part of their outfit, men and women alike? Turquoise, also known as the state gem, and might as well be “state look.” Here are a few fun facts about the stone we can’t get enough of:
1.
Turquoise isn’t peculiar to the Southwest. It was first mined in Sinai and Persia in the ancient world. Sarabit el-Khadim and Wadi Maghareh are the oldest known turquoise mines, and historians believe ancient Egyptians especially favored the stone. A turquoise bracelet was found on a 7,000 year-old mummified Egyptian queen.
2.
The name “turquoise” came about because traders from the Middle East to Europe were often collectively referred to as “Turks,” thus lending their name to the stone they brought with them.
3. Turquoise found popularity in native
Photo courtesy True West
tribes throughout what is now the Southwestern United States and even down into present day Mexico. In fact, the Aztecs believed the stone held sacred powers and adorned masks and other memorabilia with it.
4.
Copper is what gives turquoise its blue coloring; aluminum is what turns it greenish. The mineral is a hydrous phosphate of aluminum, which includes a small percentage of copper. Turquoise is formed by a chemical reaction occurring when water that contains traces of copper and aluminum leak through rock. The mineral generally forms in veins.
5. The Anasazi began mining turquoise in parts of Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona by 1000 AD. Many Native Americans in the region believe turquoise is holy, and use it for ridding negative energy, supporting happiness, and boosting mental and spiritual clarity. 6. Modern turquoise jewelry combines Spanish silver mining and smithing techniques brought over in the 16th century. 7. Turquoise is the official birthstone of December. 8. It is rare to find natural turquoise in stores. The majority of retail turquoise has been stabilized, meaning it has been treated to increase its durability. Often, low quality turquoise is dyed to enhance the color. Reconstituted turquoise is
made out of fragments shaved down to a powder before reconstituting it as a large stone.
9.
Most turquoise jewelry in the Southwest stem from the Navajo, Zuni and Hopi traditions.
10. While New Mexico was an important source of turquoise for centuries (i.e. the Turquoise Trail through the town of Cerrillos), almost all the Southwestern turquoise mined today comes out of Arizona and Nevada. If you’re looking to buy your first turquoise piece of jewelry or add to your growing collection, remember not all turquoise is created equally. Natural stones are naturally more expensive than stabilized or reconstituted stones. However, natural stones are more fragile and porous, so it goes without saying to wear your special bracelet or bolo with care. Inspired yet to don turquoise? Sporting turquoise jewelry is as New Mexican as eating green chile. In other words, when in Rome, do as the Romans do, or in this case, when in New Mexico, do as the New Mexicans do. The perfect turquoise piece is out there for you; it’s just a matter of shopping until you find it!