The People’s Gemstone
Turquoise is the only gemstone in the universe that parallels life, culture, beliefs, and the individuality of each person in our world. We are all unique depending on our looks, opinions, and perspectives about life. Turquoise can also be unique. Each piece of turquoise can have a unique formation, mine source, shape, story, or use in art. There are many perspectives and histories about this colorful gem. Many Americans simply consider turquoise as a blue or green stone set in Indian jewelry and are shocked that there are world sources for turquoise such as Egypt, China, Mexico, and Chile. Many Iranians consider Persian turquoise the best turquoise in the world and are shocked that most other cultures
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October 2021
disagree with their opinion. Many collectors and cultures of turquoise are shocked that someone would buy a turquoise stone
that “they” consider inferior to “their” standard. Turquoise is greater than any one culture and more colorful than any one opinion. A turquoise miner might throw away a teeny tiny piece of turquoise into the tailings pile, but a mineral collector of miniatures would value the teeny tiny formation. One person might love the blue colors while another might love the green colors of turquoise. There are others who love every color of turquoise. Some collect turquoise for clarity and others search for the matrix and spiderweb. Turquoise is a gemstone that is owned and appreciated for its individual beauty specifically defined by those who appreciate each unique formation and color. Kind of like each of us is different and should be appreciated for our uniqueness.
