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Turquoise – the Exquisite Blue Gemstone used in Silver Jewelry
By Busy Door Guest Blogger | January 4, 2010
Turquoise is a beautiful gemstone that makes exquisite silver turquoise jewelry. Technically it’s a combination of phosphates and aluminum with traces of copper oxide, from which arises its blue color, and iron, calcium, zinc and manganese oxide. The green color of the gems comes from the iron or aluminum and and zinc gives it a yellow color. The most common color is green for turquoise gemstones, and indeed blue gems frequently turn green after exposure to light for any length of time. Different combinations of these elements give turquoise its range of colors, with the most highly valued being those with a deep blue color and yellow gemstones having the lowest value. High quality gemstones, Persian turquoise for instance, don’t usually fade and keep their lovely blue color for a long time.
Some gemstones have a main color with colored lines in a spider web pattern marking the surface. The lines are caused by irregular distribution of the different elements that are present in the precious stone and the lines may be black, yellow or brown in lots of patterns. However unmarked stones are more highly prized than stones with a spider web matrix while turquoise gemstones of a deep blue color, even though they have a spider web matrix, are more highly prized than yellow or green pure colored gemstones. Natural gems of a pure color, i.e. without a spider web matrix, are rare and are very highly prized.
Turquoise Treatments
Less than 10% of turquoise used in jewelry is natural, best quality stone. Over 90% is processed from rough, soft turquoise so that it hardens enough to be used in jewelry. This treatment also improves stability and enhances the color of the gems. Turquoise mined in some countries, i.e. China, is always too soft and has to be treated. However the process yields beautiful gems, which, although less valuable than unprocessed gemstones, nevertheless make superb jewelry. Treatments enhance the gemstones color as well as making them tougher so that they last for much longer. A process often used to develop the color involves injecting epoxy resin that contains a dye into the gemstone. The color is stabilised and won’t change to green. Soft turquoise from China is hardened by injecting liquid plastic into the stone. An alternative technique is to inject epoxy resin without a color to stabilise the gemstone but won’t change the color.
Imitation turquoise is also made from liquid plastic blended with powdered turquoise. This kind of turquoise is of course very inexpensive. These imitations may well be sold as high quality natural turquoise turquoise and are often waxed or plastic coated.
Care of Turquoise Gemstones
Turquoise is both porous and soft so should be carefully looked after. It must never be worn at times when scratching can be occur and should be shielded from any kind of blow always. Never wear turquoise jewelry when washing the car or gardening! Put away turquoise jewelry in a softly lined box and never store with other gems which might scratch the gems. Turquoise gemstones can soak up liquids so keep them away from hot water, oils, chemicals and even perfumes and cosmetics. These can be absorbed by the gem which may dull or even change it’s color. You can clean turquoise with very mild soapy water and then drying thoroughly with a soft cloth. Take care it is dried completely before you store it away and on no account use ultrasonic jewelry cleaners which can result in cracking of the gemstone.
Conclusion
Turquoise is a lovely, attractive stone which is rare and highly prized. Though it definitely does have several disadvantages in that it needs to be looked after carefully and a number of the blue stones can fade to green over time, it makes fantastic silver turquoise jewelry as the attractive blue color is perfectly complemented by the silver.
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