Turquoise : The Ideal Gift For A December Birthday
The birth stone of December is turquoise, a show-stopping azure gem which has been capturing eyes and hearts for thousands of years. Wearing the birthstone associated with your birthday is believed to bring good luck and protection, and what better way to wear it than in a gorgeous turquoise necklace or bracelet, hand made and finished in Sterling silver or 9ct gold.
Turquoise is made from hydrated copper aluminium phosphate and it is found in igneous rocks which are rich in aluminium. Literally translated it means “Turkish”, a nod to its past when Levantine merchants shipped the jewel to Europe via Turkey. Turquoise is among the very few opaque jewels, providing it an unique deep-pigmented tone which can range from bright green to sky blue depending on its make-up, without or with black veins threaded across the stone known as its matrix. Bright blue is considered the most desired form of the stone, a popular colour in fashion and jewellery. Turquoise and blue topaz are the birthstones of December, and Turquoise is also the traditional gem stone for people celebrating their 6th or 11th wedding anniversaries.
Turquoise was one of the first semi-precious stones to be excavated, mainly within the Sinai area of Egypt, Iran, and also the United States and Mexico. Having been mined since as long ago as 3,000 BC, understandably the supply of the mineral is currently low. This has led to imitation gems becoming prevalent in modern jewellery, and a higher value placed on genuine turquoise.
Turquoise offers a history rivalled by no other jewel. The mummy of Queen Zer, the ancient Eqyptian monarch, was found adorned in bright turquoise bracelets when she was discovered in nineteen hundred. She had chosen the precious stone to wear for 7,500 years. And picture the famous gold mask of Tutankhamen: it too is embedded with precious turquoise stones.
The reason behind its historical significance is that turquoise has been highly respected by many ancient civilisation who considered it posessed strong metaphysical properties. In Asia the gem was said to offer protection from the evil eye, and the Aztecs reserved the stone for the Gods in religious masks. In the sixteenth century American Indians believed that turquoise embodied the spirits of the ocean and sky, using it as a form of currency and to bring fortune and protection to soldiers and hunters. Even nowadays turquoise is considered to have protective properties. In modern gemstone therapy it is thought to improve confidence and relieve depression, stomach problems, viral infections and rheumatism. If presented as a gift turquoise is considered a sign of friendship.
Whether you believe in these superstitions or not, it is difficult not to see the beauty which this show-stopping stone has.
To see a full choice of beautiful hand-made turquoise jewellery check-out Birthstone Gifts. They provide a personalisation service, with a wide range of charms to add to jewellery available for an unique and unforgettable heartfelt gift. Real jewels not in your price range? Take a look at Birthstone Gifts’ collection of coloured Swarovski crystal jewellery for an affordable substitute.
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