Turquoise - Frequently Asked Questions

• Turquoise is the birthstone for the month of December.
• Turquoise is one of the very first gemstones known to Man - History finds the trace of Turquoise mine even in 6000 BC. Egyptians had traced the first one in Maghara Wadi mines in Sinia Peninsula.
• Turquoise is a hydrous hydrate of copper, aluminum, and phosphorus.
• The first known use is in Egypt, then the Persia, then in Tibet, then South America and recently in the United States.
• Turquoise is found in many geographical areas of the world. The largest high-grade deposits are in Arizona USA, Nevada USA, China, Iran (formarly Persia) and Tibet.
• Turquoise runs from a hardness of 2 (low grade chaulk) to 7 (high-grade).
• Turquoise is blue to green and every shade between. High quality is generally deep in color and hard. Lower quality of Turquoise is generally light and soft, it is usually altered/enhanced to make it exceptable to the market.
• Native American Indians first started using Turquoise prior to 1500 A.D. as a medicine stone and beads. The Navajo started using Turquoise in Silver Jewelry made from American silver coins in about 1890.