X-Message-Number: 25356
From: "Kelly Moy" <>
Subject: Cryonics Bracelet
Date: Sat, 18 Dec 2004 19:23:35 +0000
Turquoise
Ancient and yet
always at the height of current fashion: that is Turquoise for you. Its
brilliant sky-blue belongs to the all-time favourite trend colours in the
world of fashion and jewellery.
In many cultures of the Old
and New World this gemstone has for thousands of years been appreciated as a
holy stone, a good-luck-charm or a talisman. It is a virtual "peoples
gemstone . The oldest proof for this lies in Egypt, where in tombs from the
period around 3000 B.C. there were found artefacts set with Turquoise. In
the ancient Persian Kingdom the sky-blue gemstones were originally worn
around the neck or on the hand as protection to ward off unnatural death. If
the stones changed their colour, there was an imminent danger for the
wearer. However, in the meantime it has been uncovered that Turquoises may
in fact change their colour, but this reaction is not necessarily an
indication of danger impending. The reason for the colour change is rather
the influence of light, cosmetic products, dust or even the ph-value of the
skin, which may all trigger off chemical responses.
Turquoise will protect and
let you enjoy life
In earlier times Turquoises were sometimes thought
responsible for the material wealth of their bearers. For example, Persian
philosopher Al Kazwini wrote: "The hand wearing a Turquoise and using it as
a sealing stone, will never be poor. Turquoises were loved as ornaments
decorating turbans, often set in a border of pearls, in order to protect the
wearer from the "evil eye .
They were used as talismans
decorating daggers, scimitars or the horses bridles. Turquoise came to
Europe only during the time of the crusades. And from this period comes the
name "Turquoise , meaning simply "Turkish stone .
Also in South, Middle and
North America Turquoise has always been enjoying a special position among
gemstones. For example, the ancient Aztecs in Northern Peru used to decorate
their ceremonial masks with this stone, a "holy stone in their belief. The
North American Indians, who are still producing quite a few pieces of
traditional silver jewellery set with Turquoises today, believed that the
gemstone the colour of the sky would establish a direct connection between
the sky and the lakes.
At all times in history
Turquoise was worn as protection to ward off the influence of dark and evil
powers. In former times thought to protect riders and horses from accidental
falls, they are nowadays considered the ideal good-luck stones for aviators,
flight staff and other professions which need special assistance to ward off
accidents.
In the contemporary
teachings of the Healing Power of Stones, wearing Turquoise is recommended
to solve the problems caused by a depressed outlook on life. The bright and
happy colour is supposed to lend self-confidence to subdued personalities,
and it is also very popular as a token of friendship, since Turquoise is
reputed to be responsible for faithfulness and reliable relationships.
The blue from copper, the
green from iron
Turquoise is a copper aluminium phosphate achieving
hardness six, thus considerably softer than quartz. It occurs naturally in
all shades ranging from sky-blue to grey-green, usually in such locations
where copper is hidden in the soil in high concentrations. However, only the
best quality Turquoises show the real turquoise colour, which in ordinary
stones is normally rather pale, blue-green or greenish. The blue colour is
caused by copper, while the green colour is caused by iron or chromium.
Often the material is veined or shows spots, which depending on the
respective occurrence are brown, light grey or even black. These vivid, more
or less regular patterns are called the spider web. The micro-crystals are
really tiny and almost not discernible with the bare eye. Usually turquoise
occurs as encrustation, in veins or as nodules or nuggets. The most famous
occurrences are situated in the USA, Mexico, Israel, Iran, Afghanistan and
China. The most beautiful of Turquoises in wonderful light blue are found in
Northern Iran.
Turquoise is only rarely
facetted. Usually it is shaped as cabochons or as beads, or even given a
fancy cut.
Wax will lend Turquoise
resistance
Turquoises are relatively
soft gemstones and thus quite sensitive. Since the colour may also fade out
in the course of wearing, today even the top qualities receive a waxing and
subsequent hardening treatment. This procedure will make the sensitive
gemstone sturdier. Turquoises which have been sealed with artificial resin
are also available in large amounts and at competitive prices. Their colour
appears fresh, and they show a high resistance. But one should be careful,
because many of these stones have been additionally dipped in colour before
being sealed, and this colouring is a kind of treatment which according to
the rules set down by ICA must be indicated. In addition, there are also
so-called "reconstructed Turquoises, which have been assembled from
pulverised Turquoise.
Due to their high
sensitivity, then, almost all Turquoises have been treated to preserve their
beauty, however, the kind of treatment differs considerably. It makes
sense, then, that naturally beautiful stones which have simple been waxed or
hardened with artificial resin achieve higher prices and are more valuable
than such stones, which have received colour-enhancement. Valuable Turquoise
jewellery should therefore best be purchased from a jeweller you can trust.
A piece of sky in your
hands
The best Turquoise quality
shows a clear and light sky-blue. The colour is highly appreciated, with or
without the fine regular spider web lines. The quality decreases with the
increase of green in colour, and the increase of spots and irregularities in
the spider web.
Turquoise should be
protected from cosmetics, heat and bright daylight. The gemstone does not
really appreciate sunbathing. It is recommended to clean it from time to
time after wearing with a soft cloth.
The colour of a Turquoise
will make you feel happy and relaxed, for it combines the light blue of the
sky with the invigorating green of the seas. It is so unique that the
language took the stones very name to describe it: Turquoise. So if you
decide on a Turquoise, you will hold a piece of the sky in your hands.
Created by ICA Gem Bureau Idar-Oberstein
_________________________________________________________________
Express yourself instantly with MSN Messenger! Download today - it's FREE!
http://messenger.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200471ave/direct/01/
Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=25356
Warning: This message was filtered from the daily CryoNet digest
because the poster's reputation was too low.
It thus may need to be rated.