Silver Morenci
2011
Turquoise – The Gemstone Of The Gods
Silver turquoise pendants and other turquoise jewelry are popular in numerous countries around the world. Fans of this stunning blue gemstone have been fascinated by the sky blue color and the characteristic dark vein pattern of this stone. Although the popularity of this stone has suffered setbacks at the hands of a fickle fashion world, it has never really fallen out of favor in the worlds of fine and fashion jewelry. The demand for turquoise probably peaked in the 1970s. Everybody wanted turquoise jewelry. The exploration and mining activities for this stone reached a fever pitch. Then, the demand fell in the 1980s and remained soft through most of the 90s. Today, once again the clamor for turquoise jewelry is rising, and new mining areas are being explored all over the world.
In most cases, our love for this stone is related to its physical appearance. The stone has the color of a clear blue sky. The color of the stone and the dark dendritic pattern appears to tell a story about the origin and location of the stone. A dense network of dark black veins suggests that the stone was mined at the Ajax mine in Nevada. If the stone has a greenish color, it was probably obtained in Royston, NV. The stunning blue turquoise from the Morenci area in Arizona is hard to miss. When in operation, the Kingman mine in Arizona produced a type of turquoise called the Birdseye turquoise. Specimens from here have a light aqua blue color with a fine pattern of darker veins. The light blue stone from Kingman was a favorite in inlay pendants for white pearl necklaces.
Through the ages though, turquoise has meant more to civilizations than just being a beautiful gemstone. In most cases, this reverence for turquoise was inspired by the blue color of the stone. Egyptians believed that the blue stone was their connection with the gods and the heavens. So only royals and priests were allowed to own the stone. They used it to make ornaments, and to decorate their palaces and tombs. Native Americans believed that turquoise represented the coming together of the heavens and earth. This belief was again founded on the fact that the color of the stone resembled that of the skies, but the stone was found on earth. Ever since their first natives found this stone on the North American continent, they have used it in their religious ceremonies. Other ancient civilizations such as the Incas and the Aztecs also had a similar high respect for turquoise.
About the Author
Dalean avid and amateur gemmologist and has written numerous notes and articles on gemstones, their origins, meanings, and application in the world of today’s fashion jewelry. He has also authored articles on high quality cheap MP3 players on the market today, and other personal electronics items.
Morenci Turquoise with Deanna Olson & Nila Brown Part 1
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