Everything You Need to Know About Turquoise

All the jewelry displayed in this blog is handcrafted by Bonfire Design

 
It is not a coincidence that turquoise is the first stone I set my heart to write about because it reminds me of home. It is the color of my childhood. From the hues of blue in the Mediterranean sea to the blues in ceramic art dominating the aesthetics of our homes, to the nazar boncuğu (evil eye) that you encounter everywhere you go, I find turquoise comforting and safe.

It is one of the most ancient gemstones used for ornamentation. Its name comes from the French word “pierre tourques”, which means “Turkish rock”. Since I was born and raised in Turkey, turquoise had an important role in my perception of aesthetics. Then I learned about the significance of turquoise in other cultures, and my interest in this stone grew bigger. Turquoise has left traces in many cultures. From ancient Egypt to Chinese carvings, Native American ceremonies to Tibetan culture, Turquoise has carried an important role in artistry and spiritual practices. It is claimed to bring good health, fortune and most importantly it is believed to be used as protection from evil. It is also the birthstone of December. 

All the jewelry displayed in this blog is handcrafted by Bonfire Design

Turquoise is believed to be a stone of healing because it consoles emotional turbulence and contributes to the physical well being of the person who wears it. It has been also known to be used in talismans of shamans and warriors because of its power to protect the wearer especially when it is worn as a necklace. Some suggest that turquoise helps to open communication blockages and enable the person who wears it to have more honest conversations and get rid of their fear of public speaking. 

During '60s in USA, the hippie counterculture and fashion brought turquoise back into style with big statement pieces they were wearing. To this day, turquoise still dominates bohemian/hippie fashion. I'm not going to dive in to it just yet but I've been contemplating on the transformation of hippie fashion of '60s into our current boho fashion. So stay tuned because one of my upcoming blogs will be all about that! 

All the jewelry displayed in this blog is handcrafted by Bonfire Design 

This ancient stone is also believed to balance throat chakra (vishuddha), realign the energy centers and bring balance to all chakras. Since my knowledge of chakras is pretty limited, I'm relying heavily on experts to bring you this information about chakras. According to Judy Hall when turquoise is placed on the third eye, it enhances intuition and meditation. Worn on the throat it helps with articulation and self expression. It also has cleansing properties that dispels negative energy. Furthermore, Patricia Mercier explains how turquoise was used among Native Americans, particularly Hopi people. She explains that when they combined turquoise with silver, they were aiming to increase lunar energy, whereas when it is used in gold the purpose was to conduct and direct solar energy. 

One more tip! How to clean your turquoise jewelry: Since turquoise is relatively a soft, porous stone, I don't recommend submerging your jewelry with turquoise on it into any jewelry cleaning solution, baking soda, or vinegar. You also need to be careful to take off your turquoise jewelry during underwater activities, or while washing dishes etc. Instead gently wipe your jewelry with a soft cotton wipe or use Sunshine jewelry polishing cloths on the silver. In the case that your jewelry is  tarnished to the extent that these solutions don't work, you can brush your jewelry with a soft toothbrush and non abrasive toothpaste while avoiding the turquoise. 

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