Turquoise is a relatively rare mineral, available in shades of blue and green. It is also the only stone that has a color named after it, due to its beautiful shades and rarity, it has been used for jewelry and sculpture since ancient times. Completely independent of each other, its qualities were valued in Africa, Asia, North and South America. Turquoise objects have been found in Egyptian tombs built 6 000 years ago.

The legends

One of the most popular artifacts from antiquity, inlaid with turquoise, is the funeral mask of Tutankhamun. In ancient Egypt, the stone was associated with the goddess Hathor - the symbolic mother of the pharaohs. She was even nicknamed "Mistress of Turquoise". Probably for this reason it is often depicted with a special robe in turquoise.

One of the main magical powers attributed to turquoise is to predict dangers. It was believed that an amulet with turquoise could protect its owner from impending illness and even take the trauma instead of its owner. This is one of the reasons why in ancient times people inlaid armor, belts and other accessories with turquoise. The other reason is the belief that the stone will protect the rider from falling off the horse. There is a legend about a horseman who heard a crunch and decided that his leg was broken. It turned out, however, that the stone took the force of the fall and broke instead of the man's bone.

North American tribes, in turn, believed that turquoise had the power to attract rain when drought threatened the crops. Nowadays, there are still beliefs that turquoise jewelry attracts money, success, prosperity and love, especially if it is given as a gift and not bought for oneself. As a birthday gift, for example, turquoise is considered a symbol of friendship and a wishes for happiness.

Taking care of turquoise jewelry

Although one of the hallmarks of turquoise as a gemstone is the fine dark threads, in fact the fewer of them there are, the more expensive the stone. If you have jewelry with turquoise, you should take good care of them so as not to lose their luster and fine finish.

One of the basic rules is that turquoise should not get wet. It is a porous stone and absorbs liquids that come in contact with it, which can lead to damage. It is important not to shower or bathe with your turquoise jewelry, and to put them on only after all cosmetics have been absorbed by your skin.

Cleaning is done with a soft cloth slightly moistened with clean water. Store turquoise earrings or a turquoise necklace in a dry and dark place, in a separate box, so as to reduce the risk of scratching.