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 Ask any random person why turquoise is so
named. Most will look at you like you
are a fool and inform you that turquoise
(the gem) is named after turquoise (the
color)! Most individuals seem to
believe that the color name came first and
was applied to the stone.
Not so! Turquoise is a French term
meaning Turkish Stone. It comes from
the French phrase pierre turquoise,
where "pierre" translates as "stone."
It was believed, inaccurately, that
turquoise came from Turkey. While much
turquoise was traded in Turkey, the items
bought and sold probably originated in Iran
or the Sinai Peninsula. The turquoise that first arrived in
Europe was probably obtained in Turkish bazaars by
Venetian traders. "Turquoise" is
thus a misnomer.
Over time, "turquoise" came to be used to
denote a shade of blue exhibited in high
quality turquoise. In fact, if you
design websites, browsers such as the one you
are using now will recognize "turquoise" as
a color command for fonts, background
colors, and the like. If you are a
purist, the color code is this:
Hex={40,E0,D0}, which produces
this color.
Before turquoise became "turquoise," it was
appreciated around the world under other
names. Gubelin (1966) and Pearl (1976)
have done a great service by collecting and
listing the various name. Here is a
partial list:
-
Agaphite: Turquoise from Persia (modern
day Iran).
-
American Turquoise: Pale blue, porous
turquoise. Applied to turquoise of
this kind regardless of its geographic
origin.
-
Aztec
stone: A general term applied to many
minerals, including turquoise with green
shades.
-
Cobweb
turquoise matrix: Turquoise with a
strong spider web-like matrix.
-
Egg-shell turquoise: Turquoise with a
matrix that looks crackled.
-
Egyptian turquoise: Turquoise deemed to
be less desirable due to a weak blue
coloring or yellow-green shading.
The term is used without concern for the
geographic source of the stone.
-
Mexican turquoise: Synonym of "American
turquoise."
-
Persian turquoise: Exceptional, light
blue turquoise from the region now known
as Iran. More recently, "Persian
turquoise" is being used as a quality
grade, regardless of the origin of the
stone.
-
Rock
turquoise: Rock which includes turquoise
and and other minerals.
-
Turquoise nuggets: Pebbles that have
been polished in a tumbler.
-
White
buffalo stone: Aluma Phosphate, not
technically a turquoise, but beautiful
and often marketed as such. Found in
just one mine in Nevada.
Credits
The beautiful
turquoise heart pendant photo is courtesy of
Indian Sun Gallery, which specializes in
handmade Native American Indian jewelry and
crafts.
Sources
Gubelin, E. 1966. A
visit to the ancient turquois mines in Iran.
Gems & Gemology. XII:3-13.
Pearl, R.M. 1976.
Turquoise. Colorado Springs (CO):Earth
Science Publishing Co. |
