TURQUOISE (JEWELRY)

Turquoise is a vibrant blue to green mineral prized for its distinctive color and smooth, waxy luster. This gemstone is a hydrated copper and aluminum phosphate. It often forms in arid regions as a secondary mineral in the oxidation zones of copper deposits, where it fills fractures, veins, or cavities in host rocks like sandstone or limestone. Its color ranges from sky blue to greenish-blue, influenced by the amount of copper (for bluer hues) and iron or zinc (for greener tones) within its structure. Turquoise is often opaque, with a matrix of dark or web-like patterns caused by inclusions of host rock, which add character to each stone. Found in locations like the southwestern United States, Iran, Egypt, and Tibet, turquoise has been valued for centuries by cultures around the world for its beauty and symbolic meaning.