Gemstone encyclopedia
Turquoise — meaning, history and vintage jewelry
Turquoise is a soft, porous copper phosphate, 5 to 6 on the Mohs scale, prized for a sky blue that no other stone matches. Because it is porous, it absorbs oils, cosmetics and perfume and can turn green over time, and much of the material on the market is stabilized with resin. It must never be cleaned ultrasonically or with steam. Persian and later American turquoise both run through European antique jewelry.
What turquoise is
Untreated turquoise of good color is scarce. Stabilization, in which resin hardens porous stone, is common and acceptable when disclosed; dyeing and reconstitution are lower grade practices that must also be disclosed.
Matrix, the brown or black veining of the host rock, is a matter of taste rather than quality. Persian material is traditionally prized for even blue with little matrix; American southwestern turquoise is often valued precisely for its spiderweb matrix.
Color and hardness
- Species
- Hydrated copper aluminium phosphate
- Color
- Sky blue through to green, often with brown or black matrix veining
- Mohs hardness
- 5 to 6
- What that means in wear
- Soft and porous. Turquoise absorbs liquids and oils, and its color can change permanently with wear.
How to care for turquoise
This is one of our delicate stones. Pearls, opal, emerald, turquoise, coral, moonstone and tanzanite must never go near an ultrasonic or steam cleaner, and they should be kept away from perfume, cosmetics and household chemicals.
- Never use ultrasonic or steam cleaning.
- Wipe with a dry or barely damp soft cloth only; do not soak.
- Keep away from perfume, lotion, oils and household chemicals, all of which discolor porous stone permanently.
- Expect some color change over decades of wear; it is part of the material, not damage.
Our full house rules, including what the one year warranty does and does not cover, are in the care & warranty guide.
History and symbolism
Mined in Persia and Sinai for thousands of years. Victorian Europe used tiny turquoise cabochons obsessively in forget me not motifs, snake rings and pave work, where the blue stood for remembrance.
Protection and remembrance. Victorian forget me not jewelry uses turquoise almost as a written word.
Turquoise in vintage and antique jewelry
Victorian pave turquoise snakes, forget me not brooches and lockets; Edwardian gold and turquoise; Art Deco pairings with coral and onyx; mid century American silver.
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Turquoise pieces in our collection
Every curated vintage, antique and estate piece is one of a kind and checked by our jewelry specialists in the Netherlands. If nothing is right today, we will look for it.
Frequently asked questions
- Why has my antique turquoise turned green?
- Turquoise is porous and absorbs oils and cosmetics over time, which shifts the color toward green. It is a normal consequence of age and wear and cannot be reversed.
- Is stabilized turquoise acceptable?
- Yes, when disclosed. Resin stabilization hardens porous material and is standard practice. Dyed or reconstituted turquoise is a lower grade product and must also be disclosed.
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