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TURQUOISE.
The turquoise is exquisite as a decoration, but doubtful as a
jewel. In the first place, it is not a stone, either precious or semiprecious,
but simply a substance a process; similar to the opal,
whose origin we forgive for the sake of its wonderful color effects.
The turquoise, one flat shade of greenish blue, is becoming to
scarcely any face or hand, but beautiful when encrusted on wrought
gold, as in thimbles, watchcases, and the like. As ear ornament
or brooch it is questionable, particularly when surrounded by diamonds.
No complexion, except the very freshest and free from admixture
of red, can stand the turquoise, and it must be used sparingly
even by the young. It is in harmony with but few types, one, strange
to say, the young-old face, past the blushing period, framed in fluffy
gray hair and the dark brunette in whose ;
complexion there is a suggestion
of blue.
Turquoise is unique in belonging to the phosphates the only
ornamental stone given out by that group. In hardness it is about 6 ;
specific gravity 2.6 to 2.8 both light and soft. It is opaque, never
found in crystals, has little lustre, and that waxy, and is
always cut en cabochon. Its beauty lies solely in its color.
This is mostly green, only the finer specimens being blue, and these
often turn green with age when they are still better liked by some.
The ancient Mexicans thought as much of the green as the blue, and
the natives of to-day wear the green in preference to the blue. A
gem of soft greenish blue, as the sky or sea sometimes looks on perfect
summer evenings, is certainly very lovely. The color is said
to be affected and improved by the warmth of the body.
Like the opal, it is found filling up cavities in the interior of
rocks. Its formation follows the decomposition of feldspar crystals,
of which it often takes the external form. The "old rock" is said
to retain its color perpetually; the "new rock" fades, or changes to
green. There is also fossil turquoise; not true at all, but fossilized
bone, tusks or teeth of the mammoth.
The best turquoise is found in Persia. On the eastern slope of
Ali-Mirsai, a peak in a chain of mountains over 6,000 feet high, are
stones of a beautiful dark blue. Also pale blue and green. There,
with the village of Maaden as a center of trade, the Persian Government
mined with success till 1825, when the people of Maaden took
hold. From that time the industry declined. The stones in alluvial
detritus, having a white coat of weathered material, are said to be
specially fine in color. This usually is permanent, but in some of the
newly opened mines there is turquoise which a short time after
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