Turquoise comes in varying colors ranging from blue, green and yellow-green depending on the chemical makeup of the stone. Turquoise is formed when water comes in contact with copper, zinc or aluminum. The more copper that comes into contact with the stone, the bluer the Turquoise will be. If the stone is in more contact with zinc then the stone will be more of a yellow-green color and if it is in more contact with aluminum it will take on a greener hue.
When it comes to using Turquoise for jewelry, it usually ranges between 5 to 6 on the hardness scale. Because the stone is relatively soft, it is often treated with an epoxy resin to seal the stones pores. This allows the stone to harden up so it is able to be used in jewelry. Once it is treated, it is referred to as "Treated Turquoise". You can also buy "Natural Turquoise" jewelry that has not been treated in any way (other than cutting it and polishing it).
To Care for Your Turquoise:
Handling your Turquoise jewelry should be done with care. You will want to store it by laying it flat in a softly lined jewelry box. Never store jewelry in plastic bags that are not acid-free or made for jewelry storage. You want to keep your Turquoise jewelry away from harsh chemicals and hot water which can damage the stone's surface.
To clean your Turquoise jewelry, you want to rinse them first under cool running water with a little mile liquid soap, rinsing completely and then towel dry with a soft cotton cloth. You should not use commercial jewelry cleaner on Turquoise jewelry. Most Turquoise jewelry is set in sterling silver and if your silver gets tarnished you can clean that separately with a polishing cloth.
Enjoy your beautiful necklaces, bracelets, rings and earrings often now that you know a bit more about caring for natural jewelry pieces. Taking a bit of time to properly care for your treated Turquoise will mean that you can enjoy its beauty for a life time.
by Jasmine Yesak, Contributing Editor at ChasingTreasure.com, online retailer of quality jewelry boxes, jewelry organizers and watch boxes. Jasmine is a Jewelry Enthusiast and Organization Consultant, she writes about Jewelry Care and Jewelry Storage Tips.
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