Gem Stories: Turquoise

Turquoise cabochone

Legend has it that the Indians believed that if Turquoise was affixed to a bow, the arrows shot from it would always hit their mark. It was also believed to bring happiness and good fortune to all. 

The gemstone name comes from the French expressions Pierre tour ques or “Turkish stone". The name, which originated in the thirteenth century, reflects the fact that the material probably first arrived in Europe from Turkish sources. The gem turquoise owes its beauty almost entirely to its superb color, but because turquoise is frequently too chalky or unstable and full of holes and cracks, it is often treated with dye or stabalized with plastic.