Turquoise is perhaps the oldest stone in man’s history, the talisman of kings, shamans, and warriors. It is a stone of protection, strong and opaque, yet soothing to the touch, healing to the eye, as if carved from an azure heaven and slipped to earth. Its unique shade of blue, often blue-green, lends it name, Turquoise, to all things of this tranquil hue. The delicate veining or mottled webbing in cream or brown is inherent to the stone and serves to enhance its character.

The name Turquoise is derived from the French, pierre turquoise, meaning “Turkish stone,” because the trade routes that brought Turquoise to Europe from the mines in Central Asia went through Turkey, and Venetian merchants often purchased the stone in Turkish bazaars. For thousands of years, Turquoise has spanned all cultures, prized as a symbol of wisdom, nobility and the power of immortality. Among the Ancient Egyptians, Persians and Chinese, Aztecs and Incas of South America, and Native North Americans, Turquoise was sacred in its adornment and for power, luck, and protection.

Turquoise beads dating back to 5000 B.C. have been found in Iraq, and the Egyptians were mining the stones in the Sinai in 3200 B.C. The death mask of Tutankhamun was studded with Turquoise, as were the mosaic masks dedicated to the gods, the fabulous inlaid skulls, shields and power statues of Moctezuma, the last ruler of the Aztecs.  For centuries Turquoise has been recognized as possessing the power to protect riders from injury due to falls. First used as amulets by Turkish soldiers, on their persons and attached to their bridles and trappings, it later came to be used for protection against falls of any kind. Turquoise is also reputed to be influenced by the physical condition of the person who wears it. It is thought to grow pale when its owner is sick or sad, lose all colour when the person dies, and gradually recover its colour when transferred to a new healthy owner, its color deepening each day.   

Historically, Turquoise is credited with the property of securing friendly regard, verifying the traditional saying that “he, or she, who owns a Turquoise will never want for a friend.” In the Orient, a Turquoise ring was worn as a protector against all things evil. The proverb states: “Given by a loving hand it brings with it happiness and good fortune.” However, the ring emitted protective energy only if the stone was given by a friend. It was believed to restore clear vision to the mind when the thinking became muddled and thus ensured good fortune.