Turquoise earrings

Turquoise earrings are a fashion trend, jewelry that organically fits into a variety of clothing styles. On sale you can find jewelry in different price ranges and completely dissimilar in design. The abundance of offers makes you think about what criteria should be used to choose earrings and what determines the price of a jewelry.

Turquoise has been used in jewelry since ancient times, appreciated for its beautiful color and endowed with the ability to beneficially influence the fate of a person. The name of the mineral is associated with the Persian word "happiness". This opaque colored stone is characterized by blue, blue, green shades, therefore it is often called "heavenly". Many of its deposits are known around the world, however, the production volumes are small, this is due to the small reserves of turquoise.

Turquoise of high gem quality is a great rarity, a significant part of natural samples are subject to additional special processing, including refinement.

Natural stone that has not been processed requires an extremely careful attitude towards itself, since it tends to fade in the sun over time, change color from contact with the human body, under the influence of environmental conditions, deteriorate from exposure to oils, alcohols and other substances.

The quality of a natural mineral, from the point of view of its use in the jewelry industry, may vary. The physical properties and appearance of different images can vary greatly. Some specimens are referred to as precious stones, others - as semiprecious, some are considered suitable for refining. Accordingly, the cost of different types of turquoise is also very different.

The quality of natural turquoise can be improved by impregnating it with special transparent substances. Thus, the stone is protected from fading, making it harder and denser. It turns out the so-called fortified, or stabilized, turquoise. If necessary, it can also be tinted in order to give the desired shade or even color.

This is how a bright green or even pink stone is obtained, which can be seen in various jewelry, including earrings. Dyed, refined turquoise should not cost more than a stone of natural colors.

Sometimes earring inserts are made from reconstructed (reclaimed or pressed) turquoise. This means that the stone is obtained from pressed powder of natural turquoise of different quality, special substances were used to hold the natural material together. Earrings with such inserts are included in the category of inexpensive jewelry.

Fortified, refined or pressed stone is considered turquoise. But the cost of such jewelry material should be cheaper than natural, not processed by the above methods.

Turquoise earrings can be presented in gold or silver. This colored stone is most often presented in the form of a cabochon, that is, by grinding and polishing it is given a rounded shape. Such a cabochon can be the only insert in earrings, or it can be framed with other stones or be part of a composition.

Earrings with natural turquoise can contain:

• Diamonds;
• Emeralds;
• Colored cubic zirconias (green, red, blue);
• Colorless cubic zirconia;
• Marcasites;
• Corals;
• Chrysolites;
• Blue Topaz;
• Pearl;
• Amethysts;
• Pomegranates.

High quality turquoise is used in jewelry in combination with gold. In gold earrings, it can be combined with diamonds. In silver, you can see natural turquoise of a lower quality or pressed, fortified and refined. Inexpensive natural stones in silver earrings can look very impressive.

Earrings with inserts from this colored stone are presented in a very large number of models. It can be:

• Stud earrings;
• Clips;
• Earrings rings;
• Pendant earrings;
• "Classic" earrings.

Earrings with pendants can have an English lock, a stud lock, or without a lock. Pendant earrings are extremely varied. It:

• Long earrings with "clusters" of small beads from the "stone of happiness";
• Pendants with large turquoise cabochons (round, oval, in the form of a drop) in a wide openwork frame or in a narrow blind;
• Chandelier earrings with a large number of small turquoise pendants;
• Long chain pendants;
• Pendants with a bizarre stone entwined with metal wire;
• Pendants with a stone in the form of a ball or drop.

Earrings can be made in different styles. These can be models:

• In oriental style, in ethno style;
• Retro style, vintage earrings;
• Laconic jewelry for every day.

Earrings with imitation of the "stone of happiness" are also on sale. For imitations, natural, but tinted stones or minerals, the color of which resembles turquoise, can be used. The list of such stones is quite wide.

Often, the tinted mineral howlite is used as an imitation of turquoise (aka caulite, howlite, turkvenite). In nature, it is light in color, but has dark veins, reminiscent of the structure of natural turquoise. It is quite difficult for a layman to distinguish such an imitation from the original.

Imitations can be made not only from natural materials, but also chemically from various substances, some formulations were developed in ancient times. The earliest known imitations were made in ancient Egypt from colored glass. In the 19th century, a method for making an imitation called "Viennese turquoise", which included malachite, became known.

Often earrings with imitation turquoise are made of silver, such an insert in a jewelry item can be the only one, or it can be combined with synthetic stones of the same color range or with inserts of other colors.

It can be:

• Synthetic Amethyst;
• Synthetic blue topaz;
• Synthetic blue spinel;
• Blue, green or red cubic zirconia;
• Artificial pearls.

In the twentieth century, the "stone of happiness" learned not only to imitate, but also to synthesize. It is difficult to distinguish such a stone from a mineral mined in nature, since it has absolutely identical physical characteristics to natural ones.

Since ancient times, the mineral has been endowed with wonderful and magical properties. It was believed that the stone attracts good luck, helps to maintain health and heal from diseases, protects lovers, is a talisman for a happy family life.

The property of the mineral to discolor over time due to the influence of various factors was often explained by the ability of the stone to respond to the state of health of its owner: it was assumed that if a person falls ill, turquoise changes color.

Turquoise is considered a reconciling stone that can help restore good relationships in the family and at work, and promotes concentration.

Jewelry with a "stone of happiness" is usually given to beloved ones.

The number of beliefs and rituals associated with turquoise is very large: it was revered at different times and in different cultures. Not only jewelry was made from turquoise, but also talismans, sacred objects. The ancient Egyptians carved figurines of sacred beetles from the mineral - the so-called scarabs, the Aztecs inlaid them with ritual masks. Traditionally, the stone is highly prized in various countries.

Natural mineral has a porous structure. For this reason, it is able to absorb a variety of liquids, oils and fats. This can affect its color. Inserts made of natural, not undergone special processing, turquoise in jewelry require particularly careful handling.

Earrings should be protected from alcohol-containing liquids, such as perfume, eau de toilette or eau de parfum, and oils (in perfumes, creams, or in any other form) should not be allowed to come into contact with jewelry.

It is better to store earrings in a box, hiding from direct sunlight, since ultraviolet light discolors the mineral. It is better to go for a walk in such jewelry in the evening. It is also undesirable to contact turquoise with water or steam for a long time. Before bathing, jewelry must be removed.

To clean the earrings, use only a dry, soft cloth; do not use brushes or liquids, as well as any cleaning agents.

The color of stabilized turquoise is more stable than the color of untreated one, since the porosity of the original natural material is reduced due to special impregnations. There are different ways to strengthen the mineral, with the help of some, a product is obtained that is almost indistinguishable in appearance from a natural stone.