Turquoise – Heaven on Earth
For millennia, cultures all over the globe have celebrated a vibrant blue stone the color of a cloudless summer sky. 2,000 years ago, Persians, who ascribed turquoise’s purity to its connection with the heavens, traded the gems along the Silk Road as far away as China. Persians set turquoise into military weapons and apparel for to safeguard the wearer and evehttps://www.replacements.com/search?query=turqouise+estate+jewelryn adorned important buildings with the protective stone.
Similarly, Ancient Egyptians believed turquoise protected all who wore it, in this life and the next. They adorned jewelry and grave goods with turquoise from the Sinai Peninsula, perhaps most famously on the elaborate gold mask of Tutankhamun, where it stands out among darker lapis lazuli and carnelian inlays. They also associated the gem with Hathor, goddess of hoy and fertility.
Many Native American cultures also revere turquoise. Ojibwe weavers add turquoise into dreamcatchers to shield children from nightmares. A Hopi legend tells that turquoise is left by a lizard who travels between heaven and earth. Aztecs cherished turquoise as a sacred material, and used it to decorate masks, jewelry, and clothing of important figures in their society. The Navajo tossed turquoise into rivers as a rain offering.
Georgian England became enamored of turquoise, associating the vivid blue gem with forget-me-not flowers. Set in polished gold jewelry, the eye-catching blue stones are impossible to miss. Queen Victoria, great lover of jewels, gifted each of her ladies-in-waiting with turquoise brooches, further encouraging Britain’s passion for turquoise. By the 20th century, floral motif turquoise jewels gave way to stylish Art Deco turquoise treasures, as flappers dripped with turquoise beads and sophisticated brooches.
Perhaps because of the availability of Native American jewelry here in the United States, Americans have long considered turquoise and sterling jewelry as a staple of iconic Western fashion. Large squash blossom necklaces, oversized rings, and bracelets with chunky turquoise stones feel as American as blue jeans. As sustainable fashion is the rule of the day, interest in vintage turquoise is on the rise. Celebrities from John Wayne to Beyonce, Steve Martin to Scarlet Johanssen have been photographed in turquoise.
Because of its availability, accessibility, and incredible color, turquoise has maintained its position as a popular adornment since it’s first use likely 5,000 years ago. If you’d like to discover the turquoise in our collection, click here.
