December's Birthstone is Turquoise: A Vibrant and Mystical Stone!
December's birthstone is turquoise. It is a vibrant, bright blue stone which is probably the most mystical and spiritual of all the birthstones.
Many people think turquoise will provide your soul with immortality. As a result, many cultures including America and the Middle East use turquoise in jewellery and ornaments. Turquoise is a swirling mix of blue and green. As it is a natural stone sometimes it is more blue and sometimes more of a jade colour. Real turquoise also has dark marks called inclusions which look like little veins running through the stone.
December's birthstone turquoise is linked to calmness, peace, patience, intuition, and loyalty. Ancient peoples used it to connect to their dead ancestors. They also thought it would protect them from evil spirits and ghosts. Turquoise is believed to connect the wearer to the spirit world and so it is often worn by mediums and psychics to help them in their quest.
The word turquoise translates as "Turkish Stone" as turquoise used to come from Turkey. This has changed and Iran and America now provide the world's best turquoise. It is an ancient stone and one of the first to be mined and made into jewellery.
Turquoise is very fragile and quite rare so most turquoise that you can buy has been treated. This is called stabilised turquoise. This means that the stone has been treated to make it stronger so it can be used in jewellery.
Sarah Jessica Parker is a huge fan of turquoise jewellery
Some turquoise is enhanced to make the colour more vibrant. If you are buying cheaper jewellery then the turquoise is probably reconstituted. This is so it will be harder-wearing but is still good quality turquoise
Where is December's Birthstone Turquoise Found?
Turquoise has been mined in Iran's Nishapur area for over 1000 years. The renowned even-coloured, bright blue turquoise from this region is known as "robin's egg blue," "sky blue," and "Persian blue." Trade experts now use these names to designate turquoise of this colour, regardless of origin.
Although New Mexico was the top producer of turquoise in the United States until the 1920s, Arizona and Nevada now supply the majority of the country's December birthstone. Mines with evocative names include Dry Creek, Easter Blue, Emerald Valley, and Fox. The Kingman mine in Arizona is a historically significant source recognised for producing deep blue turquoise. Arizona's Sleeping Beauty mine was a prolific producer of turquoise for more than four decades before it was closed.
Today, China is the world's leading producer of the December birthstone. Hubei Province in central China produces the majority of the gem-quality turquoise produced there today.
If you are born in December then we have some great turquoise gifts to help you harness your spirituality.
FAQs
Blue zircon is one of the modern December birthstones, along with blue topaz and tanzanite. The traditional December birthstones are lapis lazuli and turquoise. Zircon, also known as zirconium silicate, is not the same as cubic zirconia, a synthetic diamond simulant.
Tanzanite is a stunning transparent blue-violet crystal found exclusively in Tanzania. Why do certain months have a single birthstone while others have two or more? Multiple stones for various months provide more cheap alternatives to the typical and more expensive stones.
December is special among months since it has two stunning birthstones: Tanzanite and Blue Topaz. This dualism originates from historical and cultural differences in the list of birthstones.