Turquoise

Turquoise is one of the most beloved gemstones in human history. Used for over 7,500 years, making it one of the first gemstones ever discovered by man. The word turquoise comes from the French word for "Turkish," as the gem was originally imported to Europe through Turkey. It ranges in color from whitish blue to deep dark blue and from deep green to yellowish green — with the most prized color traditionally being a medium robin's egg blue. It's the state gemstone of Arizona, New Mexico and Nevada. Over 90-95% of turquoise on the market today has been stabilized — a process of adding a colorless bonding agent to make the stone more durable. One of Decembers birthstones.