December Birth Stone: Turquoise

My physical therapist Kellys' beautiful Persian turquoise gold ring.

December Birth Stone Turquoise

My Outpatient Therapist Kelly wears the most beautiful Persian turquoise gold ring. Persian turquoise, she tells me, doesn't have the striation lines that we normally associate with this stone.

Turquoise has been mined in Iran, formerly known as Persia, for more than 5,000 years.  Although Iranian production accounts for just a small proportion of the world's total output, Iranian turquoise still sets the standard for quality.

In Iran, turquoise is called “Ferozah," which translated means "victory."  It is Iran's national gemstone. 

It is believed that the first specimens of turquoise to which the Europeans were exposed probably came from Iran via trading posts in Turkey.  

The best of Iranian turquoise is rich blue, with less matrix than most turquoise mined elsewhere.  It is also distinguished by white patches.  Turquoise is never a hard mineral, but Iranian turquoise is usually harder than turquoise mined in other locations. 

Today, only the turquoise coming from the Southwest U.S. comes close to Iranian turquoise in color richness and beauty.

Not sure what to wrap it in? Add a little jewelry box with a surprise inside.

Charlotte

Pearls, June Birth Stone

I thought I had lost one of these favorite earrings. I was wearing them when I was checking my bee hives, a wide hat with veil attached to a white jacket covering me in case my honeybees were cranky as I checked in on them.

At one point, a bee flitted across my face inside the jacket. It's my first beekeeping jacket, always springing holes and apparently I had another one. I slowly stepped back from the hives up the path towards the house, carefully removing my jacket so I didn't scare the bee.

Once I had my hat off, the bee flew off and I realized I had an earring missing.

Hours later as I was doing laundry, I heard a clanking in the washer barrel. There at the bottom was the second earring, under the newly-washed beekeeping jacket. 

I love pearls. I have worn them ever since I can remember, each one a gift. The Japanese believe that's the way to get pearls, as a gift, not as something you purchase yourself. Although it's a traditional jewel gift for June, I think pearls are a wonderful gift all year around.

I don't recommend washing them in a washer.

Charlotte