New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-05-05
The TURQUOISE,


The stone which we designate as fur
quoise-a corruption of Turkish or Turkey
stone-appears to have been known from
very early times and recognized from the
first as gem.
The chimerical philosophy of the middle
ages, ever seeking for supernatural powers
in the things of nature, was not slow in
ascribing exalted virtues to all precious
stones, and the turquoise being then as now
in high estimation on account of its beauty
did not fail to receive full share of astrO-
logical hOnOrs. 1t was believed to
strengthen the sight and spirits Of the
wearer, and to be a preservative against
cOntagiOn. The latter superstition is said
to be not yet quite extinct, turquOses being
still sometimes worn from faith in their
prophylactic power These valuable prop
critics were supplemented by still another
the ability to preserve the wearer
from injury by falls, the hurtful
effect or which the stone took up
on itself In conformation of this be-
lief, it is seriously related by De Boot,
writer of the Olden time, that during
journey made by himself from Padua to
Bohemia, his horse stumbled in the dark,
and fell with his rider over an embankment
ten feet high Neither himself nor the
horse was injured, but on the following
morning he discovered that a turquoise in
the signet-ring which he wore was split in
two pieces. The larger half of the tur-
0uOise he had reset, and continued to wear
it, and was again preserved in like manner,
He met with a second accident similar to
the first, but the magical gem once more
received the shock and saved its owners
person by taking the fracture on itself In
addition to these wonderful virtues, the
turquoise was also supposed to act as an
index to the physical condition of its
owner, losing its fine color as his health de.
clined and recovering it again as he became
restored. In illustration of the belief OBJ
tanning upon this point, we give the follow
ing anecdOte, quoted by M. Emanuel from
an old treatise on precious stones:
lone of my relatives possessed a tur-
quOise set in gold ring, which he used to
wear on his finger as a superior ornament.
1t happened that the owner of this ring was
seized of a malady of which he died. Dur
ing the whole period in which the wearer
enjoyed his full health, the turquoise was
distinguished for unparal,e ed beauty and
clearness; but, scarcely was be dead, when
the stone lost its lustre, and assumed
faded, withered appearance, as if mourning
for its master This sudden change in the
nature of the stone made me lose the desire
l originally entertained of purchasing it's
which l might have done for trifing sum;
and so the turquoise passed into other
new owner than it regained its former eX-
quisite freshness, and lost all traces of it's
temporary defects. felt greatly vexed
that / had lost the chance of procuring
such a valuable and sensitive gem"
This superstition is reterable to the fact
that the hues of this stone are sometimes
very unstable.
The turquoise is found in Persia, Tbibet,
China, Arabia and several other parts CT
the world
OF all the varieties existing only enc
namely, the Persian or Oriental-~is es-
teemed as a gem 1t is true the others are
sometimes given place as such, bTt rank far
below the first named in point of beauty,
and, consequently, in value.
The turquoise occurs in reHifOrm or stala-
tic masses, is a tOlerably hard stone, and
has a specific gravity of 20. 1t possesses a
waXy lustre, and varies from white and
grecnish hues TO a pare azure blue. 1t is
only the fine blue specimens that are con-
sidered Of value rs gems. The turquoise is
liable to fade, and at last become even
white from age; but under favorable cir
cumstances This change is long delayed. or
even entirely prevented, as stones are in
existence that have retained their color for
centuries.
Turquoises are most frequently cut en-
cdp4cbOH, that is. Oval-tOpped, but some
times as tables or fat stones.
Large and perfect specimens of the tur-
Uuoise are very rare. The finest we have
seen noticed is a stone in the Imperial Acad-
envy at Moscow, which is more than three
inches long and one inch in breadth
The turquoise continues in much favor as
a Jewel, and brings a cOTrespOndingly good
price, fine ring-stOne being worth in the
London market from ten to forty pounds
The rarity of large specimens gives them an
extravagant value. In recent English
work ON precious stones an instance is
noted in which perfect turquoise, the size
of a shilling and of good depth, was sold
for no less than f4O0-nearly $2000-4ppie-
toms Journal.