Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-09-17
The Turquoise
Past and Present

a clear sky 20 from all clouds. vii
most cxccllently suggest the beauty q
a true turquoise. No doubt It was do
To this honvenlike beauty that the
Russian proverb came into being "thit
turquoise given by loving hand cas-.
ries with IL happiness and good Will"
This gem maintains throughout tn
same beauty. 40 well Internally % oy.
tornally. and II requires no help OF tine.
ture or foil 20 set on It's grace. Its "a.
auisitc color. which loses nothing b.
gas or candle ligbt. makes II the favor.
itc stone Of bctrothal rims. no les
than the tradition which has grown ~
around Il that the color Of turquolff
falls when the well .being Of the giyCr
iH In danger" This belief IL strength.
cncd BY the fact that there used 10 b.
aud atili are certain turauniHeH mot n
true mlncraD which fade and lose thf
color. but those are simply fossilI1si
teeth and tuak ends of the mammoth.
which cannot bear exposure TO the air
FOR NOR. than a short time.
The oricntaia cut texts from the 10.
ran on the gem and filled In the char.
actetu with sold. one such. belonging
the shape OF heart and was sold In
Moscow for G5S0. The Duo d'orlcans
possesses two aa large ms hazclnuts. on
one Of which Ia engraved the Image Of
Diana, on the other that u the Empress
Faustina. There IL very beautiful
cameo In turquoise In London. while
the most famous one. the head OF THE.
RUS Cesar Ia In Florence. a magnlh.
cent necklace OF turquoise was sold In
isos TO Napoleon, consisting Of u stonca.
each one engraved IN relief with figurc
~ one Of the ~ Cmsnra a revival W
this exquisite ART now In progress In
London and Paris will cause this pre-
cinus stone 90 be- more In demand than
ever.
A. the mines OF Persia are on ~
point OF exhaustion Il II gratifying o.
learn that the mines ~ New Mexico ars
yielding ahundantiy. For ages Il was
the favorite stone OF the AxtcCH. ne
throne ~ gold In the palace of Tczoass
being inlnid with turquoise. ny the Az
client Mcxicana Il was considered "a
vorlto material for inlnying monaie
work. OF which there are some beauu-
fui examples In the British museum.
Orimvaldua. who went on a special EN-
bhHuy for Charles V to the pope tosk
with him an Aztec mask. the fcaturr
Of which were OF turquoise. emerald an.
Jasper on a ground OF wood.
Since the marriage Of the Duke 20
York the turquoise has become moe
and more fashionable In England. taf
Princess Mays wedding jewels being
entirely OF diamonds and her favonte
turquoise. ON this side Of the Atlantic
IL growth and popularity have bcencVcn
more marked. since the precious stone
comes from New Mexico. II IL being
worn M typical Of that union OF hearts
between England ana the United States
of which the social ana political worlds
have lately heard 30 much. II II not
only aH n polished or unpublished stone
that the turquoise IL popular. Lovers
81 beauty are keen 10 possess stones
large enough for carving heads. buats,
fanciul designs. coats OF arms and
initials on them,
The turquoise Today II found In veins
OF a gray white granite. with which.
when cut and polished. Il forms "a beau.
tiful contrast. In this form II makes
most artistic handles for ladies' um-
hrcilaa and similar objects. Again. Il
forms most beautiful work In the more
recherche biJoutoric, fans. waist belts
ana other articles OF apparel. NothlnE
In dnintier than a turquoise studded
buckle on white shoe.
The turquoise II generally found IN
seams, which are worked by the pick or,
II the granite be too hard. by dyna-
mite, an cnslcr but more destructive
method. The New Mexican mines start
ed from a pit dug by the Azteca ofn-
turtles aEo, two round Aztec hnmmsrs
having been found there quite feccnrT.
which can now b. seen In London.
thereby proving that the subjects -
Montezuma were M keenly alive 10 The
witchery Of the stone as the ladies Of
London and New York. The district q
silver city ia no doubt a rich gem nelA
where nature II holding treasured ~
stores Of all grades OF turquoise, whfb
can be easily won TO Increase the pleas
ure OF the world.