The intense blue hues of turquoise have brought it many admirers over the years, but it has also brought together a variety of cultures and had a huge effect on trade and culture links of many countries around the world. Here we take a deeper look at this fascinating gemstone.

The popular stone was first introduced into Western Europe by Persian merchants, who had brought it with them from Turkey. It was for this reason that the French initially gave the gem the name that translates as the ‘Turkish stone’, whilst the Spaniards opted for turquesa. Over time the name evolved into its current version - turquoise.

Turquoise has long been held in high regard in the Americas. North American turquoise mines extended all the way from the Californian desert to Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado, and helped to establish international relationships and forge alliances.

Turquoise mining dates back to prehistoric times, with miners originally using axes, picks, stones and chisels to dig tunnels in the hills near Cerrillos, New Mexico. The miners carried out bucket after bucket of rubble to get to the prized gem, then heat treated their findings on an open fire, before cooling them with buckets of water - which had been carried a great distance specifically for this purpose.

Like many gemstones, turquoise has long had a series of meaning and beliefs, with Pre-Colombian Mesoamerican society equating the gem with life itself and giving it an important position in religious ceremonies and other local events. Over time, South America and Central and North America developed a structured trade system for the buying and selling of Turquoise, with the stone providing an avenue for contact between the various societies within these regions. The information exchange that occurred during these times of trade meant that turquoise retained its religious links from country to country.

Turquoise is a stone that ages well and can be accurately dated using archeological dating techniques. A vast number of stones from Southwestern America were recovered for study 20 years ago to establish the link between different specimens found in different locations - with the results proving that the turquoise in one region was identical to the turquoise in another. The majority of turquoise originated from the mines near Cerrilos and followed the well-established trade south to Mexico and South America - and the identification techniques discovered that much of the turquoise recovered from South America actually originated from the mines near Cerrilos - absolute proof of the excellent trade route.

Today, turquoise remains a highly prized gemstone. It is often combined with silver, gold and many other brightly colored gemstones to create interesting and eye-catching items of jewelry. Its color may be what entices you, but next time you examine your turquoise jewelry you may also now remember its historical significance.