December Birthstone: Blue Topaz

December Birthstone: Blue Topaz 

Hello and WELCOME!! 
I have gathered, from various sources, some information about the awesome December Birthstones of Blue Topaz and the alternative gemstone of Turquoise.

I have included some wonderful handmade one of a kind jewelry available from the JET Team and myself. 

Birthstone Color: Blue

Blue Topaz is the hardest of the silicate minerals.  While pure Topaz is colorless, minor changes of elements within the stone result in a variety of other colors, such as blue, pale green, red, yellow and pink.

The December Blue Topaz is derived from the Sanskrit word "tapas," meaning fire. This is because Blue Topaz was considered by ancient civilizations to have cooling properties. The Blue Topaz was thought to have magical properties in its ability to make its wearer invisible in a threatening situation. 

 Not only was it believed to cool boiling water when thrown into the pot, but to calm hot tempers as well as the ability to cure insanity, asthma, weak vision and insomnia. The blue hue is created when Topaz is heated, either by natural means or engineered by man. Sky Blue, Swiss and London Blue are the three shades of Blue Topaz.  The latter is the deepest blue and is often used as a less expensive substitute for Sapphire. 

Blue Topaz can be found primarily in Brazil, Nigeria, Sri Lanka, Mexico, Pakistan, China, and the United States. 

A gift of Blue Topaz is symbolic of love and fidelity.  Luckily, this cool blue gemstone has no legendary power to put out the burning flame of love! Pictured here is a gorgeous selection from the JET Team:

Your Daily Jewels

Wearable by Design

Beadsme

Alternate Birthstone: Turquoise 

An alternate birthstone for December is Turquoise, because it was initially brought to Europe by way of Turkey. One of the first gemstones to be mined, turquoise has long been prized for its intense colors, which vary greatly from sky blue to green, depending on the quantities of iron and copper found in it.

Turquoise is a complicated gemstone. Just the right type of minerals must be in just the right place for a very, very long time (millions of years) before turquoise is finally created.

Egyptians prized Turquoise as a Life Stone. The oldest pieces of jewelry set with this gem are four bracelets found on the mummified arm of Queen Zar. She ruled in Egypt about 5500 BC.

Highly revered in Tibet, a Turquoise stone was carried throughout one’s entire life. It was even exchanged as currency & the finest stones were considered more valuable than gold.

Turquoise was considered by ancients to be a sacred stone, protective against all manners of evil and ill health.  This beautiful gemstone is mined in Iran and the southwestern United States. 

Turquoise is frequently used in many Southwest and Native American designs. A gift of Turquoise represents friendship and luck.

Turquoise is a purification stone.  It is believed to rid us of negative energy and can be worn to protect against outside influences or pollutants in the atmosphere.  

Turquoise balances and aligns all the chakras, stabilizing mood swings and instilling inner calm.  It is excellent for depression and exhaustion; it also has the power to prevent panic attacks.   
Turquoise promotes self-realization and assists creative problem solving.  It is a symbol of friendship, and stimulates romantic love. 

Turquoise aids in the absorption of nutrients, enhances the immune system, stimulates the regeneration of tissue, and heals the whole body.  It contains anti-inflammatory and detoxifying effects, and alleviates cramps and pain.  

Turquoise purifies lungs, soothes and clears sore throats, and heals the eyes, including cataracts.  It neutralizes over acidity, benefits rheumatism, gout, stomach problems, and viral infections.

The JET Team and I have numerous beautiful examples of Turquoise jewelry if you are considering this alternative gemstone as a December birthstone gift, here are just a few:

DonnasArtisanDesigns

BrookeJewelry

Jewelry24Seven

There are so many more beautiful Turquoise jewelry listings by the JET team, I couldn’t possibly fit all of them in here, so please take a look yourself, to find ALL of the wonderful offerings this team had currently available!!

As you can see the Team and I will never have a shortage of beautiful gemstone jewelry for ANY occasion or any birthstone you may hope to find.

Thank you for reading,

Donna