Turquoise is an opaque, blue-to-green mineral that is a hydrous phosphate of copper and aluminium.
It is rare and valuable in finer grades and has been prized as a gem and ornamental stone for thousands of years owing to
its unique hue. In recent times turquoise, like most other opaque gems, has been devalued by the introduction of treatments,
imitations, and synthetics onto the market.
The substance has been known by many names, but the word turquoise was derived around the 16th century
from the French language either from the word for Turkish (Turquois) or dark-blue stone (pierre turquin).
This may have arisen from a misconception: turquoise does not occur in Turkey but was traded at Turkish bazaars to Venetian
merchants who brought it to Europe.
