Blue Stones That Look Like Turquoise

Only a few gemstones have a color that is so familiar.

Blue stones that look like turquoise. Turquoise is found in dry climates in the rocks above copper deposits. The color is so familiar and so enjoyed that the word turquoise has become a commonly used word for a milky blue green color. Some people inappropriately describe the color as persian blue after the famous high quality material mined in the area that is now known as iraq. Blue minerals are rare and that is why turquoise captures attention in the gemstone market.

Like many blue gemstones turquoise will typically have a noticeable touch of green. They look just like turquoise if you have looked at inexpensive gemstone beads cabochons and tumbled stones your eye has probably been drawn to a sky blue material with a semi gloss polish that looks exactly like turquoise many pieces even have the gray to black veining often seen in genuine turquoise specimens from the bisbee and sleeping beauty mines. Brilliant and bright montana sapphires commonly have a secondary green hue but this stone s lack of a steely gray look is exceptional. Other gemstones that have a mohs hardness of 7 are amethyst and citrine.

A sky blue turquoise with minimal veining is typically considered to be the most valuable though in some countries blue turquoise with black veins or complex matrix patterns are more desirable. Widespread in both inexpensive jewelry and designer pieces turquoise is the most popular of blue gemstones. Many turquoise gemstones are greener than they are blue. This rare form of chrysocolla is harder than turquoise and is a 7 on the mohs hardness scale.

Turquoise is a copper mineral with a bright blue to blue green color.