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Beader’s dictionary


H

HOWLITE (See products)

Howlite is an opaque white colored stone, at times veined with brown or black. This stone can be easily dyed because of its porosity and its neutral color. A little bit of history: This stone was discovered in Nova-Scotia in 1868, by canadian chemist Henry How, after whom it was named.
T

TURQUOISE

Turquoise is an ornamental stone of an opaque blue-green, sky blue and apple green color. It is a phosphate hydrated with copper and aluminum. Its blue tones are attributed to the presence of copper, while its shades of green are relevant to the presence of iron. Its name means "stone of Turkey", as it initially transited for commerce through Turkey at the time of the Crusades. This is where the turquoise stone (in its shade of blue) takes its name. The designation “turquoise matrix” is given to turquoise stones streaked with brown, gray or black veins. Turquoise is often cut into cabochons, beads or carved to make statues or decorative objects. Turquoise has been mined for a very long time, and a number of deposits are now exhausted. It has been extracted from Iran for at least 2000 years. There is also turquoise jewelry found in Egypt (first dynasty of pharaohs) issued from deposits in Sinai. The said deposits were exploited 4000 BC and are now exhausted. It is now issued from Iran, Afghanistan, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, the United States, China, Mexico, Israel and Tanzania (amongst others). Sometimes the turquoise can tarnish or change color due to exposure to light, perspiration, oils, cosmetics or loss of its natural moisture. It it is then said to be "dead." The porous turquoises are stabilized, in other words, they are covered with resin, wax or plastic to be consolidated. Their color can be improved using dyes, copper salts, oil or paraffin. A reconstituted turquoise can be made of the stone powder agglomerated with a black plastic design and as such, it mimics the "turquoise matrix" with its brown to black veining. Magnesite, chalcedony and howlite can easily be colored blue to replicates turquoises. There are also many imitations: turquenite, neolite, Viennese turquoise, glass, plastic, porcelain, etc.