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December's birthstone, turquoise, is opaque, sometimes containing translucent sections. Turquoise hardness on the Moh's scale is about 6, only a bit harder than the glass used for windows. The color of turquoise can range from magnificent powder and sky blues to aesthetically pleasing combinations of bluish green and yellowish green. The shades of blue are created by copper and the greens are the results of impurities.

This magnificent stone has a very long history. The Ancient Egyptians inlaid much of their royal jewelry with turquoise, including one of the most famous burial masks, the one belonging to King Tut. Turquoise was also used in Persia (now known as Iran) to decorate royal palaces because the sky blue of the gem reminded the palace's builders of the heavens.

Today turquoise is no longer used to decorate...
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