Turquoise is the modern December birthstone and the accepted gem for the fifth and eleventh wedding anniversaries.  

Turquoise is a valuable mineral and is one of the most valuable non-transparent minerals used in the jewelry trade. It has been mined by early Egyptians since at least 6000 BC. Most specimens are cryptocrystalline, meaning that the crystals can only be seen by a microscope. The finest turquoise comes from Iran but is challenged by some southwestern United States specimens. Poorer quality turquoise is often dyed or color stabilized with coatings of various resins. The name comes from a French word which means stone of Turkey.

A sacred stone for the North American Indians as well as the Tibetans, it is often used by shamans in rituals and ceremonies. It is said to promote mental and spiritual clarity and expansion and to enhance wisdom, trust , kindness and understanding.

The color is, of course, turquoise, but this color actually varies from very green blue to light sky blue shades. Hardness of the stone ranges between 5 - 6. The color can change with exposure to skin oils if the stone has not been stabilized and therefore, jewelry should be wiped clean to deter this. Besides Iran, turquoise can be found in Arizona and New Mexico, USA, Australia, Afghanistan and other localities in the Middle East.