What it is confused with
Dyed howlite and magnesite are extremely common substitutes, along with plastic and "reconstituted" turquoise made from powder and resin.
Sky blue to green, often with dark matrix veining
Turquoise birthstone
Turquoise, the birthstone for December, is hydrated copper aluminum phosphate (CuAl₆(PO₄)₄(OH)₈·4H₂O), sky blue to green, often with dark matrix veining, rated 5–6 on the Mohs scale. Traditionally, it is the classic travel-protection stone, also linked to plain speech — attributed, not demonstrated.
- Mohs hardness
- 5–6 about as hard as window glass
- Crystal system
- Triclinic CuAl₆(PO₄)₄(OH)₈·4H₂O
- Main sources today
- Iran also USA (Arizona, Nevada), China
Is Turquoise a birthstone?
Yes. Turquoise is the modern birthstone for December.
By zodiac sign it belongs to Sagittarius.
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Properties
Composition
Hydrated copper aluminum phosphate (CuAl₆(PO₄)₄(OH)₈·4H₂O)
Hardness (Mohs)
5–6
Crystal system
Triclinic
Color
Sky blue to green, often with dark matrix veining
Mined in
Iran, USA (Arizona, Nevada), China, Egypt
Worth knowing
Porous enough to absorb oils and change color over years of wear — some cultures read that shift as meaningful.
History
Mined in Sinai from 3000 BCE; central to Persian and Ancestral Puebloan jewelry.
Buying
Buying Turquoise: fakes, value and treatments
What decides the price
Even sky blue, or an attractive "spiderweb" matrix, is valued most. Natural untreated turquoise is rare; most is stabilized with resin, which should be disclosed.
Where it is used
Silver jewelry of the American Southwest, Tibetan ornaments and mosaic inlay.
A less familiar fact
The Aztec mosaic masks in the British Museum, including the skull mask of Tezcatlipoca, are covered in turquoise.
Practical
Caring for Turquoise
How to clean it
Wipe with a dry or barely damp cloth. Never soak, never ultrasonic — turquoise is porous and absorbs whatever it touches.
How to tell it is real
Most affordable turquoise is resin-stabilized, which is normal. Dyed howlite is the outright fake: scratch an inconspicuous spot and dyed material shows white beneath.
How hard is Turquoise?
Turquoise is porous as well as fairly soft. Skin oils, soap and cosmetics soak in and can change its color over time, so it is wiped clean, never soaked. Hematite and Lapis Lazuli share its place on our scale. Among the stones in this reference, the next softer is Obsidian (5–5.5) and the next harder Sodalite (5.5–6).
Turquoise, at 5–6, is harder than 7 of the other 42 stones here and softer than 33.
Traditional associations
Turquoise is traditionally the classic travel-protection stone, also linked to plain speech. Chakra in crystal practice: Throat. Element: Air.
Questions about Turquoise
What is Turquoise made of?
Hydrated copper aluminum phosphate (CuAl₆(PO₄)₄(OH)₈·4H₂O), crystallizing in the triclinic system.
Which month is Turquoise the birthstone for?
December.
Where does Turquoise come from?
Iran, USA (Arizona, Nevada), China, Egypt.
Can Turquoise be worn every day?
With care. At 5–6 on the Mohs scale it can be worn often, but watch out for skin oils, soap and cosmetics, which it absorbs.
Cite this page
AstroHot. “Turquoise Birthstone: The December Stone and Its Meaning.” Accessed October 28, 2026. https://astrohot.com/crystals/gemstones/turquoise/
For Wikipedia
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