7 Things about Turquoise Heishi Necklace that you probably don’t know
Two of the most popular terms, Turquoise and Heishi, have an unimaginably large fan base. With fans literally from all over the world, their usage has grown considerably high, with every Native American jewelry being coupled with them. Ranging from bracelets to tribal-style necklaces, a lot is there for interested buyers to choose from. However, similar to many gemstones, there remain some unexplored facts, some facts while some may even be folklores, making them even more interesting.
So, if you are looking for some mesmerizing facts about the stone, you have arrived at the right place. But first, let’s start with understanding the difference between these two jewelry types.
What is Turquoise?
A naturally occurring mineral, the turquoise is a gemstone that has many names to it. Generally arriving in a green-blue combination, some other common turquoise stone colors include sky blue, bluish-green, yellowish-green, blue, greenish-white, etc. Thanks to its eye-appealing color, early Native Americans used to treat the stone as a divine object, often relating it to the ‘Heaven’s blessings.
There are many superstitions when it comes to early people and Native American turquoise necklaces, with some even claiming that the stone was used to eradicate all evils and enhance happiness in the lives of the wearers. No matter if any of it was actually true or not, the gemstone is no wonder an alluring piece to wear.
What is Heishi?
Made from mostly organic components, including stones, seashells, oysters, and dried bones, Heishi jewelry are the next big thing in the tribal market. The term itself means ‘shell’, and hence when such shell pieces are drilled, ground into beads, and then strung into necklaces, they make the beautiful and alluring Heishi necklaces, as we know. All of the jewelry is made by skilled tribal artists and hence is rated according to the materials used.
Similar to turquoise, heishi also has a lot of history in terms of superstitious beliefs amongst Native Americans. The jewelry was thought to be a success and happiness bringer and was also used by warriors for divine aid during battles. Now, these once previously sacred jewels are used as status and fashion symbols globally, leading many buyers to invest in tribal arts.
Some unknown facts about turquoise heishi necklaces
Now coming on to the main section, these are some of the superstitious and historical facts surrounding the beautiful piece of jewelry. Take out your reading glasses and let’s dive into this interesting information.
● Although Egyptians and Early Indians were the first documented culture to find the gemstone, the stone gets its name from the French word ‘Pierre turquoise’, meaning ‘stone of turkey’.
● Turquoise heishi necklaces have been popular since 6000 BC and are still growing strong in today’s market. The combination alone majorly suffices to the growth in tribal markets all around the world.
● Even popular literary works, including Shakespeare’s ‘The Merchant of Venice’, have illustrations regarding the use of the gemstone as an adoration gift. The jewelry was then a very popular form of expressing love, adoration, and respect in European society.
● In the early ages, people often used to offer jewelry made out of turquoise heishi combinations to their rulers or queens, as it was thought to be a good omen. Both the stone and the heishi shells were considered as happiness and success bringer and were also associated with eradicating evil energies surrounding a person.
● Napoléon Bonaparte, as his wedding gift to Empress Marie Louise, also presented a crown that was made of diamonds and turquoise. Although initially, the crown was supposed to be designed using diamonds only, Napoléon removed 79 emeralds replacing them with turquoise stones for bringing a unique factor.
● Similar to human fingerprints, no two pieces of gemstones are alike. While the design may be the exact same or bearing the same color, their chemical properties are what make them highly variable from each other. In the turquoise stones, the spider web design, which is actually the remnants of the host stone, is never duplicated in another, making every piece the only piece to exist in the world.
● Angie Reano Owen, a Santo Domingo-based in-land artist first introduced the concept of adding the two rare art pieces into one. The Native American turquoise necklace is the product of the artist’s dream to create something new with original tribal products.
Conclusion:
When it comes to heishi turquoise necklaces, there is a lot more mystery surrounding the jewelry piece than meets the eye. So, if you are looking for 100 percent genuine and trademarked turquoise heishi jewelry, New Mexico Gems won’t disappoint you. Dealing with a huge collection of all high-quality tribal art pieces, you can also leverage the attractive deals and discounts with every purchase.
Check out their website today!
