Birthstone

Turquoise hardness is #5 to #6 on Mohs scale, and generally fair to good in toughness. Sources are China, Iran, and the US. Turquoise is one of the world’s most ancient gems. Archaeological excavations revealed that Egyptian royalty wore turquoise jewelry as early as 5500 BC, and Chinese artisans were carving it more than 3,000 …

Topaz is #8 on the Mohs scale, and toughness is poor due to cleavage. Sources are Australia, Brazil, Madagascar, Mexico, Myanmar(Burma), Namibia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and United States. The topaz name came from Topazios, the old Greek name for an island in the Red Sea, now called Zabargad. The island never produced topaz, but …