Is It Okay To Wear Turquoise Jewellery? (Cultural Appropriation)

It is okay to wear turquoise jewelry, contrary to what some may say. It’s beautiful and a popular choice for gemstone jewelry. 

Turquoise is an opaque substance that comes in a greenish-blue color. However, there are countless shades under that particular umbrella. It is formed over millions of years when water flows through rocks, conditioning substances such as aluminum and copper, and hardens over time through a chemical reaction. 

The name turquoise comes from the French word for ‘Turkish’ as a nod to its Asian origins from a European perspective. Back in the day, mines all over Asia used to mine this material, but it all passed through Turkey before making its way to Europe and hence the name. 

Turquoise jewelry is a fantastic option because of its beautiful sea-green color and the positive vibes it brings, as it is associated with tranquility and wisdom. 

Is it cultural appropriation to wear turquoise jewelry? 

If you’re wearing turquoise for its positive qualities, as fashion jewelry, and celebrating the cultures where it originated from, it is entirely okay to do so. That’s cultural appreciation and not appropriation. 

Native Americans used to wear it as their jewelry of choice and continue to do so. This is where the misconceptions creep in. For over a century, turquoise jewelry was brought from the natives, passed around, and seen as traditional Indian jewelry. 

It is considered cultural appropriation when the act is seen as disrespectful or distasteful towards a particular culture—for example, selling or passing off fake turquoise as authentically Native American is most definitely wrong.

Another instance would be to wear it in a trivial manner, such as on Halloween. This can be seen as repulsive and cultural appropriation. 

Anybody can wear turquoise jewelry, Native American or not, as long as it’s done respectfully and not as an act of disrespect or insult towards the cultures it originally came from. 

Turquoise jewelry symbolism 

Turquoise, with its beautiful greenish-blue hue, is a stunning gemstone associated with many positive qualities, such as love, wisdom, knowledge, and protection, among others.

Also, no two stones look the same, and every piece of turquoise jewelry is unique. 

On the spiritual side, turquoise is said to have a calming effect on the wearer. They say it’s an excellent option for meditation and if you’re feeling overwhelmed by something. Strengthening your intuition is also something that is associated with turquoise. 

Since turquoise has been used worldwide, different cultures have various beliefs about it. Early Native Americans placed a lot of importance on the stone. The tribe shamans saw it as a way to connect Earth and heaven. 

Many Native American people, such as the Apache, saw turquoise as a source of protection and often wore it into battle and believed it bettered their aim and would bring them success and victory. 

Southwestern peoples such as the Lakota and Navajos believed turquoise attracted water. They used it in rituals that were done to appease and invite the rain God to make it rain. 

Asian cultures, such as Turks and Persians, believed in the protective powers of turquoise. Turks, especially, crafted talismans out of it and adorned their weapons and armor with it. The stone was also seen to promote calmness and courage in battle. 

When to buy turquoise jewelry?

Turquoise, due to its historical significance, visual appeal, and positive qualities it is associated with, is seen as an excellent material for jewelry and even for gifting someone. 

The stone is believed to strengthen friendship, making it a great gift to bestow upon a friend. It can also be used to mend or renew a relationship if you’ve had any tensions with a friend and want to fix them. 

Turquoise also gives a great gift to a woman, especially one who is wise and believes in taking care of her health. The stone is said to boost calmness which lends perfectly to being gifted to someone conscious of their wellbeing. 

Finally, this one is a bit obvious; turquoise could be an excellent present for your romantic partner. Due to its inherent qualities of love and protection, the stone can pass on these qualities and make your significant other feel good. 

How to style turquoise jewelry? 

Due to its deep greenish-blue color, turquoise can be a bit daunting to wear as a piece of jewelry. The key is to wear it with colors that complement it. Let’s look at some outfits and colors to wear with turquoise. 

For girls, anything of light or sky-blue shade is bound to look great with turquoise. A dress, skirt, or blouse of that color will look great with turquoise jewelry and enhance your look! 

Yellow is another great color to wear with turquoise. The color can sometimes be seen as too bright and doesn’t go with everything but with turquoise, it most certainly does. Pairing a white top or blouse with white pants or jeans can make a great outfit that complements turquoise jewelry brilliantly! 

A great way to make turquoise stand out is to pair it with muted colors, gray being one of them. The neutral gray is an ideal canvas for the more flamboyant turquoise jewelry, making it and you stand out! 

Final remarks

Turquoise is a fantastic option for jewelry, and it is entirely okay to wear it, as long as you’re not being disrespectful towards the cultures it comes from.

The greenish-blue material has a lot of positive qualities, such as knowledge, intellect, affection, and protection, among others. It is also said to bring calm to the wearer. Overall, turquoise is a valuable addition to your jewelry collection due to the visual appeal and good vibes that come with it!