Turquoise or turquois… This unique Turkish blue is a distinctive light blue with a hint of green and has frequently been known in association to the Turkish Riviera – also referred to as the Turquoise Coast.
The Turquoise Coast is just as stunning as its name suggests. Deep blue waves that lap at isolated bays and home to some of the country’s most iconic beaches including Oludeniz, Patara, and Iztuzu.
Etymology of the Word Turquoise
Before turquoise described a greenish-blue color, it described a mineral of that color. It is believed that this mineral was transported to the west through Turkey; the word turquoise dates to the 17th century and is derived from the French turquoise meaning “Turkish” because the mineral was first brought to Europe through Turkey.
It appears that there were a multitude of trade routes that brought the turquoise stones from Persia through the Middle East and onto Europe. The path crossed through Turkey (“Turquie” in French) leaving a strong theory that “Turquies,” sounding much like the modern-day “turquoise,” morphed into the word we use today.
The word Turquoise is derived from how “Turkish” is pronounced in French. With time this beautiful hue became the color of the Mediterranean sea. As a country that is surrounded by shores on three sides, Turkey’s seas boast waters that range from azure blue to forest green. Turkish Blue is the exact recompense of this color, which was called “Turquoise” by Franks, during the time of the Ottomans.
