The Great Southwest is a 3 strand necklace with green and blue Turquoise, Chrysocolla with Cuprite round beads and occasional Verdite round beads to accent the brown in the Turquoise. I finished this necklace with Delica Glass spacer beads and a Silver filled toggle clasp.

The short strand is 17 inches and the longest is 19 1/3 inches long. Turquoise is December’s birthstone.

I let the flat round Tuquoise beads in the longest strand dictate the rest of the choices that I made. This necklace is definitely a nod to the beautiful Southwestern USA, it's culture, it's beauty and it's magic.

Turquoise is said to bring in the wisdom of the Ancient ones to those who wear it! Here's more information on the properties of these gemstones. charmsoflight.com states, "Turquoise is a purification stone. It dispels negative energy and can be worn to protect against outside influences or pollutants in the atmosphere. Turquoise balances and aligns all the chakras, stabilising mood swings and instilling inner calm. It is excellent for depression and exhaustion, it also has the power to prevent panic attacks. Turquoise promotes self-realisation and assists creative problem solving. It is a symbol of friendship, and stimulates romantic love.

Turquoise aids in the absorption of nutrients, enhances the immune system, stimulates the regeneration of tissue, and heals the whole body. It contains anti-inflammatory and detoxifying effects, and alleviates cramps and pain. Turquoise purifies lungs, soothes and clears sore throats, and heals the eyes, including cataracts. It neutralises over-acidity, benefits rheumatism, gout, stomach problems, and viral infections."

gemstonemeaningus.com says, "Green turquoise meaning is related to the meaning of green color, which symbolizes discovery, balancing power of the earth and hope; all are related to the nature. This is why that turquoise meaning is great for protection, not only against physical dangers but also against stress and anger effects. In short, green turquoise is in fact related to power and protection; protection against anger and tiredness, and power to help you overcome many challenges and impediments in many aspects of life."

firemountaingems.com comments, "Chrysocolla is the gentlest of stones. It's not a high-energy stone like quartz, rutilated quartz, or smoky quartz and--unlike malachite, azurite and lapis--it doesn't bring buried emotions to the surface. Its main role is to soothe, calm and inspire. Its color alone is soothing with a deep blue-green which might remind you of a distant mountaintop or the stillness at the bottom of the sea.

For thousands of years, chrysocolla has been known throughout the world as a stone of calming reconciliation and reassurance. In ancient Egypt, it was called the "wise stone" because it shielded and encouraged the mind during negotiations. Those who wore it generally came up with clever compromises and resolutions. This stone also has the ability to help people who are violent to become more sensitive and tolerant which is why, as an ambassador, Cleopatra wore chrysocolla jewelry everywhere she went.

Chrysocolla, with associations of tranquility, peace, intuition, patience and unconditional love, is known as a healing stone among Native American cultures where it has been used to strengthen the body's resistance to illness and emotional duress. It has also been used traditionally to bring about calm feelings where there is upset and can be used to purify a place or restore balance to a person.

Chrysocolla is not assigned to any particular month as a birthstone; however it's a wonderful stone to use in conjunction with turquoise in traditional December birthstone jewelry.

Chrysocolla has the ability to bring harmony, increase wisdom and guide you toward discretion. It promotes level headedness, encouraging clarity of thought and a neutral, calm attitude during turbulence by purifying the home, environment and the mind. Use it to decrease nervousness and irritability.

The history of Apache chrysocolla being used as a stone of gentle healing coincides with the stone’s history in other cultures. Legends originating in Tibet and Africa also tell of healings through the use of chrysocolla. It has often been called multi-colored turquoise and, until recently, was not considered a gemstone in its own right until it was cited as a semiprecious gem rock. Then it became a favored stone for jewelry symbolizing prosperity, luck and fortitude.

Chrysocolla is also a good choice to wear in order to alleviate difficulty expressing feelings or creativity. Chrysocolla should have its energies cleansed once a month by rinsing it under warm running water, and then placing it in a bowl overnight with a piece of genuine hematite to recharge it."

"Cuprite can activate, strengthen, and heal the base chakra, awakening kundalini and raising energy and vitality. It encourages connection with and balancing of the energy of the feminine archetype. Cuprite is a stone of women's mysteries and is a good ally when facing a major threshold or rite of passage."

Finally, I learned from firemountaingems.com "Founders of verdite in Zimbabwe believed the stone had an innate ability to promote fertility. Verdite also was used to amplify fidelity, making the stone ideal for lovers. According to metaphysical beliefs, verdite can increase individual power, without allowing harsh characteristics to overwhelm. For instance, it was believed verdite could boost strength, reliability and honesty. Verdite is associated with multiple chakras, most notably the solar plexus, heart, sacral and root. Some people use verdite to fight vertigo, while others believe the stone can help improve the respiratory and circulatory systems."