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Stone Lore
Blue Zircon, thought by many to be
relatively new to the gem market,
has been with us for many centuries.
In the middle ages zircon was worn
to promote riches, honor and
wisdom. It was also believed to
drive away plagues and evil spirits.
The name is believed to originate
from the Persian word "Zargun",
which means "gold colored", due to
the yellow color of the stones found
there. Blue Zircon gained popularity
in the 1880's and was used
extensively in Victorian jewelry.
Primary sources for zircon include
Sri Lanka, Kampuchea, Burma,
Thailand and Australia. Zircon is
the birthstone for the month of
December and is designated for
the 7th wedding anniversary.
Almost all blue and colorless
zircons have been enhanced by
heat treatment.
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Zircon has long had a supporting role to more
well-known gemstones, replacing them when
they were unavailable.
In the middle ages, zircon was said to aid sleep, bring
prosperity, and promote honor and wisdom in its owner.
The name probably comes from the Persian word zargun
which means "gold-colored," although zircon comes in a
wide range of different colors.
Natural zircon today suffers for the similarity of its name
to cubic zirconia, the laboratory-grown diamond imitation.
Some don't realize that there is a beautiful natural
gemstone called zircon.
Zircon occurs in a wide range of colors but for many
years, the most popular was the colorless variety which
looks more like diamond than any other natural stone
due to its brilliance and dispersion.
Today the most popular color is blue zircon. Most blue
zircon, which is considered an alternate birthstone for
December, is a pastel blue, but some exceptional gems
have a bright blue color. Zircon is also available in
green, dark red, yellow, brown, and orange.
Zircon is mined in Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Thailand,
Myanmar, Australia, and other countries.
Zircon is one of the heaviest gemstones, which means
that it will look smaller than other varieties of the same
weight. Zircon jewelry should be stored carefully
because although zircon is relatively hard, it can abrade
and facets can chip. Dealers often wrap zircons in
individual twists of paper so that they will not knock
against each other in a parcel.
The wide variety of colors of zircon, its rarity, and its
relatively low cost make it a popular collector's stone.
Collectors enjoy the search for all possible colors
and variations.
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