Zircon is the name given to the December birthstone but many people don’t know very much about it. It is often confused with the cubic zirconia which is an imitation diamond and not a genuine gemstone in its own right. The zircon on the other hand is one of the heaviest gemstones, comes in a variety of colors and belongs to the group of nesosilicates and is formed naturally. Most people now the Zircon to be yellow but it also comes in red, green, brown, black or colorless. Zircons that have colors that are below gem quality can be altered by means of heat and depending on how much heat is applied; zircons can be changed to blue, colorless and golden-yellow. So if you prefer a different color as your December birthstone, you will be able to get it.
From the middle ages it was believed that zircon promoted honor and wisdom in the one who owned it. Maybe those that have the Zircon as their December birthstone might be in for some prosperity in the near future. It was also believed that the zircon could aid sleep and bring prosperity as well. Hindu poets on the other hand believe that the Kalpa tree is the ultimate gift to the gods. You might be wondering what a tree would have to do with a gemstone but this tree was meant to be a tree adorned with gemstones as fruit and leaves made of zircon. A more common belief is that the name zircon means gold color derived from the Persian word “zargun.” While the most common color does not fit the name, zircon is not limited to the gold color and the most common color is colorless. Zircon deposits have been found in Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Myanmar, Australia, Thailand, and other countries as well.
The zircon is one of the more affordable gemstones and since it has a variety of colors it has become popular among gemstone collectors. The blue zircon has become the modern day color of choice for the zircon, especially as a December birthstone gift. The blue zircon is heat treated from the brown zircon and this also only occurs when the correct physical structure is present in the brown zircon. Blue is one of the most popular colors for gemstones however very few people are aware that of the blue stones, the zircon comes out tops for brilliance. Unfortunately zircon tends to be prone to abrasions if bumped so caution needs to be taken when you store this December birthstone. It is for this reason that a ring, set with zircon, is not often seen but rather it is set in jewelry that will not be bumped such as pendants and earrings.
All in all, this gemstone is lovely to look at and it might be well worth it to take a closer look at it when buying a zircon as a December birthstone. You might be pleasantly surprised not only at the beauty of this gemstone but at the price as well.