Zircon Jewelry

Zircon jewelry is among the most breathatking of all gemstone jewelry. Zircon is a well-known gemstone available in a wide range of colors, and has a fire and brilliance surpassed only by diamonds. It is very different from the cheap diamond imitation some believe it to be.

This misunderstanding alone makes the demand low, and if you’re looking for beautiful jewelry at a good price, consider zircon jewelry.

A fairly hard gemstone with a hardness of 7.5, zircon nonetheless requires a bit of care. It is susceptible to chipping and cracking if subjected to hard knocks.

Most zircon starts out colorless and is heat-treated to intensify the color. Be sure to store your zircon jewelry away from sunlight, as exposure to sunlight causes the color in some zircon to fade. Giving the stones a second heat-treatment can reverse this effect…but please, don’t try this at home! Bring it to your local jeweler.

There are several varieties of zircon available. The orange variety is called jacinth used in classical antiquity. The blue variety is called starlite or Siam Zircon and the third colorless variety is called Ceylon or Matura diamond. The name “Zircon” comes from the Persian word Zargun meaning "gold color".

Zircon is found in Australia, India, Brazil, Cambodia, France, Myanmar, Thailand, Nigeria, Tanzania, and the United States, New Jersey being one of several locations.

Blue zircon, the most popular color, is the December birthstone.

If you’d like more information on zircon, the International Colored Gemstone Association’s website is excellent. (A new window will open.)

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