Zircon -
December Birthstone
Zircon's name
comes from the Arabic zargoon, meaning vermilion.Natural Zircons are one
of the few Gemstones with dispersion or fire. Zircon approaches
Diamond in fire, so the Colorless Zircon has been a successful natural
substitute for Diamond.
Zircon occurs naturally in a
large range of colours including: yellow, red, orange, brown, green, and
blue. Heat treatment is often used to produce stones which are
colourless, golden brown, or sky blue. Many of the available colours are
very attractive, and zircons also have a high dispersion, and therefore
show good "fire".Zircon is a naturally occurring gemstone, it should not
be confused with the recently created and ubiquitous Cubic
Zirconia.
Sources for
this gemstone
Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand
and Cambodia.
Treatments
Heat treatment is often used
to produce Zircon which is colourless, golden brown, or sky
blue.
Wealth
Power
Since Medieval times, Zircon
has been thought to bring wisdom, honor and wealth to those who did
posses it.
It has been especially prized
for protecting travelers from harm, and even today the Hindus believe
that It can stimulate spiritual growth.
Care
Zircon is a very good choice
for jewelry but it should be stored in a separate compartment or in a
jewelry bag to prevent scratching by harder Gemstones. Jewelry
featuring Zircon should not be cleaned in an ultrasonic or steam
cleaner. We recommend ionic cleaners and/or warm, soapy water and
a soft brush as the best way to clean Zircon.
Technical
Information
Chemical Composition and name
|
Zirconium Silicate ZrSiO4 |
| Hardness
|
7 to 7.5 variable, even within a single specimen.
"Low" types 6.5
|
| Refractive Index |
1.92 to 1.98; the bi-refringence 0.059 uniaxial and
positive.
|
| Specific Gravity |
4.60 to 4.70, usually
4.69 |
