December Birthstone: Zircon

Oh, zircon!

Her name holds power of the universe, the eye of the source, the center of all things powerful and life-grounding.

She’s buried deep in time, hovering above myths and tales since ancient wisdom can’t even grasp her existence.

Her name was so sacred, she was rarely mentioned in ancient tales.

Yet, she’s always been here, and will be forever.

glow with zircon

Zircon is as old as time; she could have been a piece of outer space which sets life on earth in motion.

Older than diamonds, holding zircon means holding a 4.4 billion year old piece of earth (or in layman terms: zircon is almost as old as the earth itself and older than dinosaurs).

NAMESAKE

From the Arabic 'zargun' meaning gold-hued because of its intense glow and fire

As messengers of the past, zircon has seen it all: from earth’s baby years of raging lava until it threads life slowly on its aged, wise back.

She’s witnessed how nature brings lives into fruition, even at the most unimaginable of circumstances.

It’s no wonder zircon is such a dreamy gem.

The Hindus believed Zircon to be the leaves of a Kalpa tree, the wish-fulfilling tree with golden roots, diamond fruits, silver trunks, pearl flowers, and zircon leaves. Whomever rests under its shade, their dreams are granted reality. Whatever you wish, you shall receive.

To many, zircon is a symbol of earth’s patience and endurance. It’s a stone to awaken long-lost desires and bring them back to life.

Use it to reconnect with your forgotten dreams and to gather the courage to bring it into reality.

ZIRCON’S VIBES

Birthstone for: December

Zircon zodiac sign: Sagittarius (23 November - 21 December)

Zircon chakra:

The first chakra - the Root or Muladhara chakra.
Located in the base of our spine. It helps us stay grounded and keeps us from being blinded by greed, jealousy, and selfish ambitions.
The third chakra - the Solar Plexus or the Manipura chakra.
Located near the stomach, centered around the core. It strengthens the connection between the body and the mind, and helps with balance.

How zircon fits into your life:

December gals
Sagittarius
Heal mood swings
In need of creative sleep
Free-writing your future

Taking a sabbatical
Buying a one-way ticket
Building your dream home
Doing digital detox

Vibes:

Self-confidence
Vulnerability
Courage
Passion

Use for:

Writing a succinct life’s to-do list
Sending that resignation email
Selling half of your stuff
Setting up a second-hand clothes donation event
Not having a major life plan
Sailing on a Phinisi boat
Taking a diving course in the Caribbean

ZIRCON’S ORIGINS

Zircon is mined all around the world, but it began it’s trajectory into popularity in Jack Hill, Australia. It was here that zircon was first unearthed.

Our zircons are ethically sourced from:

Nigeria, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Tanzania

ZIRCON’S DURABILITY

Check out our zircon jewelry, and let us know which pieces you would mix and match to make your very own zircon jewelry set!

Tough Love level:

7-7.5 Mohs scale of hardness with ‘fair to good’ toughness. Zircon is considered brittle and soft, so it’s best not to wear zircon everyday. Choose bezel setting if you’re designing a ring with zircon in mind. Bezel setting offers more protection than prong setting, since bezel setting properly secures the edges of the gemstone. You can also choose earrings or necklace designs to wear the zircon.

Common treatments:

Heat treatments. Zircon is commonly heated to alter or enhance its colors.

Cleaning, care, and caution:

Avoid harsh abrasives and strong UV light. Don’t use steam cleaners to clean zircon. Use warm, soapy water, preferably made from natural ingredients, like our lerak jewelry wash!

ZIRCON COLORS

Zircon is often confused with cubic zirconia, a man-made diamond imitation. Though both of them are equally marketable for different reasons (cubic zirconia or CZ is much cheaper than a diamond), zircon is a natural mined gemstone.

Zircon has impressive brilliance and fire, not too far from the diamond. Which is why, colorless zircon makes a budget engagement ring alternative to diamond.

So what colors do zircon produce?

Zircon is playful with colors. Heat treatments can transform brownish zircon to clear, blue or golden, and orange to red.

If they already come in so many colors, why do they need to be heat-treated, you ask?

Well, heat treatments in zircon aren’t only to alter colors, but also to bring out the most of its shine. Older zircon tend to have a more mellow glow. Heat treatment is the key to bring back that fire.

Colorless zircon
This color zircon is almost always heat-treated. For a long time, zircon was often confused with diamond as the two look remarkably similar. However, over time zircon will lose its brilliance and you don't need to be a gemologist to see the difference.
Blue zircon
My personal favorite in the zircon family - a real mermaid gemstone. Commonly heated from brown or colorless zircon, blue zircon tends to be vibrant and bright, like the tropical ocean on a sunny day. With its intense fire, some said blue zircon tops even the Queen of all blue gemstones - sapphires!
Golden zircon
Also known as honey zircon, golden zircon is prized for its complex brilliance. It often comes from brown zircon that has undergone heat treatment.
Red zircon
This zircon can be found in nature with its intense fiery glow. It’s one of zircon’s colors which can pass heat treatment.
Pink zircon
Rose zircon comes in all shades of pink. From dusty pink to fuschia, rose zircon is reminiscent of imperial topaz with its complex radiance. It’s commonly heat-treated to achieve the desired shade, but some natural specimens of pink zircon also exist.
Green zircon
Quite a rare color for zircon, because it’s chemically different from the other shades (except for brown). It’s much older than the rest of its siblings, and tends to be more muddy and brownish (it’s technically known as ‘low zircon’). Heat treatment is often needed to improve clarity and remove the brownish color.