What is Zircon? Your Guide To Zircon Jewelry

Are you looking for beautiful, elegant, and affordable jewelry? If so, zircon is an excellent choice. Zircon is one of the oldest minerals found on Earth, with some crystals discovered in Australia dating back over 4.4 billion years!

Zircon may not be as well-known as diamonds, but its beauty and brilliance are remarkably similar. This stunning gemstone comes in various colors and sizes. If you're intrigued by this lesser-known gem, read on to learn more.

Everything You Need to Know About Zircon

Here's everything you need to know about zircon, including its origins, color varieties, symbolic meanings, and where to buy it.

What is Zircon?

Zircon is a natural gemstone that forms without human intervention, other than mining, cutting, and polishing. The term "zircon" is derived from the Persian word "zargun," meaning "gold-colored." However, zircon comes in a variety of colors such as blue, red, and yellow.

White zircon earns its status as a semi-precious stone due to its exceptional brilliance and dispersion. Blue zircon, which gained popularity in the late 19th century, adorned Victorian estate jewelry extensively.

Origins of Zircon

Zircon can be found in beach sands worldwide. Australia is the largest source of mined zircon, producing over 37% of the global supply from mineral sand deposits in Western Australia and Victoria.

Southeast Asian countries are also rich in zircon crystals. Cambodia is known for zircon material that can undergo heat treatment to achieve a blue color. Tanzania produces red and brown zircon, while gem gravels in Myanmar yield yellow and green zircon. For commercial purposes, Thailand and Sri Lanka commonly supply zircon.

Other popular sources of zircon crystals include Canada, the United States, Mexico, South Africa, Nigeria, Germany, Norway, Brazil, India, Pakistan, Korea, and Vietnam.

Properties of Zircon

Zircon has three main properties to consider: absorption spectrum, luminescence, and level of deterioration.

Absorption Spectrum

Zircon displays numerous bands and lines in its spectrum. These absorption spectra are unique and used for identification. You can check for absorption lines in zircon varieties with weaker spectra.

Luminescence

Zircon crystals exhibit variable luminescence. Some gems are inert, while others have strong fluorescence. Under shortwave ultraviolet light, they can appear yellow-orange or mustard yellow. Under X-rays, zircon can exhibit a range of colors, including white, green, yellow, and violet-blue.

Level of Deterioration

Gemologists classify zircon based on its level of deterioration into three types. High-type (sometimes called alpha) zircon is fully crystalline and unaffected by radioactive elements. Most zircons used in jewelry are high-type zircons.

Medium-type zircon has a partially damaged structure due to radioactive elements.But low-type zircon has a more extensively damaged crystalline structure.

Varieties of Zircon Colors

Zircon comes in many colors, including yellow, blue, green, brown, coffee, cinnamon, and brandy. Let's look at some popular colors:

• White Zircon is known as "Sparklite." It undergoes heat treatment to achieve this color and is widely used as a diamond simulant due to its similar brilliance and fire.
• Red Zircon is referred to as Hyacinth or Jacinth. These crystals are naturally red and do not require heat treatment.
• Blue Zircon is Starlite and was one of the most popular zircon varieties in the Victorian era due to its fiery nature.
• Jargoon refers to pale yellow or colorless zircon of fine enough quality to be cut into gemstones. Heating colored zircon can produce colorless jargoon.
• Melichrysos is a greenish-yellow zircon.It is famous for its supposed healing properties.
• Stremlite is another name for blue zircon.
• Beccarite is a rare green zircon formed through metamictization, a natural radiation process.

Did You Know?

Deceptive names are used to sell zircon. For example, "Siam aquamarine" refers to heat-treated blue zircon. Top-quality white zircon is sometimes labeled as Matara or Ceylon diamond.Sellers should avoid using these misleading names.

The largest zircon gemstones come from gem gravels in Southeast Asia. The Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., the Geological Museum in London, the Royal Ontario Museum in Canada, and the American Museum of Natural History in New York house some of the largest natural zircon crystals.

Enhancements and Treatments of Zircon

Heat treatment is sometimes used to enhance or alter the color of zircon crystals. This process can produce blue, colorless, and golden yellow zircons and improve their transparency. Red-brown zircon heated in oxygen-free conditions turns blue. Almost all blue, golden yellow, and colorless zircons are heat-treated.

Blue heat-treated zircon tends to fade over time when exposed to sunlight. Green and yellow heat-treated zircons remain stable under ultraviolet light. Moreover, heat treatment helps restore the original crystalline structure of zircon, enhancing its overall durability and appearance.

Zircon Jewelry

Zircon jewelry comes in a variety of beautiful colors and styles, from rings to pendants. Large zircon pieces create bold statements, while smaller ones are ideal for casual wear. Zircon jewelry is delicate and relatively soft, making protective settings like flush or bezel advisable for rings. To maintain their integrity, avoid hard surfaces and sharp impacts when wearing zircon rings.

Symbolism of Zircon

Blue zircon is a December birthstone along with turquoise and tanzanite. It holds various symbolic meanings. In the Middle Ages, people believed zircon could improve sleep and bring prosperity. Today, people believe zircon enhances the wearer’s mental and physical strength, clears energy blockages, and promotes peace and harmony. It is also believed to have healing properties for the lungs and to alleviate respiratory issues.

Choosing Your Zircon Gemstone

If you want to add zircon to your jewelry collection, keep the following in mind:

Cut

Cutting zircon is challenging due to its brittleness. The "zircon cut" is a variation of the brilliant cut with eight extra facets on the gem’s lower part to enhance its optical performance. Common shapes include oval, emerald, pear, round, marquise, and radiant domes.

Clarity

Enhancing zircon’s clarity can increase its value, often achieved through heat treatment. Generally, zircon crystals have good clarity, but impurities and inclusions can sometimes affect it.

Carat Weight

Zircon is one of the densest gemstones. They are heavier than many other gems of the same size. For example, zircon weighs about 50% more than a diamond of the same size. Larger zircon sizes are rare, making smaller zircons more common in the market.

Prices of Zircon

Zircon is cheaper than diamonds. Unique colors and larger crystals are more expensive. Depending on quality, prices range from $50 to $400.

Popular Zircon Alternatives

Synthetic crystalline zircon is a lab-produced replica of natural zircon but much cheaper. Diamonds and white zircon look very similar, both having comparable brilliance and fire. You can differentiate them by their refractive indices. Cubic zirconia, another popular alternative, derives from zirconium oxide and costs significantly less than natural zircon.

Care and Maintenance of Zircon

Zircon has a hardness rating of 6 to 7.5 on the Mohs scale, making it relatively soft. Handle zircon jewelry with care to avoid strong impacts. Store zircon jewelry wrapped in cloth to avoid scratches and keep it in a sealed container to protect from moisture. Clean zircon jewelry using commercial jewelry cleaners or warm water, avoiding mechanical systems, ultrasonic cleaners, bleach, and strong detergents. Some zircons contain trace radioactive elements, so thorough checks are recommended before cutting.

Zircon's popularity is growing as more people discover its charm. Advances in jewelry design will enhance its appeal further. Its natural and ethical sourcing adds to its value. As sustainability becomes more important, zircon's status in the gemstone market is ready to rise. With its radiant beauty and historical significance, zircon has a bright future in jewelry.

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