Everything you need to know about Zircon

ZIRCON & EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THIS GEM

Are you trying to find jewelry that's lovely, elegant, and cost-friendly? If so, zircon may be a nice selection. Zircon is one of the oldest minerals found on earth, some of the crystals found in Australia measure over four (4) billion years old!

Zircon might not be as known and desired as a diamond is, however, its beauty and shine are incredibly similar. This lovely gem is available in an array of colors and sizes. If you're intrigued by this little-known gem, continue on to understand a bit more about it.

EVERYTHING YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT ZIRCON

Here is everything you should understand regarding zircon, including its sources, color varieties, symbolism, and where to shop for it.

WHAT IS ZIRCON?

Zircon is made naturally and without the help of human hands aside from mining, cutting, and sprucing. The word 'zircon' comes from the Persian word 'zargun,' which suggests 'gold-colored.' However, zircon is available in numerous colors like blue, red, and yellow.

White zircon is considered a semi-precious stone thanks to its wonderful brilliance and dispersion. Also, blue zircon was used profusely within the English Estates jewelry because it was thought-about trendy within the late nineteenth century.

WHERE IS ZIRCON FOUND?

Zircon is found in many sand beaches across the planet. Australia is one of the top countries for zircon mining, with over thirty-seventh of the world's zircon created there. Most zircon is strip-mined from mineral sand deposits in Western Australia and Victoria.

Zircon crystals are also found in abundance in Southeast Asian countries. The Asia region is known for heated zircon to achieve a blue color. The United Republic of Tanzania produces red and chromatic zircons, whereas the yellow and uncolored zircons are more commonly found within the gem gravels of Asian countries. For business purposes, zircon is mostly sourced from Siam and Sri Lanka.

Other locations that manufacture zircon crystals are Canada, The United States., Mexico, Africa, Nigeria, Germany, Norway, Brazil, India, Pakistan, South Korea, and Vietnam.

WHAT PROPERTIES DOES ZIRCON HAVE?

Zircon has 3 primary properties that make it unique, its spectrum, luminescence, and level of durability.

ABSORPTION SPECTRUM

Zircons display many bands and lines across the spectrum. Their absorption spectra are unique and are usually used to identify them. You can see absorption lines in zircon varieties that don't have a strong spectrum.

The Burmese green zircons might show more than 40 lines, whereas the Australian orange zircons have only a few. However, red and brown zircons do not show any spectrum.

LUMINESCENCE OF ZIRCON

Zircon crystals have variable luminescence. Some stones are inert, whereas others have an intense glow. In the presence of shortwave ultraviolet light, yellow-orange and mustard yellow colors are displayed. Under X-rays, zircons exhibit different colors, including white, green, yellow, and violet-blue.

Red and orange-red zircon crystals remain inert or become yellow or orange when exposed to UV light. Yellow and orangish-yellow crystals remain inert or become yellow or orange.

Green crystals are always inert in the presence of UV light.

ZIRCON'S LEVEL OF DETERIORATION

Gemologists classify zircon gems into three distinct types according to the level of their deterioration. High-level or "Alpha" zircon is fully crystalline and isn't affected by radioactive elements. Most zircons used in jewelry are high-type zircons.

Because of the radioactive elements, intermediate zircons have a damaged structure. On the other hand, lower-type zircons have a considerably more damaged crystal structure.

ZIRCON'S VARIETY OF COLORS

Zircon gems are available in several colors, like Green, yellow, blue, brown, coffee, cinnamon, and cognac. Let's take a look at the most popular zircon colors.

White zircon is also called Sparklite, and to provide this color, it has to be heat-treated. White mineral is widely used as a diamond simulant because it resembles its shine and fire.

Red zircon is known as Hyacinth or hyacinth. These crystals are already strip-mined as red stones and don't need heat treatment.

Blue zircon is named Starlite and was one of the foremost styles of zircon throughout Victorian times. It is called Starlite because of its fiery nature.

Jargoon or Jargon refers to lightweight yellow or colorless zircons that are already fine enough to be cut as gemstones. Heating already-colored zircon gives it the colorless look that many people prefer.

Melichrysos is a greenish-yellow zircon that's known for its healing properties.

Stremlite is another blue zircon gem.

The hardest zircon to find is the green zircon called Beccarite. It's created naturally due to metamictization, which is a naturally occurring radiation process.

FACTS NOT WIDELY KNOWN ABOUT ZIRCON

Zircon is often sold under "fake names." For example, “Siam Aquamarines” are just simply heat-treated blue zircons which were pretty popular back in the day.

Top-quality white zircons are often called Ceylon diamonds, Matara, or Matura diamonds. They can easily pass for diamonds due to their similar sparkle and beauty.

Sellers often try to pass zircons as diamonds or aquamarines even though they are much cheaper than these fine and semi-fine gemstones. This practice is unethical and deceptive and is frowned upon in the jewelry industry.

The largest zircon gems come from the gravels of Southeast Asia. Some of the biggest natural zircon gems can be found at The Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC. You can also find other large zircon stones at the Royal Ontario Museum in Canada, The Geology Museum in London, and the American Museum of Natural History in New York.

IS ZIRCON ENHANCED OR TREATED IN SOME WAY?

In order to change the color of zircon crystals, they must go through heat treatment.

Treating the zircon gems with heat produces shades of colors like blue, white (clear), and yellow. It can even make it look completely transparent. If reddish-brown zircon stones are heated without introducing oxygen, they will become blue-colored. Almost all the yellow, colorless, and blue zircon gemstones are created by exposing them to extreme heat.

Blue zircon gems that have been heat-treated will gradually lose their color if exposed to sunlight, but green zircon and yellow heat-treated zircon will not fade if exposed to UV (ultraviolet) light.

Applying heat treatment to zircon also helps it restore its original crystal structure. It's quite common to heat treat zircon gems, and retailers must provide this information to their customers. Make sure to ask your retailer if the zircon stones have been heated.

SYMBOLISM OF ZIRCON STONES

Blue Zircon is the December birthstone along with tanzanite and turquoise. It has some symbolic uses in different cultures around the world.

It is believed that zircon gems clear energy blocks in your body, bringing harmony and a sense of peacefulness to the wearer. Zircon is also believed to heal the lungs and provide relief from respiratory illnesses.

Zircon was believed to bring prosperity and improve sleep back in the Middle Ages. Today, zircon is believed to improve the mental and physical strength of its wearer.

CHOOSING YOUR ZIRCON GEMSTONE

if you would like to add some of our zircon pieces to your collection, here are some things you should consider.

ZIRCON CUTS

Zircon is quite brittle compared to harder stones like diamonds and moissanite, so it is harder to cut without having flaws. A "Zircon cut" is a type of cut in which eight extra facets are used in the lower portion of the gem. Faceting zircon improves light refractions and performance.

Zircon's most popular cuts include oval cuts, emerald cuts, step pear cuts, round cuts, marquise cuts, radiant cuts, and trilliant cuts.

WHY IS ZIRCON HEAT TREATED TO MAKE IT CLEAR?

Enhancing the clarity of zircon stones increases their value, so some zircons are heat-treated for this purpose alone. Naturally, zircon crystals already have good clarity. However, some impurities and flaws may interfere with the clarity of zircon, so the crystal will be heat-treated to increase its value.

IS ZIRCON CARAT WEIGHT THE SAME AS DIAMONDS?

Did you know that zircons crystals are one of the densest gemstones on the planet? They are quite smaller in size compared to other gemstones but they pack considerably more weight. For example, if you compare a diamond with a same-sized zircon stone, the zircon gem will weigh 50% more.

It is much rarer to see large-sized zircon stones, so the market is mostly comprised of smaller-sized zircon.

HOW MUCH DOES ZIRCON COST?

Zircon stones are much cheaper than diamonds. Zircon crystals that have unique colors and are larger in size typically cost more. The cost of zircon stones can range from $50 to $400.

ARE THERE OTHER ZIRCON ALTERNATIVES?

Synthesized Crystalline Zircons are one alternative to zircon, but they are created in a lab environment and are much cheaper than natural zircon.

Diamonds are also an alternative but we don't have to tell you how much more expensive that would be. It is quite difficult to differentiate between a properly cut zircon and a diamond unless you have experience and know what to look for. You can basically tell these two gemstones apart based on the refractive index.

Moissanite is a popular option as well since it is the closest in appearance to diamonds and are practically diamonds but grown in a lab enviroment.

Cubic Zirconia is another popular alternative to zircon and is also much cheaper. It is made of zirconium oxide, whereas zircon is made of zirconium silicate. Although discovered naturally, cubic zirconia is created in the laboratory for commercial use. Many jewelry pieces made of cubic zirconia are set in real metals such as real gold or sterling silver.

ZIRCON CARE AND MAINTENANCE

Zircon ranks between 6 to 7.5 on a hardness scale referred to as the Mohs scale. This means it is a relatively soft gemstone. You should take good care when wearing zircon jewelry and avoid strong blows.

To store zircon jewelry, wrap it in a cloth to avoid scratches. Then, store it in air-tight containers as humidity can harm the stone.

Avoid using mechanical systems, ultrasonic cleaners, bleaches, and strong detergents when cleaning zircon jewelry. Instead, use commercial jewelry cleaner or warm water to clean the stone. After washing, completely dry it before storage.

Some zircons contain trace amounts of radioactive elements and should be inspected thoroughly by gem cutters before they start working on them.

WHERE TO BUY ZIRCON

You can get a good great deal by purchasing cubic zircon online through our website auricjewellers.com. The cost of zircon crystals and cubic zircon varies from $50 to $400 per carat.

We also have a variety of Moissanite stones which includes their GIA certificate. Our Moissanite pieces are a steal compared to most online retailers who over-price their pieces.

All our jewelry pieces are made with 925 sterling silver and are plated with either 18k-14k gold or rhodium to ensure your jewelry lasts you a lifetime.

If you wish to gift zircon jewelry, check out our store at auricjewellers.com and help us grow by supporting our small business.