Source: Cambodia, Canada, France, India, Italy, Madagascar, Norway, Thailand, South Africa, Sri Lanka, United States, Ural Mountains
Birthstone: December
Alternate Birthstone: Tanzanite
Zircon should not be confused with Cubic Zirconia which is a man-made synthetic that is not chemically similar. The name "Zircon" (Zirkon German, Circon Spanish, Zircone Italian) is derived from the Arabic word "Zarqun", meaning vermilion, and from the Persian word "Zargun", meaning golden-colored. Zircon occurs in a wide varieties of colors which include: brown, red, yellow, green, blue, black, or colorless. Colorless Zircon can be mistaken for diamond and is a popular diamond substitute. The most popular gemstone color for Zircon is blue. Yellow zircon is sometimes referred to as "Hyacinth," and Sri Lanka has a clear variety of zircon that is referred to as 'Matara diamond.'
Zircon is a common mineral that is found in igneous rock, in metamorphic rock, and in sedimentary rock as well as in gem gravels. Zircon found in Western Australia is the oldest mineral found on earth, dating back as far as 4.4 billion years. The mineral belonging to the group of Nesosilicates or basic Silicate rock-forming minerals. The crystal structure of zircon is tetragonal, and its Elongate Crystal Habit is dipyramidal prismatic.
Zircon is an attractive gemstone due to its high refractive index of 1.95 compared to diamond's refractive index of 2.4 and its diamond-like adamantine luster. Zircons are also mined for the metal "Zirconium" which is used as a compound in abrasives.
Zircon has a hardness of 7.5 on the Mohs scale. The Toughness of Zircon is only Fair to Good and care must be taken to avoid chipping or abrading of the facets. Zircon is one of the heaviest gemstones, resulting in smaller sizes (measured in milimeters) for a given carat weight. Zircon has a refractive index of 1.800 to 1.960. Zircon is anisotropic (doubly refractive), unlike diamond.
Transparent zircon can be found in shades of brilliant green, brownish-green and yellow-green. These stones typically have Inclusions (aka spangles), streaks and angular zoning. Yellow zircon can be mistaken for yellow sapphire and can be found in the canary yellow, greenish yellow, and gold color range.
The principal sources for Zircon are found in Cambodia, Thailand, and Sri Lanka. Colorless varieties of zircon from Matara, Sri Lanka has become synonymous with fake diamonds and came to be known as "matara diamonds".
Chemical composition: ZrSiO4
