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Blue, golden, red, green, colorless

Zircon birthstone

Zircon, the birthstone for December, is zirconium silicate (ZrSiO₄), blue, golden, red, green, colorless, rated 6–7.5 on the Mohs scale. Traditionally, it is associated with grounding and restful sleep — attributed, not demonstrated.

Mohs hardness
6–7.5 scratches window glass
Crystal system
Tetragonal ZrSiO₄
Main sources today
Cambodia also Myanmar, Sri Lanka

Stones described in similar terms: diamond, peridot, spinel, kyanite and garnet.

Listed under: December birthstone.

Linked in crystal practice with the root chakra and crown chakra.

Further along the same lines: ruby, alexandrite and labradorite.

Zircon Birthstone: The December Stone and Its Meaning

Is Zircon a birthstone?

Yes. Zircon is the modern birthstone for December.

Properties

Composition Zirconium silicate (ZrSiO₄)
Hardness (Mohs) 6–7.5
Crystal system Tetragonal
Color Blue, golden, red, green, colorless
Mined in Cambodia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Australia, Tanzania

Worth knowing

Not to be confused with cubic zirconia, a synthetic diamond simulant. Natural zircon has high dispersion and real geological age.

History

The oldest known mineral fragments on Earth are zircon crystals from Western Australia, dated to 4.4 billion years.

Buying

Buying Zircon: fakes, value and treatments

What it is confused with

Often confused with cubic zirconia, an unrelated synthetic. Natural zircon shows doubled facet edges through a loupe; diamond does not.

What decides the price

Vivid blue, produced by heating brown zircon from Cambodia, is the most popular color. Colorless zircon was once used as a diamond substitute.

Where it is used

Because zircon locks in uranium when it forms, geologists use its uranium–lead ratios to date rocks.

A less familiar fact

Zircon has one of the highest dispersions of any gem, giving strong flashes of color close to diamond's.

Practical

Caring for Zircon

How to clean it

Warm soapy water. Avoid ultrasonic — zircon is brittle and chips at facet edges.

How to tell it is real

Not to be confused with cubic zirconia, which is synthetic and unrelated. Natural zircon shows strong doubling of the back facets viewed through the table.

How to store stones so they do not scratch each other →

How hard is Zircon?

Zircon’s weak point is not hardness but brittleness: facet edges chip and look worn even where the faces are unscratched, so it suits earrings and pendants better than a ring that takes knocks.

Zircon on the Mohs hardness scale
Zircon on the Mohs hardness scaleMohs scale from talc (1) to diamond (10), with the 43 stones of our reference as dots and Zircon (6–7.5) marked as a bar.Zircon: Mohs 6–7.5Zircon 6–7.5Garnet: Mohs 6.5–7.5Amethyst: Mohs 7Citrine: Mohs 7Rose Quartz: Mohs 7Clear Quartz: Mohs 7Smoky Quartz: Mohs 7Aquamarine: Mohs 7.5–8Emerald: Mohs 7.5–8Bloodstone: Mohs 6.5–7Peridot: Mohs 6.5–7Sardonyx: Mohs 6.5–7Zircon: Mohs 6–7.5Carnelian: Mohs 6.5–7Onyx: Mohs 6.5–7Agate: Mohs 6.5–7Tiger's Eye: Mohs 6.5–7Aventurine: Mohs 6.5–7Diamond: Mohs 10Pearl: Mohs 2.5–4.5Alexandrite: Mohs 8.5Moonstone: Mohs 6–6.5Labradorite: Mohs 6–6.5Pyrite: Mohs 6–6.5Ruby: Mohs 9Sapphire: Mohs 9Spinel: Mohs 8Topaz: Mohs 8Opal: Mohs 5.5–6.5Rhodonite: Mohs 5.5–6.5Tourmaline: Mohs 7–7.5Turquoise: Mohs 5–6Lapis Lazuli: Mohs 5–6Hematite: Mohs 5–6Tanzanite: Mohs 6–7Jade: Mohs 6–7Obsidian: Mohs 5–5.5Malachite: Mohs 3.5–4Amber: Mohs 2–2.5Selenite: Mohs 2Fluorite: Mohs 4Sodalite: Mohs 5.5–6Kyanite: Mohs 4.5–7Lepidolite: Mohs 2.5–31Talc2Gypsum3Calcite4Fluorite5Apatite6Orthoclase7Quartz8Topaz9Corundum10Diamondfingernail 2.5window glass 5.5household dust (quartz) 7Source: Mohs scale minerals · ranges from our 43-stone referenceastrohot.com
Zircon on the Mohs hardness scaleMohs scale from talc (1) to diamond (10), with the 43 stones of our reference as dots and Zircon (6–7.5) marked as a bar.Zircon: Mohs 6–7.5Zircon 6–7.51Talc2Gypsum3Calcite4Fluorite5Apatite6Orthoclase7Quartz8Topaz9Corundum10Diamondfingernail 2.5glass 5.5dust 7Source: Mohs scale minerals · ranges from our 43-stone referenceastrohot.com

Zircon, at 6–7.5, is harder than 19 of the other 42 stones here and softer than 15, with 8 level with it.

Traditional associations

Zircon is traditionally associated with grounding and restful sleep. Chakra in crystal practice: Root, Crown. Element: Fire.

What is measured here and what is tradition →

Questions about Zircon

What is Zircon made of?

Zirconium silicate (ZrSiO₄), crystallizing in the tetragonal system.

Which month is Zircon the birthstone for?

December.

Where does Zircon come from?

Cambodia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Australia, Tanzania.

Can Zircon be worn every day?

With care. At 6–7.5 on the Mohs scale it can be worn often, but watch out for chipped facet edges, because it is brittle.

← All gemstones

Cite this page

AstroHot. “Zircon Birthstone: The December Stone and Its Meaning.” Accessed October 28, 2026. https://astrohot.com/crystals/gemstones/zircon/

For Wikipedia {{cite web |title=Zircon Birthstone: The December Stone and Its Meaning |url=https://astrohot.com/crystals/gemstones/zircon/ |website=AstroHot |access-date=2026-10-28}}