How to clean it
Warm soapy water. Avoid ultrasonic — zircon is brittle and chips at facet edges.
Blue, golden, red, green, colourless
Zircon
The birthstone for December.
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
Colour
Blue, golden, red, green, colourless
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.
Practical
Caring for Zircon
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.
One general rule covers most mistakes: never store stones loose together. Diamond at 10 on the Mohs scale scratches everything else you own, and it does not need much contact to do it.
What that hardness means in practice
Softer than household dust. Better in earrings or a pendant than in a ring, where it takes constant knocks.
Traditional associations
Zircon is traditionally associated with grounding and restful sleep. In chakra systems it is placed at the Root, Crown, and in elemental correspondence it is assigned to Fire.
These are cultural associations recorded across various traditions, not claims about physical effects. The composition and hardness above are measurable; this paragraph is folklore, and worth reading as such.
Questions
What is Zircon made of?
Zirconium silicate (ZrSiO₄), crystallising in the tetragonal system.
Which month is Zircon the birthstone for?
December.
Where does Zircon come from?
Cambodia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Australia, Tanzania.
How do I clean Zircon?
Warm soapy water. Avoid ultrasonic — zircon is brittle and chips at facet edges.
How can I tell if Zircon 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.
Can I wear it every day?
At 6–7.5 on the Mohs scale, not in a ring. Keep it to pieces that take fewer knocks.