Zircon

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Zircon is a zirconium silicate with one of the highest refractive indices of any natural gem and strong dispersion, giving it a fire and brilliance that rival diamond—qualities that should not be confused with the unrelated synthetic cubic zirconia. Its name may be the source of the word jargon, an old term for pale stones, or may derive from the Arabic zarqun, meaning gold-colored. Zircon is also the oldest known mineral on Earth: crystals from Jack Hills in Australia have been dated at 4.4 billion years, nearly as old as the planet itself. Natural blue, golden, and colorless stones, the blue and colorless often enhanced by heat treatment, remain popular gems. With a Mohs hardness of 7.5, zircon serves as a December birthstone.

Physical & Optical Properties

Category Semi-Precious Gems

Mohs Hardness 7,5

Specific Gravity 3,93 – 4,73

Refractive Index 1,81 – 2,024

Crystal System Tetragonal

Luster Vitreous

Cleavage Indistinct

Fracture Conchoidal

Color various

Birefringence 0,045

Dispersion 0,039

Pleochroism Red zircon - distinct: purplish-red - reddish-brown; Orange/brown zircon - weak: yellow-brown - red-brown; Yellow - weak: honey-yellow - brown-yellow; Blue - strong: colorless to gray - blue; Green - weak: brownish-green - green

Mohs Hardness

Mohs Hardness: 7,5

1 Soft10 Hard

Crystal System

Value & Market

Price Tier Moderate ($50-500/ct)

Where to Buy Zircon

Blue Nile Fine jewelry retailer

James Allen Gemstone jewelry

Brilliant Earth Ethically sourced gems

Amazon Wide selection

Links may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Cultural Significance

Birthstone Month 12 (traditional)

Treatments

The brown varieties are heat-treated at temperatures of 1472-1832 degrees F (800-1000 degrees C), producing colorless and blue zircons. These colors do not necessarily remain constant; ultraviolet rays or sunlight can produce changes. - Gemstones of the world, Walter Schumann, 2001, p 108 Synthetic zircons are only of scientific interest. - Gemstones of the world, Walter Schumann, 2001, p 108 7.5Herve Nicolas Lazzarelli, Blue Chart Gem Identification (2010) High typeMore from other references 3.93 to 4.73Walter Schumann, Gemstones of the world (2001) More from other references BrittleHerve Nicolas Lazzarelli, Blue Chart Gem Identification (2010) May show abraded facet junctions, brittleness increasing with heat-treatmentMore from other references IndistinctWalter Schumann, Gemstones of the world (2001) More from other references ConchoidalArthur Thomas, Gemstones (2009) 1.810 to 2.024Walter Schumann, Gemstones of the world (2001) More from other references Uniaxial/+Herve Nicolas Lazzarelli, Blue Chart Gem Identification (2010) More from other references 0.045 to 0.059Herve Nicolas Lazzarelli, Blue Chart Gem Identification (2010) High typeMore from other references Red zircon - distinct: purplish-red - reddish-brown; Orange/brown zircon - weak: yellow-brown - red-brown; Yellow - weak: honey-yellow - brown-yellow; Blue - strong: colorless to gray - blue; Green - weak: brownish-green - greenHerve Nicolas Lazzarelli, Blue Chart Gem Identification (2010) More from other references 0.039Michael O?Donoghue, Gems, Sixth Edition (2006) In the heat-treated colourless material when facetedMore from other references Low type: star 4Herve Nicolas Lazzarelli, Blue Chart Gem Identification (2010) Colourless, blue, green, yellow-green, yellow, green-brown, brown, yellow-red, redUlrich Henn and Claudio C. Milisenda, Gemmological Tables (2004) More from other references Blue color: greenish; green color: may appear pinkishHerve Nicolas Lazzarelli, Blue Chart Gem Identification (2010) Blue, U4+. Red, Nb4+ color centers.W. William Hanneman, Pragmatic Spectroscopy For Gemologists (2011) Transparent,TranslucentArthur Thomas, Gemstones (2009) VitreousWalter Schumann, Gemstones of the world (2001) Vitreous luster to a brilliant sheen.More from other references Blue: very weak - light orange. Red and brown: weak - dark yellowWalter Schumann, Gemstones of the world (2001) Inert to orangy-yellowHerve Nicolas Lazzarelli, Blue Chart Gem Identification (2010) TetragonalHerve Nicolas Lazzarelli, Blue Chart Gem Identification (2010) More from other references Short, stocky 4-sided prisms with pyramidal endsWalter Schumann, Gemstones of the world (2001) More from other references Most gem zircon occurs as pebbles in gem gravels.Michael O?Donoghue, Gems, Sixth Edition (2006) More from other references Zircon - Locality: Unknown (possibly Burma)Zircon - Locality: Unknown (possibly Cambodia)Zircon - Locality: Tanzania Zircon information at mindat.org Australia  Faulkner and Shigley (1989) F.L. Sutherland (1999) Cambodia  mindat.org mindat.org China  Kyrgyzstan  Madagascar  Hanni (1999) Hanni (1999) Myanmar  Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok Russia  Y. Shelementiev (1999) Y. Shelementiev (1999) Sri Lanka  Milisenda and Henn (1999) Milisenda and Henn (1999) Milisenda and Henn (1999) Milisenda and Henn (1999) Econ Geol (1981) 76:733-738 Tanzania  gemexplorer.org Thailand  E.Ya. Kievlenko (2003) Geology of gems, p. 44 Vietnam 

About Zircon

El circón es el mineral de silicato de zirconio más antiguo conocido en la Tierra: algunos cristales de Australia occidental tienen más de 4.400 millones de años. En joyería, el circón incoloro ha sido históricamente el principal sustituto natural del diamante por su alto brillo y dispersión. No debe confundirse con la circonia cúbica (que es sintética). Se presenta en azul, dorado, naranja, rojo y verde. Los principales yacimientos están en Camboya, Sri Lanka y Tanzania.