What is Zircon? A Quick Guide to Everything You Need to Know
If you’re not already familiar with them (and you’re probably not), it’s time you learned about zircon gemstones. Zircon crystals are highly underrated gemstones that offer a range of appearances and colors and uses beyond jewelry.
Once considered merely a diamond simulant (much like cubic zirconia, though zircon and cubic zirconia are not the same thing), colorless zircons appeared in faux diamond jewelry more than a century ago, and the Victorians loved blue zircons. Just as a diamond serves in industrial applications, zircon’s hardness allows it to be used in similar applications. It also boasts a high refractive index.
So why do zircons not get the same attention today as they might’ve in decades or centuries past? It could simply be that more people don’t know about them.
What You Will Learn
What are Zircons?
Let’s start with the basics first: What is zircon stone?
According to the Gemological Institute of America’s extensive information, zircon is a gemstone that comes in an array of colors, including clear, green, red, blue, and others. Humans have been mining zircon for centuries, and zircon mined in Australia dates back more than 4 billion years, making it the oldest mined mineral on the planet.
According to Geoscience Australia, records show that zircon mining also occurs in Sri Lanka and Cambodia.In such locations, zircon occurs in igneous rocks and as detrital grains in sedimentary rocks. Currently, Australia can account for the largest zircon deposits in the world, claiming more than a third of the planet’s total known zircon.
Zircon is known for its rainbow of colors, radioactive trace elements, high luster, and double refraction.
Zircon Throughout History
As the above two resources report, zircon has found a place throughout the history books, catching admirers with its bright colors.
Zircon’s history is vast, as evidenced by its honorable mention in both the Old Testament and the Tanakh. In the Middle Ages, practitioners thought zircon could repel evil and promote high-quality sleep due to its believed magical properties (as many gemstones were). As mentioned, blue stones were a favorite in the Victorian era, and avid collectors will find English antique pieces that prominently feature these blue stones.
Beyond its use in jewelry throughout the ages, zircon has also found a place in industrial applications. Zircon’s high melting point and hardness make it an excellent material for use in pipes, furnaces, and even ballpoint pens.
Factors That Influence Zircon Quality: Zircon Colors, Optical Properties, and More
Like most gemstones, the factors that influence zircon quality and price include:
- Color
- Cut
- Clarity
- Carat weight
Zircon Color
As mentioned, zircon comes in various colors, but some colors are more in-demand and valuable than others. Favorites include blue zircon, red zircon, and green zircons. Red zircon often has more of a reddish brown hue, and green stones are a vibrant, spring-green hue. Of all the colors of zircon, though, blue is most preferred. Most zircons that are blue have only achieved their vibrant color via heat treatment.
Clarity
While, with most gemstones, the clearer, the better, that’s not always been the case for zircon. Cloudy gemstones were quite popular in the Victorian era. However, now, a higher clarity is preferred.
Cut
Most zircon gemstones feature a brilliant cut. There’s also what’s known as “the zircon cut,” which is similar to the brilliant cut but with eight extra facet edges.
Carat Weight
According to the Gemological Institute of America, most cut faceted zircon weighs between 1 and 10 carats.
Zircon Crystal Classifications
In addition to the above factors that influence zircon price and desirability, zircon is also classified further based on factors such as crystal structure, with classes including low, intermediate, and high zircon.
Remember how we noted that zircon has radioactive trace elements? This radioactivity can damage the zircon’s crystal structure. The less damage, the better the classification. This is why high zircon, with the least radioactive damage, is in jewelry pieces.
How to Identify Zircon
Zircon is not easily distinguishable from diamonds, at least not to the untrained eye. Because of this, zircon developed a reputation as a “fake” diamond in the early 20th century, when unscrupulous sellers passed the gemstone off as such.
If you ever worry about identifying zircon, enlist a trained jeweler who can help you properly identify what kind of gemstone you have and its value.
How to Care for Zircon
Zircon is known for being somewhat brittle and requires proper storage to prevent it from being accidentally bumped or damaged. A high-quality jewelry box or jewelry safe with individual compartments for each piece of jewelry is always preferable.
Additionally, be mindful of zircon’s brittleness when wearing any zircon pieces; you don’t want to knock a zircon ring against a hard countertop, for example, as this could cause damage.
Do not use ultrasonic or steam cleaners to clean zircon. Instead, opt for a delicate approach, using warm water, mild dish soap, and a jewelry-cleaning cloth.
Zircon FAQs
Is Zircon Radioactive?
Technically, yes, but not so much that it poses any danger.
Is There Such a Thing as Synthetic Zircons?
Do not confuse zircon with synthetic cubic zirconia. According to The Gemmological Association of Great Britain, the two are entirely different, with similar names. Furthermore, cubic zirconia is always synthetic and not found in the natural world, unlike natural gemstones like zircon.
What Color is Zircon?
Zircon comes in various colors, including colorless, blue, green, brown, yellow, and red.
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At BriteCo, we love helping jewelry shoppers discover their new favorite piece of jewelry, whether that’s a sentimental classic like a solitaire engagement ring, or something completely out of the ordinary and unusual, like zircon. The BriteCo blog has jewelry ideas and guides aplenty.
However, once you’ve found your latest favorite piece, protect it, with specialized jewelry insurance. With BriteCo’s comprehensive coverage, every piece has protection in the event of damage, theft, or loss.
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