December Birthstones
Got the winter blues?
December has three birthstones to help you fight the chill this month –turquoise, tanzanite, and zircon.
With shades of blue found on these stones, you won’t have trouble adding a bit of sparkle to your winter outfits.
These gemstones are surprisingly inexpensive but their beauty is incomparable. Zircon can be a nice replacement for diamond, tanzanite can substitute sapphire, and turquoise can serve as an alternative to any gem as its beauty is unparalleled.
Depending on your style, you can choose from the three birthstones that will match your day-to-day outfits.
- The name Turquoise derives from the French expression pierre tourques in the 13th century which referred to the Turkish stone brought to Europe from Turkey.
- With its distinct color, turquoise has been worshiped since the ancient times. Its color ranges from greenish robin’s egg blue to powdery blue.
- Ancient Persians love to use turquoise in certain decorations and they often use this gem with Arabic script. Most palace domes in Persia were covered in turquoise as the sky blue color represented heaven.
- Persians believed that wearing turquoise jewelry around their necks and turbans protected them from destruction.
Tanzanite
- The exquisite blue variety of the mineral Zoisite, Tanzanite is only found in one part of the world. It was named after its limited geographic origin in Tanzania. As such, it has quickly risen to popularity since its relatively recent discovery.
- This stone is only found a few miles from Tanzania and just near Mount Kilimanjaro.
- On the Moh’s scale of hardness, Tanzanite measures 6.5 to 7 which is not as hard as sapphire. This gem is ideal for pendants and earrings than rings as it is vulnerable to scratch especially when worn daily.
Zircon
- Zircon comes from the Persian word zargun which means gold-colored. Some trace its beginnings to the Arabic zarkun which translates to “vermillion.” This gem has a wide range of colors — from yellow, brown, blue, and red to orange and yellow.
- Way back during the Middle Age, people believed that zircon could induce sound sleep, promote wisdom and prosperity, and fight evil.
- Most zircon come in brownish red and is known for its earth tones. However, most gem-quality stones are heat treated until they turn blue, gold or even colorless.
- Zircon is popularly used in the decorative ceramics industry. During the 1920s, heat treatment has become a customary practice to boost the tone of zircon.
- Zircon is believed to be used as a grounding stone that promotes compassion and confidence. It is also believed to bring vision to reality and offer guidance to achieve goals and ambitions.
These stunning gems might be three of earth’s most adored jewels. Lucky for December babies since you all have three gems to choose from. As the year is almost over, let these stones grant you tranquility for the exciting year ahead!