Happy Birthday December! Your gem color is blue. You have a choice of 3 different blue gems. Blue zircon, tanzanite and turquoise. Lucky you!
turquoise
rough tanzanite gems
rough zircon gems
Blue zircon is the more traditional birthstone of December. Unfortunately zircon is not that well-known and often confused with cubic zirconia in part because of its similar name. I admit, I had to look up zircon to see if it was a natural gemstone. In all gem buying trips I don’t ever remember coming across any zircons, nor do I personally own any in my gems collection!
source JewelryCook
source HotRoxCustomJewelry
Zircons come in a variety of colors including orange, yellow, red, green, gray, brown and blue which is most popular today. Zircons are sourced from Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Burma, Vietnam, Australia, Nigeria, Madagascar, Canada and Ukraine.
In the middle ages zircon was believed to help the wearer sleep. It was thought to bring prosperity and wisdom. Today zircon promotes constancy. It is said to remove negative attitudes such as jealously and prejudice aiding the wearer to love oneself as well as others.
In the world of gemstones, tanzanite is the new kid on the block! It was first discovered in 1967 and promoted by New York jewelers Tiffany & Co. Tanzanite is actually blue zoisite. Its color shifts from lilac-blue to sapphire blue to deep blue violet. Nearly all tanzanite is heat treated to produce striking violet blue color that is most sought after.
A good quality tanzanite can command prices of $300-$424 per carat making it somewhat rare and costly. Its only source is Tanzania. Tanzanite is not real durable and should be worn with care.
Tanzanite is known to generate happiness and give relief from worries. It can help to overcome fear and crises. Tanzanite helps to unite the higher mind with intuition and can link your mind to higher realms. Tanzanite can attract energies of wealth and abundance!
source FizzCandy
Looking for a “modern” December birthstone? Consider turquoise! It ranges in color from blue to green and will many times have “veins” of different minerals running through it. This cherished gemstone has been around since ancient times. Pharaohs of ancient Egypt adorned themselves in it and Chinese artisans have been carving it for over 3000 years!
Turquoise was thought to possess powers of health and good fortune. From the 13 century on it was thought to protect the wearer from falling (off horses). It also played an important role in the lives of Native Americans. They believed attaching turquoise to one’s bow or firearm made ones aim more accurate. The Pueblo believed turquoise got its color from the sky, while the Hopi thought the gem was made from lizards scurrying over the earth. In European tradition a gift of turquoise means “forget me not.” It adorns the funerary mask of King Tut. And it appears in jewelry of royalty.
Source CKS jewelry
For over a 1,000 years turquoise has been mined in the Nishapur of Iran. Originally the intense blue of this turquoise was known as “robins’ egg blue, sky blue, or Persian blue. Today these terms are used to describe turquoise’s color no matter the source. New Mexico was once the largest producer of turquoise until the 1920’s. Now most U.S. turquoise comes from Arizona and Nevada. The world’s greatest producer of turquoise is China.
The turquoise gemstone is a symbol of friendship and brings peace and good fortune to the home and owner. Turquoise is a stone of purification. It helps dispel negative energy and clear the environment of pollutants. Carry turquoise when you travel. It is said to be soothing to the mind and can help with jet lag. Turquoise promotes self-realization and assists in problem solving.
Which of the three is your favorite? Me? All three please!
Until next time,
ENJOY!!
cheryl