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December Beauties

Sincerely Ginger Jewelry December Zircon Earrings

It is hard to believe that it is December already.  I don't know about you, but I've been swamped as of late.  Today I want to spotlight the gemstones that represent the birth month of December.  I will be focusing on both the faceted and cabochon stones since both are very popular.
Turquoise
 
 

Turquoise is a popular stone among many jewelry lovers.  It is found in jewelry in cabochon and rough cut form.  Ancient Egyptians and Native Americans viewed the stone as a source of good luck and protection.  I've come to find that many people who enjoy turquoise wear it nowadays because it reminds them of the ocean and nature.  Some stones like amazonite and chrysocolla are often confused with turquoise.  One of the most popular mines is located in the United States, the Sleeping Beauty Mine found in Arizona.  Mining operations ended in 2012 at this location and to this day this turquoise is prized even more for its lack of matrix and even color.  Turquoise deposits usually form in iron-rich limonite or sandstone. Limonite creates dark brown markings in turquoise, while sandstone creates tan markings. These markings are called matrix and they are remnants of the host rock within the turquoise and can resemble splotches or veins.
 

 ZIRCON
 
Zircon Gemstone
 
 
The faceted gemstone for December is zircon.  Blue zircon is the most popular color of the gem, but as you can see above it comes in other colors as well.  Orange, yellow, brown, pink, and green are some of these other colors.  Zircon is a very sturdy stone that can survive in soil, rocks, and sediment.  The gem has high levels of clarity, hardly displaying any imperfections.  In the Middle Ages, people believed that it prevented nightmares and brought honor and wisdom.  As stated previously, the blue variety is the most popular.  Tiffany's world-famous gem buyer, George Kunz was a great fan of blue zircon and wanted to rename it 'Starlite' to emphasize the gem's brilliant luster.  The most brilliant blue gemstone is undoubtedly zircon, which has a higher refractive index than even sapphire, tanzanite, or spinel.  What I enjoy most about the blue variety is it reminds me of blue Christmas lights as well as the blue reflection found on the snow when the sun shines down upon it.