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Faceted
BLUE ZIRCON
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Blue zircon is December's
birthstone. Zircon comes in a wide variety of colors -- brown,
brownish-red, gray and yellow, green and orange. Natural colorless tones as
well as heat-treated colorless ones have been known for years and more than
one hundred years ago colorless zircons were mentioned as possible
substitutes for diamonds. The huge "diamonds" that decorated the harnesses
of ceremonial elephants in Oriental pageants were doubtless zircons.
Blue and colorless stones occur naturally but are not found in sufficient quantity or
quality for commercial use. it was not until the twenties that this gem mineral became
popular. Material discovered in what is now Cambodia was found to change to blue when
heat-treated. Similar material was discovered later in Thailand. For at least four hundred
years, the colorless stones had been known as Matara diamonds, from a district of that
name in Sir Lanka. When the heat-treated blue stones were first cut and put on the market,
they became very popular.
It is believed that the name zircon comes from the Persian zargun, meaning "gold
colored." The natural crystals are often that shade. Hyacinth, used to
describe the reddish-brown natural crystal, is derived form the name of Hyacinthus,
the youth in Greek mythology who was accidentally killed by a discus and
from whose blood the wild hyacinth flower supposedly sprang.
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During the Middle Ages,
hyacinth was believed to induce sleep; promote riches, honor and wisdom and
drive away evil spirits and plagues as well.
Certain beach sands (principally in Florida and Australia) contain a significant
proportion of zircon grains. The most important types of zircon come from Cambodia and
Thailand, with colors ranging from pale yellow-brown to deep red-brown. It is when they
are treated that colorless, blue, golden-yellow stones are produced. Some stones are
subjected to strong sunlight after cutting to bring about the color change. The cuts for
zircon are very much like those for the diamond; the most successful is the round cut
because it brings out a stone brilliance and fire.
The zircon is said to cheer the heart and make its wearer a winner in all enterprises.
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