What Is Birthstone For December? December babies are fortunate to have a selection of beautiful blue gemstones to choose from, including Blue Topaz, Blue Zircon, Tanzanite, and Turquoise. This article, brought to you by WHAT.EDU.VN, will provide an in-depth exploration of each of these gems, covering their properties, meanings, and where to find them. Whether you’re looking for a December birthstone gift or simply curious about these fascinating stones, you’ll discover valuable information. Consider this your comprehensive guide to December birthstones and gemstone meanings.
1. Blue Topaz: The Clarity Stone
1.1. What is the Blue Topaz Birthstone Month?
Blue Topaz is one of the modern birthstones for December. It’s a silicate mineral composed of aluminum and fluorine, characterized by its glass-like luster and distinct cleavage, which makes it somewhat brittle. The colors of Blue Topaz range from deep, intense blues to lighter shades. Depending on color saturation, it’s often referred to as London Blue (deep, inky), Swiss Blue (vibrant light blue), or Sky Blue (light aqua).
1.2. What is London Blue Topaz?
London Blue Topaz stands out with its unique, inky medium-blue color, making it the darkest and richest Blue Topaz available. The name “London Blue Topaz” originates from London, where the largest Blue Topaz was discovered, weighing an impressive 9,381 carats, and is showcased in the UK Natural History Museum.
The primary distinguishing factor among London Blue, Swiss Blue, and Sky Blue Topaz lies in their color. London Blue Topaz displays a deeper blue hue with dark tones and saturation, whereas Swiss Blue Topaz has a vibrant sky-blue appearance with lighter tones and saturation.
To achieve its rich blue color, London Blue Topaz is heat-treated, which can sometimes introduce a subtle green tint to the stone.
1.3. What is the Meaning of Blue Topaz?
Known as the clarity stone, Blue Topaz is believed to stimulate open communication and encourage action. It’s regarded as the gemstone of opportunity and represents profound, sincere, and authentic feelings. Associated with wisdom, it’s believed to bring success to the wearer.
Blue Topaz is also thought to redirect positive energies where they are most needed, potentially relieving stress and migraines, and soothing sore throats and body aches. As the chakra for the throat, it’s often worn around the neck to alleviate throat-related ailments.
1.4. Where Does Blue Topaz Come From?
Blue Topaz was first discovered over two thousand years ago by the Romans on the Greek Island of Topazios in the Red Sea. Today, natural Blue Topaz can be found in Texas, USA, and in the Ural Mountains in Russia. Brazil, Sri Lanka, Nigeria, and China also produce Blue Topaz.
1.5. Is Blue Topaz Durable?
Blue Topaz ranks 8 on the Mohs scale, making it harder than sapphire and tougher than tanzanite. However, it’s brittle and should be handled with care.
1.6. Where Can I Buy Blue Topaz Jewelry?
Blue Topaz jewelry is available at many brick-and-mortar stores and online retailers such as James Allen, Blue Nile, CustomMade, Angara, and White Flash.
1.7. Frequently Asked Questions about Blue Topaz
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What are the December birthstones? | Blue Topaz is one of the modern birthstones for December, alongside Blue Zircon and Tanzanite. |
| What is the difference between Blue Topaz? | London Blue Topaz has an inky blue color, distinct from regular Swiss Blue Topaz, Blue Sapphire, or Aquamarine. |
| How much does Blue Topaz Cost? | Prices vary based on size and quality. Natural Blue Topaz is rare and more expensive. However, irradiated white Topaz, which produces the more common Blue Topaz, is cheaper and available in larger quantities. |
2. Blue Zircon: The Gemstone of Wisdom
2.1. Blue Zircon as a December Birthstone
Blue Zircon is recognized as a modern December birthstone, along with Blue Topaz and Tanzanite. Lapis Lazuli and Turquoise are the more traditional December birthstones.
Zirconium silicate, or Zircon, is often mistaken for cubic zirconia, which is a synthetic diamond simulant. However, Zircon has the chemical formula ZrSiO4 and a tetragonal crystal structure, while cubic zirconia is made of zirconium oxide and has a cubic crystal structure.
2.2. What Color is Blue Zircon?
Zircons often form naturally with a brown color. This color can be turned blue through heat treatment. These heated stones show stable and vivid blue or sky-blue colors. The finest Blue Zircons will have hues with strong green components and medium tones. Some Blue Zircons are referred to by trade names like starlites or stremlites.
2.3. What is Blue Zircon’s Symbolic Meaning?
Blue Zircons are commonly linked to wisdom, confidence, and prosperity. When worn as rings, necklaces, and other jewelry, they are believed to ward off evil spirits, aid sleep, enhance intuition, and provide protective auras. Blue Zircon is also thought to assist in meditation and organization.
2.4. Who Can Wear Blue Zircon?
According to Western astrology, those with zodiac signs of Cancer, Gemini, Virgo, Capricorn, or Aquarius can benefit from Blue Zircon. In Indian astrology, those with Libra or Taurus zodiac signs can also adorn themselves with this gemstone.
If you’re a writer, painter, or musician, wearing Blue Zircon can enhance your creative energy.
2.5. Where is Blue Zircon Found?
Blue Zircons occur very rarely in nature. Virtually all gem-quality Blue Zircons get their color through heat treatment. Cambodia and Myanmar produce the Zircons best suited for turning blue with heat. Malawi is emerging as a possible new source of Zircons suitable for heating to blue.
2.6. Is Blue Zircon Durable?
Zircons can have a hardness as high as 7.5 on the Mohs scale, making them resistant to scratching and suitable for jewelry use. However, caution is advised when wearing it on a ring, as all Zircons are very brittle and vulnerable to chipping and breaking from accidental impacts. Protective settings that shield fragile edges and facets are highly recommended.
2.7. Where to Buy Blue Zircon Jewelry
Blue Zircon is hard to find in brick-and-mortar jewelry stores but can be bought from some online retailers like James Allen, Blue Nile, and Angara. Prices vary depending on size, hue, and tone.
2.8. Frequently Asked Questions About Blue Zircon
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Is Blue Zircon More Expensive Than Blue Topaz? | Generally, yes. Blue Zircon is more expensive than Blue Topaz. Topaz is a naturally occurring mineral that comes in a variety of colors, but it doesn’t come as close as Zircon to mimicking the luster and fire of a diamond. |
| Is Blue Zircon Rarer than Diamond? | Yes. Blue Zircon is rarer than diamond, though it is less valuable because of the perception that Zircon is the same as cubic zirconia. Zircon and cubic zirconia are completely different. |
3. Tanzanite: The Gemstone of Transformation
3.1. Tanzanite as a December Birthstone
Tanzanite, a richly colored pleochroic gemstone, is another modern birthstone representing December. Its color shows blue and violet, often with purple highlights, depending on the viewing angle. This gem was first discovered in 1967. Initially believed to be sapphire, its unique appearance suggested it was something else. Gemologists soon identified it as a new variety of the gem species zoisite.
3.2. What Color is Tanzanite?
Tanzanite refers to a transparent variety of zoisite with some combination of blue and violet hues. Tanzanite is a pleochroic gem, showing multiple hues simultaneously. It shows incredibly strong pleochroism with three distinct colors showing from three different directions.
3.3. Tanzanite Meaning
As the source of Tanzanite has only recently been identified, it does not share the deep history associated with some of the other birthstones.
However, this lack of time-honored legend has not inhibited the popularity of the vibrant gemstone in any way.
3.4. Where Does Tanzanite Come From?
Masai tribesman Ali Juuyawatu discovered Tanzanite while traveling in Tanzania in 1967. He came across a cluster of gems poking out of the ground in the Merelani Hills region of the Lelatema Mountains. That small area near Mount Kilimanjaro remains the only known source of Tanzanite.
3.5. Is Tanzanite Durable?
Tanzanite has a hardness ranking of 6 to 7 on the Mohs hardness scale, making it softer than some other birthstones but stronger than some varieties of opal. The surface of Tanzanite can be scratched if permitted to rub against other objects, and it can chip if impacted.
3.6. Tanzanite Rings and Jewelry
The richness of the color coupled with excellent clarity makes for a showstopping effect that is perfect for special occasions. As earrings and pendants are at little risk of damage, you can wear those without fear.
3.7. Frequently Asked Questions about Tanzanite
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What is Tanzanite? | Tanzanite is a transparent variety of the gem species zoisite featuring blue and violet pleochroic colors, and it is only found in the Merelani Hills region of Tanzania. |
| How much Does Tanzanite Cost? | Tanzanite can have lower price-per-carat costs than other, less rare birthstones. The value of individual stones depends primarily on their color and saturation, but the quality of the cut and clarity of the crystal are also important factors. |
| What Color does Tanzanite Have? | As one of the few pleochroic gemstone species, Tanzanite can express blue and violet at the same time. The blue direction may be pure blue or combined with some violet. The violet direction may also be pure or have some purple. Blue may also be mixed with purple. |
| Where does Tanzanite come from? | Tanzanite has proven and sustained global popularity, but it only has one known source in Tanzania. In the case of Tanzanite, both local politics and the particulars of the on-site mining operations have affected annual production rates in the decades since the initial discovery of the stone. This has resulted in years with plentiful amounts of the gem, and years whose supply is leaner, which has influenced the price-per-carat values of the rough crystal accordingly. |
4. Turquoise: The Gemstone of Protection
4.1. Turquoise as a December Birthstone
Turquoise is the traditional December birthstone, presenting as an opaque blue-green mineral made up of hydrated copper phosphate and aluminum. It has a distinct tri-clinic structure and can be waxy to the touch, glassy, or dull in appearance.
4.2. What is the December Birthstone Color?
Turquoise is best known for its blue hues, which can vary from bright blue-green to green to yellowish-green. The stone may also present brown or black spots or streaks running through it.
4.3. What is the Meaning of Turquoise?
The word “turquoise” is a French word “pierre tourques” or “Turkish stone,” likely due to the stone’s Turkish origins. It was first found in Egypt around 4000 BC, making it one of the oldest gemstones in history.
Turquoise is believed to symbolize prosperity, love, and good fortune. It’s worn to boost positive energy and promote happiness, honesty, and spirituality.
4.4. Where Does Turquoise Come From?
Rich deposits of turquoise are found in parts of North America, specifically Nevada and Arizona. Egypt, Iran, Bulgaria, and China also produce turquoise.
4.5. Is Turquoise Durable?
Turquoise has a hardness of 5-6 on the Mohs scale, which makes it too soft for certain types of jewelry. However, there are treatments that can stabilize the stone and make it suitable to wear.
4.6. Where Can You Buy Turquoise Jewelry?
Turquoise jewelry is available for sale in a variety of retail stores and can be bought online from Blue Nile and Angara. For a bespoke piece, check out CustomMade.
4.7. Frequently Asked Questions About Turquoise
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What is the December Birthstone? | Turquoise is the traditional birthstone for the month of December. |
| What Makes a Good Turquoise Stone? | The most valuable turquoise stones are bright blue with no spots or streaks. However, some stones have patterns that are attractive and desirable to some consumers. Stones with a yellow tone are the least valuable. |
| How Much does Turquoise Cost? | Prices vary depending on the quality of the stone. |
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