Zircon: The Noble, Global Stone
 Zircon is a natural gemstone that is sometimes heat treated to enhance its color. Popular among jewelry enthusiasts, zircon provides elegance and beauty at an affordable price. Zircon is also a traditional birthstone for the month of December.
Zircon’s name has been derived from a couple of sources. The Persian word “zargun” means golden-colored, and the Arabic word “zarqun” means vermilion (a mercuric sulfide used as pigment). Zircon has been known to exist in many colors: blue, brown, honey, yellow/gold, red, red/orange, colorless, and the rarest, green.
Any zircon stone that is good enough to be used as a gemstone without having to add heat treatment is called precious zircon or noble zircon. The zircon stones that do not have a natural gem quality are heat treated, which gives desired colors, such as golden yellow or blue. Blue zircon is very popular on today’s market. Green zircon is rare, causing collectors to scramble to locate some. Yellow, brown, and colorless are the cheapest zircon gemstones.
Yellow, yellow/red, or orange zircon is also known as hyacinth or jacinth. Blue zircon has been called starlite zircon or siam. Colorless zircon has also been known as jargoon.
Many of the colorless zircons that exhibit a natural gem quality are known as matura diamonds and are used as diamond substitutes. It is important to note that the colorless zircon is not the same as cubic zirconia, which is a non-natural diamond substitute. The chemical makeup of zircon and cubic zirconia is different. However, as a diamond substitute, both do a wonderful job. Zircon displays very nice fire and luster, which is incredibly attractive. When compared to the price of a diamond, the affordable zircon looks even more attractive to a savings-conscious shopper.
Australia is a big producer of zircon, but zircon has been found in many places around the world. Madagascar, Cambodia, Canada, Sri Lanka, Italy, Thailand, Norway, Pakistan, Russia, South Africa, and India have all produced zircon. In the United States, zircon has been found in Colorado, Texas, New York, Massachusetts, North Carolina, and Maine.
 Zircon is a fairly durable gemstone, rating a 7.5 on the Mohs scale of hardness. In comparison, a diamond is the most durable at a rating of 10. However, avoid direct hits against a zircon gemstone as the strong blows will cause the zircon to chip. It is best to keep zircon stored in a place where it won’t come in contact with other hard objects.
Zircon, in comparison with other colored gemstones, is a heavier stone. For this reason, when it is viewed side-by-side with a colored gemstone of the same weight, the zircon will appear to be smaller.
Zircon, with its fire and luster, is a heavy hitter (to the eye, not the pocketbook or wallet) that should not be hit back, or things could get “chippy.” Those chips could fly and land on your shoulder, and you don’t want to walk around with a chip on your shoulder.
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