Zircon

Zircon is a natural crystalline gemstone, which is older than diamond and is available in a pallet of colors. It is a very primitive stone whose age is approximately 4.404 billion years. Geologists calculate the age of this mineral stone by the amounts of uranium and lead that is present in the stone. The name may have its origin in the Persian term 'zargun' meaning golden. The colors of Zircon are blue, green pink, aquamarine, brown, red, and yellow where the blue and green variants are in much demand. The stone is available in a transparent form also.

There was a time when diamonds were substituted with Zircons because of their brilliance. In fact, zircon gets its brilliance from its high refractive index. Today with the manufacture of artificial Zircons for mass use, not many have information about natural Zircon. Man-made Zircon is called Cubic Zirconia and sold as diamond look-alikes. According to Hindu Mythology, the green colored zircons are symbolic of green leaves.

There are a number of ways in which Zircon is used:

Zircon is a hard mineral stone but not as hard as diamond. Since the gemstone is prone to getting chipped, being quite brittle, special care must be taken while handling it. Some gentle soap may be employed to clean it. Use a soft brush to remove dirt from the crevices.

Zircon occurs in:

Zircon is a favorite among jewel lovers because of its dazzling brilliance and antiquity.