Zircon: Brilliant (almost) like Diamond, Colorful like Precious Stones
Zircon is one of the oldest stones existing on Earth: in Australia, a fragment has been found that dates back to 4.4 billion years ago. It is a very brilliant gem and for this reason known and appreciated since ancient times; in the Middle Ages, it was believed that zircon protected against evil spirits and could grant wisdom and wealth.
Its name, according to some hypotheses, could derive from the Arabic term zarqun, “red,” or from the Persian zargun, “golden yellow,” demonstrating the different color tones of zircon; the most well-known variety, however, is the transparent one.
The Differences between Zircon, Diamond and Cubic Zirconia
Zircon has been confused with diamond for centuries. The two stones, in fact, are very similar in appearance: they are both very transparent and reflect light in a similar way. In reality, however, they differ in some fundamental characteristics.
First of all, the composition: zircon is a silicate, that is, a mineral composed of silicon and oxygen, while the structure of diamond is made of carbon crystals. This makes the two gems different in two main aspects:
– hardness: zircon is less hard than diamond, which as is known, is the hardest existing mineral. On the Mohs scale, which measures the hardness of minerals, the rating is 10 for diamond, while zircon reaches 7.5 and is therefore less resistant;
– brilliance: although the luminosity of zircon appears very similar to that of diamond, however its light refraction is lower, as can be verified through laboratory tests; for the same reason, its density is greater than that of diamond.
It should be remembered that zircon should not be confused with cubic zirconia, which is not a natural stone, but is a synthetic material created in the laboratory.
Not Only Transparent
The most well-known zircon, especially for its resemblance to diamond, is the colorless and transparent one, also called Matara, from the name of the Sri Lankan locality known for its deposits. In the past, in fact, this zircon was also known as “Matara diamond.”
Not everyone knows, however, that zircon can take on different colorations. The blue variety is called “starlite,” the red one “jacinth,” but stones of different shades of yellow, green, brown are also found. One of the most precious gems are the Ratanakiri zircons, which present a very intense blue color: their name derives from the region of Cambodia where the mines from which they are extracted are located. The term Ratanakiri, in Khmer language, means “mountain of gems.”
The numerous color nuances have made zircon appreciated in jewelry since the 1800s, thanks especially to George Frederick Kunz, the famous American researcher and collector of precious stones, who in 1879, at 23 years old, became vice president of Tiffany & Co., holding this position for 53 years. Kunz is known for having spread knowledge of colored precious stones and for his passion for zircon.
Zircon in Contemporary Jewelry
As we have seen, for a long time zircon has been used in jewelry mainly as a substitute for diamond and therefore primarily in the transparent variant. Colored zircons, however, are very versatile: the various tones can be easily combined with other stones to create jewelry of different styles, from the most traditional to the most unusual.
The ring with brown zircon and red sapphires is an example of a ring with classic design, with a modern combination in the colors of the stones and gold: brown for the central zircon and red for the sapphires that surround it, all on rose gold.
The “tone-on-tone” effect between the brown zircon and red sapphires can also find an effective contrast with white diamonds, as in this pendant, also in rose gold.
Again, the brown zircon becomes the absolute protagonist in this Cascade Pendant, a unique piece of high jewelry: at the center the warm color of the stone, around it the cold and elegant white of diamonds and white gold.
