Gemstone Zircon: The oldest mineral on earth

The zircon forms its own mineral group. To make its sparkle stand out, zircon is usually made into a round or oval faceted cut. Colorless zircon is sometimes used as a less expensive alternative to diamond. Zircon should not be confused with cubic zirconia, as cubic zirconia is a synthetically produced stone that is used in inexpensive costume jewelry. The hardness of zircon varies from 6.5 – 7.5. Zircon is the oldest mineral found on earth to date, with some crystals found in Australia estimated to be over 4.4 billion years old!

• Own mineral group
• Mostly round or oval facet cut
• Hardness: 6.5-7.5
• Oldest mineral on earth

Origin of the zircon: From Antarctica to Nigeria

Zircon in one form or another is found on every continent including Antarctica, but larger gem quality zircon crystals have been produced from alluvial deposits in Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Myanmar and Vietnam for hundreds of years. More recently, gem deposits have been mined in Australia, South America, Nigeria, Madagascar, and wherever pegmatite rocks are found.

• Antarctica
• Sri Lanka
• Cambodia
• Myanmar
• Vietnam
• Australia
• South America
• Nigeria
• Madagascar

Value of zircon: quality factors

There are four quality factors that determine the value of a zircon, namely color, weight in carats, clarity and cut. The most sought-after colors in zircon are blue, red and green. The value of a gemstone is mostly determined by its weight. The unit of measurement is the carat (ct), where one carat is approximately 0.2 grams. A zircon usually weighs more than other gemstones of its size.

Also, the zircon is usually very eye clean. Gemstones with noticeable inclusions are less valuable. Zircons are usually processed into a round or oval facet cut, as this particularly emphasizes its shimmer.

• Most valuable colors: Blue, red and green
• Weight: Zircon is heavier than average
• Zircon is usually very eye clean
• Mostly round or oval facet cut

Price of a carat of zircon

Although some varieties of zircon are much rarer than diamonds, the prices of these stones are generally much more affordable. This means that you can get an amazing stone for a good price, making zircon a great option for jewelry.

Zircon can cost anywhere from $50 to $400 per carat depending on the quality factors of the stone. You need to evaluate the stone and make sure it is worth the asking price. Also, the richer the color the more expensive the gemstone.

• White: $24
• Strong dark red: $26
• Yellow: $26
• Orange: $28
• Light orange: $30
• Light green: $41
• Green yellow: $44
• Blue/Green: $52
• Dark green: $53
• Blue light: $56
• Purple: $67
• Blue medium: $103
• Royal blue : $151

Jewellery: ring, necklace or bracelet?

Zircon is a popular gemstone because it comes in a variety of appealing colors. Blue is the most popular zircon color and about 80% of zircons sold today are blue. Zircon is especially popular as a gemstone because the mineral can rival diamonds in terms of luster.

It is also interesting to know that zircon is not only used as a decorative stone, but can also be used as a dental prosthesis. Zircons contain minute traces of radioactive elements such as uranium, thorium and strontium. However, the alpha radiation emitted by these elements is extremely low and also completely harmless.

• About 80% of the zircons sold are blue
• Shines like a diamond
• Zircon can also be used as a dental prosthesis
• Low radioactive radiation

Care of the zircon: for long durability

It is best to store gemstones and jewelry separately to avoid scratches and breakage. When storing zircon gemstones, it is advisable to wrap them in a soft cloth or place them in a cloth-lined box. Always remove jewelry when you are doing any type of physical activity, including housework, sports, or exercise. When not worn, it is recommended to keep the zircons out of direct sunlight and away from strong heat sources, as this could alter the coloration.

Simply wipe your zircons with a soft cloth or brush, or wash them as needed with a mild soap or detergent and rinse with warm water. Avoid steam cleaners or ultrasonic cleaners when cleaning zircon gemstones and jewelry.

• Separate storage
• Storage in a cloth or box
• Protect from sunlight or strong heat sources
• Wipe with a soft cloth or brush
• Wash with mild soap or detergent
• Do not clean with steam jet or ultrasonic cleaner

Color of zircon: Red, Blue, Yellow & Green

Zircon comes in a wide range of colors from yellow, orange, red, brown to blue and colorless. There are three types of zircon, each with a different color. High zircon is mainly pinkish orange, blue, brown and colorless and medium zircon is more reddish yellow, green and greenish brown. Low zircon comes in various shades of green. The colourless and blue but also red and yellow zircons are mostly obtained by firing brownish varieties. The green zircons are very rare and especially sought after by collectors.

• High zircon: pink-orange, blue, brown and colourless
• Middle zircon: reddish-yellow, green and greenish-brown
• Deep zircon: Green tones

Parts of a gemstone: crown, belt and pavilion

The crown is the upper part of the gem, from the top of the belt to the table. The average crown height is expressed as a percentage of the average girdle diameter. It can affect both the dispersion and brightness of a gemstone. The roundist is the area of the gemstone with the largest diameter. It surrounds the gemstone like a belt. If the roundel is too thin, it will have a negative effect on the stability of the diamond; if it is too thick, it will have a bad effect on the brilliance.

The pavilion is the lower part of a gemstone from the bottom edge of the girdle to the bowl. The depth of the pavilion is expressed as a percentage of the average girdle diameter. Too shallow or too deep a pavilion will allow light to leak out the side or bottom of the stone. A well-cut gemstone directs more light up through the crown.

On the crown of a stone, there are three different types of facets next to the tablet: eight star-shaped Star Facets, eight diamond-shaped Bezel Facets and 16 triangular Upper Crown Facets. The Pavilion features 16 Lower Girdle Facets, eight Pavilion Main Facets, and an optional Calette.

The culet is a small facet that forms the lower end of a gemstone. It has a great influence on its optical properties: if it is too large, much of the incident light will not be reflected. However, there are also stones with a pointed end without a culet. The tablet is the largest facet of a gemstone and is located on top of the crown. It is through it that light can enter the stone.

• Crown – upper part of the diamond
• Round list – outer edge of the gemstone
• Pavilion – lower part of the diamond
• Facets – three types of facets
• Calette – termination of the gemstone
• Table – largest facet of the gemstone

Cutting Process – Cutting, Ebouching, Faceting & Polishing

The cutter must first look at the raw stone and consider how to preserve as much of the raw substance as possible. In addition, he must take into account fracture lines and inclusions in the crystal, so that the stone does not break apart when cut. Once the stone is cut, it is given the raw form during ebouching on grinding wheels.

This is followed by faceting: In this step, flat surfaces, the so-called facets, are cut onto the stone. They are decisive for how the light refracts in the stone. The more precisely they are laid out and cut, the better a zircon, for example, will later reflect light rays and sparkle. Polishing is the final work step. The polisher has to hit exactly the surfaces that the cutter has specified. Many stone rarities have broken during this last step.

1. Cutting
2. Ebouching
3. Faceting
4. Polishing

Zircon Cut Types – Faceted Cut, Smooth Cut & Mixed Cut

Zircon is a popular gemstone that comes in almost every color and is often used as a diamond substitute. The color of zircon can be changed by heat and the gemstone is usually found as a round or oval faceted cut. Colorless zircon is sometimes used as a less expensive alternative to diamond. Zircon should not be confused with cubic zirconia, as cubic zirconia is a synthetically manufactured stone that is used in inexpensive costume jewelry. The hardness of zircon varies from 6.5 – 7.5.

If one starts from the optical appearance of the cut gemstones, one can recognize three main types of cut, the so-called cut types:

• Facet cut
• Smooth grinding
• Mixed grinding

There are four quality factors that determine the value of a zircon, namely color, weight in carats, clarity and cut. Here you can find the most common cuts of zircon gemstones:

1. Portuguese Rose
2. Magna Cut
3. Classic Cut
4. Royal Cut
5. Zinnia Cut
6. Split Brilliant
7. Trap Cut
8. Old European
9. Single cut
10. Swiss Cut
11. Sphere Cut
12. Zircon Cut

Portuguese Rose – Portuguese Rose

Magna Cut – Magna Cut

Classic Cut – Classic Cut

Royal Cut – Royal Cut

Zinnia Cut – Zinnia Cut

Split Brilliant – Split Brilliant

Trap Cut – Trap Cut

Old European – Old European Cut

Single Cut – Single Cut

Swiss Cut – Swiss Cut

Sphere Cut – Sphere Cut

Zircon Cut: Zircon cut