Many connoisseurs of rarities want to buy natural zircon stone because it has a beautiful color range and no less attractive price. Transparent varieties of good purity have a bright play of color flashes (dispersion), excellent brilliance. No wonder their beauty is compared to diamonds.
Description of zircon:
Color:
The color palette of the mineral is varied. Blue zircon is the most popular. A highly prized variety of orange, pink, blue or red, brightly colored pieces that can be more expensive than others. There are also colored greens, rare yellows, browns, purples, colorless and color-shifting exemplars.
Cost:
The price of this high-quality gemstone can be measured in hundreds of dollars per carat.
Places of mining:
Deposits of gem-quality zircons are quite rare, although it is a fairly common mineral. Its deposits are situated in Cambodia, Myanmar (Burma), Thailand, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Madagascar, and other countries.
The name of this stone is derived from the Persian word "zargun", which in the translation means "golden color". This gem is one of the earliest minerals on Earth. That fact is confirmed by the amazing discovery of scientists - the Australian zircon, whose age is determined at 4.4 billion years.
As already stated above, the stone is rich in its own palette and variety. Let's see the most famous and popular of them:
Matura diamond (Matara diamond). This type of faceted colorless zircons got its name from the Ceylon city of Matara. Until the 18th century, they were considered diamonds in Europe.
Slang (Siamese zircon - since it is mined in Thailand). This type of mineral has a yellow tint, which includes gold, straw, and smoky yellow.
Hyacinth. Transparent crystal of orange, red, or red-brown color with pink, raspberry, or yellow plays of color.
Malacon. A dark brown gem that contains a small number of impurities of radioactive elements.
Starlit. It has a vivid color of blue-deep tints, which were obtained thanks to refining by heating.
Yacinth. The name of the zircons with orange-red colors.
Green zircon. This species has no name of its own.
How to distinguish genuine zircon from fake?
A сubic zirconia is often sold under its name. It is necessary to distinguish between these concepts. Zircon is a natural mineral, the virtue, and rarity of which were appreciated by many. While cubic zirconia is an artisanal diamond, and it does not have such a bright sparkle, like having a zircon. Also, the edges of this stone are sharp, while in zircon, they are more rounded.
In addition, to distinguish zircon from fake in the form of cubic zirconia, you should check:
Structure:
The main difference between many natural gemstones is all kinds of inclusions. This criterion is especially helpful in determining the authenticity of minerals if they are transparent. Zircon is one of these minerals. Therefore, you should use a magnifying glass and carefully examine the stone - voids, inclusions (large or small) - all these are signs of natural zircon. Cubic zirconia, in turn, is striking in its purity.
Diamond shine:
This is another difference between zircon and fakes. Few minerals possess it, so take a closer look at the stone.
Weight:
When establishing the authenticity of zircon, try to find an opportunity to compare its weight with the weight of cubic zirconia - the latter will be much heavier than a real mineral;
Radiation:
It is good if, when examining a mineral, you will have the opportunity to check it for radiation emission. Only natural green zircon is radioactive. Do not be afraid of this - the radiation is too small to harm the human body.
You can always count on quality originals at Gem Lovers. All products presented on the site are certified. We are also ready to send you a detailed report from a gemological company at our company's expense.
If you want to buy zircon but have not yet seen the desired exemplar in our catalog, contact us - we will be happy to search for the best one for your own order. In addition, Gem Lovers has a service for the design and manufacture of jewelry with selected zircon rings, brooches, pendants, and so on. We will take into account your every wish!
