December Birthstone Guide
December is here! We are celebrating a different kind of winter blues- the wonderful shades of blue gemstones! There are several gemstones that represent the month of December, and they are all a different, exquisute shade of blue. The most well-known December birthstone is Blue Zircon. There are also several other gemstones that represent the month of December, including Tanzanite, Turquoise and Blue Topaz. Read down the list to see a little history of each gemstone and some of our favorite creations featuring these wonderful birthstones.
Tanzanite
Tanzanite is the blue variety of the mineral zoisite, which is only found in the country of Tanzania. It was discovered fairly recently in 1967. In 1968, Tiffany & Co. recognized this blue gem’s potential to rival the more expensive sapphire, and decided to become its main distributor. They agreed that the name “blue zoisite” sounded a little too much like "suicide", so they re-named the gemstone TANZANITE, named after it's limited geographic origin. Since Tiffany and Co. introduced tanzanite to the world of fine jewelry, it has grown tremendously in popularity. We love it, too!
As you will see, Tanzanite has a beautiful blue/violet tone and can be used in a variety of jewelry applications. We even carry a pair of ROUGH tanzanite earrings, where the raw stone has not been cut.
Turquoise
Turquoise is known for its distinct color, which ranges from powdery blue to greenish robin’s egg blue. Turquoise is found in regions where rainwater dissolves copper in the soil, forming colorful nodular deposits when it combines with aluminum and phosphorus. Copper contributes blue hues, while iron and chrome add a hint of green. Some of the largest turquoise suppliers are located in the United States; Nevada, New Mexico, California and Colorado produce turquoise, but Arizona leads in production by value, as well as quality. Turquoise seems to be one of those stones that is simply timeless, and can be used in a variety of jewelry styles.
Blue Topaz
Blue Topaz is a beautiful baby blue gemstone that makes a great alternative for a December birthstone. Large portions of topaz are found in Brazil and other deposits can be mined in Australia, China, Myanmar and Mexico. December is all about the BLUES, and Blue topaz is among the rarest variations of natural topaz.
Topaz occurs in a wide range of colors including yellow, brown, blue, clear, red, orange, and pink.
This gem is widely known for its durability, color and affordability with an impressive hardness rating of 8 in the Mohs scale which makes it a fantastic candidate for engagement rings and pretty much all other jewelry applications.
All items pictures are available for purchase in our store.