December Birthstones Bring Blue Hues to the Holidays

DECEMBER BIRTHSTONES

The winter blues have nothing on December’s birthstones: tanzanite, zircon, and turquoise—all three are best known for their beautiful shades of blue.

These gemstones range from the oldest on Earth, to one of the first mined and used in jewelry, to one of the most recently discovered. All three are relatively inexpensive, but their beauty rivals even precious gemstones. Colorless zircon is a convincing replacement for diamond, tanzanite often substitutes sapphire, and turquoise is unmatched in its hue of robin’s egg blue.

Tanzanite

Tanzanite is the exquisite blue-purple variety of the mineral zoisite that is only found in one part of the world. Named for its limited geographic origin in Tanzania, tanzanite has quickly risen to popularity since its relatively recent discovery.

Zircon

Zircon is an underrated gemstone that’s often confused with synthetic cubic zirconia due to similar names and shared use as diamond simulants. Few people realize that zircon is a spectacular natural gemstone available in a variety of colors.

Turquoise

Admired since ancient times, turquoise is known for its distinct color, which ranges from powdery blue to greenish robin’s egg blue. It’s one of few minerals to lend its name to anything that resembles its striking color.