December Birthstones

Like many of the other months, December proudly boasts three birthstones: turquoise, zircon, and tanzanite. These three precious stones are beautiful in color and they all make jewelry pop. Like all other birthstones, these three have unique histories.


Turquoise in Robin’s Egg Blue


Turquoise is one of the most recognizable precious stones. It is also one that has been appreciate for centuries. In today’s world, it is recognized as a part of Native American culture and it often included in ceremonial outfits and accessories. The gem resembles robin’s eggs blue and usually includes veins of other colors. The veins are called the “matrix” and many pieces of turquoise are prized for their unique patterns. Many people believe that the beautiful turquoise stone provides the wearer with protection from evil. The stone is also known to bring good luck to the owner, too.


Zircon in Several Different Colors

Zircon is another lovely stone, but it is not as well known as turquoise. Zircon comes in a variety of colors that can range from yellow to green and even brown. Many zircons are actually found on beaches and in alluvial deposits. Now, the most popular color for zircons is blue, which was developed by heating up the yellow and golden colored stones until they reached the desired shade of blue. These stones are heated in an oxygen-free oven to reach the shade. Despite the fact that blue is the most popular color, the rarest and most valued is red. The colorless zircons are often used in the same way as diamonds - to the untrained eye, zircons can pass as diamonds. But, jewelers and gemologist can easily determine the difference with a quick test. Unfortunately, zircons are brittle, so they must be treated with care.


Throughout history, zircons have been a part of many stories from in Arabia and India. The Hindus believed the green zircon represented the Kalpa Tree. The zircon was mentioned in the story Arabian Nights. Travelers in the 11th century used zircons to protect against diseases and injury. And in later centuries, the zircon was said to protect against the Black Death. This is a lovely gem that deserves to be respected in today’s world.


Tanzanite in Several Shades of Blue


The third and seriously popular December birthstone is Tanzanite. This beautiful gem can only be found in Tanzania (thus its name). Inside of Tanzania, the gem is only found in the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro. While Tanzanite is best known for its blue color, nearly all of the stones have some shades of purple. The size of the stone often determines the depth of the blue. The biggest stones have rich blues, while the smaller ones are lighter with slightly more lavender tones.


At Chasing Treasure, we take great pride in curating a collection of heirloom quality jewelry boxes to securely and safely protect your gemstones. From small trinket boxes that are perfect for giving rings with December birthstones to large armoire jewelry boxes to hold immense collections, we have everything that jewelry connoisseurs will appreciate.

Care Tips for Turquoise Jewelry

 

Turquoise comes in varying colors ranging from blue, green and yellow-green depending on the chemical makeup of the stone. Turquoise is formed when water comes in contact with copper, zinc or aluminum. The more copper that comes into contact with the stone, the bluer the Turquoise will be.  If the stone is in more contact with zinc then the stone will be more of a yellow-green color and if it is in more contact with aluminum it will take on a greener hue.

When it comes to using  Turquoise for jewelry, it usually ranges between 5 to 6 on the hardness scale.  Because the stone is relatively soft, it is often treated with an epoxy resin to seal the stones pores. This allows the stone to harden up so it is able to be used in jewelry. Once it is treated, it is referred to as "Treated Turquoise". You can also buy "Natural Turquoise" jewelry that has not been treated in any way (other than cutting it and polishing it).

To Care for Your Turquoise:

Handling your Turquoise jewelry should be done with care. You will want to store it by laying it flat in a softly lined jewelry box. Never store jewelry in plastic bags that are not acid-free or made for jewelry storage. You want to keep your Turquoise jewelry away from harsh chemicals and hot water which can damage the stone's surface.

To clean your Turquoise jewelry, you want to rinse them first under cool running water with a little mile liquid soap, rinsing completely and then towel dry with a soft cotton cloth.  You should not use commercial jewelry cleaner on Turquoise jewelry. Most Turquoise jewelry is set in sterling silver and if your silver gets tarnished you can clean that separately with a polishing cloth.

Enjoy your beautiful necklaces, bracelets, rings and earrings often now that you know a bit more about caring for natural jewelry pieces. Taking a bit of time to properly care for your treated Turquoise will mean that you can enjoy its beauty for a life time.

by Jasmine Yesak, Contributing Editor at ChasingTreasure.com, online retailer of quality jewelry boxes, jewelry organizers and watch boxes. Jasmine is a Jewelry Enthusiast and Organization Consultant, she writes about Jewelry Care and Jewelry Storage Tips.