We couldn’t be more delighted with the three gorgeous gemstones that make up December’s birthstone choice. In crystalline shades of blue, the December birthstones are a beautiful reflection of the crisp and delicate beauty found in nature during the chilly December months.
We’ve put together some of our favourite settings for each stone so whether you’re purchasing a special gift for Christmas or celebrating a December birthday take a look at these stunning stones.
Turquoise
An ancient stone that is found in history books hundreds of years before the birth of Christ Turquoise has long been associated with a variety of qualities, as this birthstone poem indicates:
“If cold December gave you birth, the month of snow and ice and mirth, place on your hand a turquoise blue; success will bless whate’er you do.”
Now we can’t vouch for the so called ‘success’ quality of the gem, but we can say that Turquoise makes an exquisite gem in a variety of settings. Some of our favourites include:
- A yellow gold encased pendant and drop earring set. (The yellow gold works particularly well with Turquoise, which is often paired with white gold too)
- Rectangular cut Turquoise drop earrings set with Celtic knots.
No matter what setting you choose for your Turquoise stone, the intense, vibrant blue is sure to draw the right attention whenever you wear it.
Blue Zircon
When choosing a Blue Zircon, there are a few pointers to take into account.
- Look for the purest blue you can find. Blue Zircon’s can have traces of green in them so the purer the blue the better.
- Blue Zircons are very rare and not easily found in nature, so the carat weight will play a part in the pricing.
- The bigger the stone, the more likely there will be inclusions which reduce the clarity of the stone.
- Blue Zircons are often cut shallow instead of deep as jewellers work with the shape of the crystal.
Blue Zircon’s make an absolutely stunning addition to any jewellery collection and are particularly beautiful when set so that they receive as much natural light as possible.
Tanzanite
Ranging in colour from deep blue to purple, Tanzanite is a well-known gem, but with some surprising qualities.
- The name Tanzanite was given to the gem because the world’s only known Tanzanite mine of any commercial value is found in Tanzania on the East Coast of Africa.
- Most well-known gemstones have been used and known for hundreds of years, but Tanzanite was first discovered in the 1960s making it one of the youngest commercial gems in the world.
- Tanzanite has a 6.5 on the Moh’s Hardness Scale (Mohs Hardness Scale: Testing the Resistance to Being Scratched (geology.com)) which means it is susceptible to scratches and chips if not set properly.
Some of our favourite settings for Tanzanite include engagement and wedding rings, particularly when the stone is set to reflect as much natural light as possible.
We also adore Tanzanite drop earrings as this setting ensures the stone gets plenty of natural light but is protected from bumps and scratches.
Conclusion
Whichever shade of blue you choose from December’s birth stones, we’d encourage you to add a frozen drop of winter into your jewellery collection with a Turquoise, Blue Zircon or Tanzanite piece. Contact us to find out more about the best settings for each stone.
