The cool blues and purples of Tanzanite speak to the truth into your heart. What better way to reconnect with reality than gazing into this dazzling December birthstone? Turquoise is one of the oldest gemstones used in jewelry. Beloved by the Aztecs, turquoise was believed to be the favorite of Quetzalcoatl, the Aztec god of wind. In , the king of the Aztecs presented the explorer Cortez with beautiful turquoise, sure that he was Quetzalcoatl in human form.
Turquoise also plays a valuable role in Native American culture, especially in the American southwest. These traditional values are still expressed through southwestern jewelry styles today, including the ornate carving of turquoise into beads in the shape of various animals. Some in the past have connected rainbows with the magical appearance of turquoise. After a rainstorm, following the end of the rainbow and digging through the wet soil was the way to find turquoise.
It only makes sense then that this birthstone for December would have associations with luck, good fortune and friendship. Some even think that turquoise can help one predict danger or encourage people to fall in love. Turquoise is also the national gem of Tibet.
For more facts and information about the characteristics of turquoise, check out the Turquoise Gemopedia page. A popular focal piece in southwestern style, turquoise has been incorporated into decor and jewelry for centuries. Some turquoise contains matrices, which are delicate lines that spread across the gemstone giving it depth and character.
Others are pure and smooth and, when polished, it looks like a piece of the sky has fallen down to earth. Turquoise is known to be a stone for purification. With turquoise, many believe you can boost your immune health and regeneration of tissue. Spiritually, this stone is lauded by a few, saying that it dispels negative energy while aligning your chakras.
As a purification stone, it can supposedly ward against harsh emotional influences, assisting with mental ailments like depression, exhaustion and panic attacks. The colors of green and blue often mingle together in turquoise to create a calming effect, which is thought to facilitate peaceful introspection and creative problem solving.
Shopping for someone with a December birthday in your life? Bring some birthday cheer with tasteful tanzanite and tantalizing turquoise. Or try on some trendy blue topaz or blue zircon jewelry. December's Birthstones FAQs. Swiss Blue Topaz.
Can topaz be in colors other than blue? Bi-Color Topaz. What is the symbolic meaning of blue topaz? Physical Properties of Blue Topaz. Blue Topaz Jewelry. Healing Properties of Blue Topaz. Blue Zircon. Is zircon the same as cubic zirconia? Blue Zircon Gemstones. What is the symbolic meaning of blue zircon? Blue Zircon Ring. Physical Properties of Blue Zircon. Blue Zircon Tennis Bracelet. Inclusion affects price across the board -- clearer gems fetch more money -- but jewelers typically offer blue topaz at a significantly lower cost than blue zircon.
As of prices, zircon of the same carat as topaz may retail for three times the price or more. Dan combines his decade-long experience as a freelance writer and small business owner with hands-on experience in fashion, mixology, media production and more. Previously, he's published with Chron.
Color Comparison Although zircon and topaz both occur as colorless gems in nature, both stones often undergo heat treatment to produce blue hues. Contrasting Composition The chemical composition of gemstones can come into play when comparing them.
Differing Cuts Blue zircon comes in many-faceted brilliant-style cuts, step cuts and mixed cuts. Inclusion Issues Blue zircon is typically clear and doesn't have inclusions -- or foreign particles enclosed in the gem -- though untreated gems may have a slightly cloudy or smoky appearance. The Value of White Topaz.
You seem to keep going back to Zircon, my thinking is buy what you will love to wear. This stone would be a great size and shape in your ring if you do end up going with zircon. Joined Jul 10, Messages 1, I absolutely Love blue zircon, I have a few myself. But, I would not wear them for everyday though. You can look up any gem for the Mohs hardness scale. Diamond is a I believe topaz is 8, zircon 7.
That's not "only one level" It's a big difference. For a man's daily wear ring, I'd get topaz. And I agree with you on the swiss topaz. There's even a more striking "electric" blue topaz. However, it's certainly more than I want to spend, so that may well help me make a decision. Christy, thanks for explaining to me that a 1-point difference in Moh's hardness is a BIG difference, nother just a little bit. This forum has the nicest and most helpful folks who participate - I like it here.
Now off to check out that topaz that 2Neezers linked! Joined Apr 6, Messages 11, For an every day ring I would go with the topaz as it's much easier to replace the stone from wear. Topazes are much cheaper and easier to come by. That said, I got rid of all my topazes and replaced them with blue zircons because I like them so much better and they are not found at "mall" stores. Catmom said:. Here's a couple close ups if the zircon facet abrasion. The first pic is from a ring that was nearly years old.
I have since had that zircon polished. The other is from a zircon ring I just bought. Slight abrasion doesn't detract too much from the stone, but frequent wear zircon won't stay pristine. I also prefer zircon because it is a far livelier stone than topaz. I only recommended topaz to you as there is less worry. There are some gem pros who can polish facets of a mounted stone, but it might mean shipping your ring off every once in a blue moon. I'm just going to go with topaz, I believe. Then start saving for a nice sapphire for a future mounting.
SouthernGent said:.
0コメント