December is finally here and Christmas season is officially upon us! With this new month comes three beautiful birthstones that leaves those born in December spoiled for choice!What we know for sure is that any one of these stones would make for a perfect Christmas gift!
Tanzanite
The common theme across these birthstones is that they are all blue in colour. However, the tanzanite stone is exceptionally blue and is very rare. Its name originates from the fact that the only known mine for tanzanite was located in Tanzania. It therefore has very limited availability, making it all the more desirable. Furthermore, it is relatively new to the commercial market, as sufficient deposits weren’t discovered until the 1960s. Since then, it has become the 2nd most popular blue gem, following sapphire. The colour range of tanzanite is from a deep blue to a more purplish blue. It is believed that by wearing tanzanite, it will promote greater self-control and fosters your inner strength.
Turquoise
This is also a blue stone. This stone is strongly associated with possessing healing properties. The Native American believed this stone to be sacred and a connection between heaven and earth. It comes in different shades of blue and green, however, green is not considered very desirable. The name comes from the French word for Turkish, because it is believed that the first stone was brought to Europe from Turkey. The stone forms over millions of years, and is created when water enters rocks that contain certain minerals such as copper and aluminum. It is not a particularly hard stone, with a score of just 5-6 on the Mohs hardness scale. Turquoise is also commonly associated with good luck and combating effects of low energy.
Zircon
Zircon is not a particularly common gemstone but due to the wide range of colours it is available in – from yellow, green, red to blue – it has since become a collector-favourite. The most valuable hues of this gemstone are blue, bright red, and green. It should be noted that high quality zircon is rare in large sizes. Interestingly, radiant zircon is the oldest known gemstone, believed to be over 4 billion years old. Zircon is said to bring prosperity if the stone contains yellow or gold colours.