Zircon meaning & facts
Zircon is a birthstone for December. Zircon is linked with wisdom, honour and prosperity.
- Birth month
- December
- Colour
- Blue (also colourless, yellow, brown and red)
- Mineral
- Zirconium silicate
- Hardness (Mohs)
- 6–7.5
- Main sources
- Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Australia and Tanzania
Zircon facts
- Zircon is a natural gem and is not the same as cubic zirconia, which is man-made.
- Some zircon crystals from Australia are about 4.4 billion years old, among the oldest minerals ever found on Earth.
- Most blue zircon is created by heating brown zircon.
December also has other birthstones: Turquoise and Tanzanite.
Birthstones by month
Frequently asked questions
What does zircon mean?
Zircon is linked with wisdom, honour and prosperity.
What month is zircon the birthstone for?
Zircon is a birthstone for December. The other December birthstones are Turquoise and Tanzanite.
How hard is zircon?
Zircon rates 6–7.5 on the Mohs hardness scale, which runs from 1 (talc) to 10 (diamond).
Gemstone meanings are traditional beliefs, shared for interest rather than as proven properties.