WHAT IS ZIRCON MEANING
From a chemical point of view zircon is zirconium silicate. Gem name comes from the Persian word “zargun”. Translated from the Persian “zar” meaning is “gold”, and “gun” meaning is “color”. Consequently, zircon in that language means “gold color gem”.
In addition to the most beautiful golden-yellow and red zircon gems found brown, yellowish-green and sky-blue stones. Their color is determined by impurities of iron, copper, zinc, calcium, titanium, and some rare earth elements. There are, however, colorless and even black zircons.
The golden-red stones called hyacinths . According to the ancient Greek myth, Hyacinth was killed by a disk, which gave contests god of light Apollo. Fallen to the ground a drop of youths blood became into flowers hyacinths. Petrified, they became precious stones.
Straw-yellow and smoky Ceylon zircons European jewelers not so long ago was called “Ceylon jargons” or simply “jargoons”.
In the jewelry business often used brown zircon gemstones, which, after firing acquire a magnificent blue color. Such stones are called starlites.
Zircon crystals are extremely hard, allowing them to survive in many types of rock. They are also resistant to chemical and physical change. These characteristics make them ideal for dating very old rocks radiometrically. Radioactive isotopes, such as uranium, decay at a known rate over time, forming what are known as daughter isotopes. This means that by measuring the number of daughter isotopes in a zircon crystal within a rock, and comparing that number with the original number of atoms, it is possible to determine how much decay has taken place and estimate the age of the crystal and therefore the rock.
Zircon has been mined for over 2,000 years from the gem gravels of Sri Lanka, and was used as a gemstone in Greece and Italy as far back as the 6th century AD. Zircon best deposit known in Brazil, Ceylon, and Burma. Beach sands are a major source of commercial production, particularly in India, Australia, and Florida, USA. Other key localities are Canada, Mexico, Norway, Russia, France, and Pakistan.
ZIRCON JEWELRY
In the jewelry business is the most popular blue zircon was used only since the First World War.
Among fans there is a perception that all blue zircons, but it is actually the color they are required high temperature treatment, which usually are orange-brown stones found in the Mekong delta – the ‘capital’ of high-temperature processing of zircon (as well as sapphire) is Bangkok. Unfortunately, color-treated blue zircon is unstable and can eventually tarnish.
The characteristic feature of zircons, except the green and brown, is a high level of double refraction.
It is so noticeable that it is at its best for beginners to demonstrate this phenomenon.
Add to this high degree of dispersion, and here’s an explanation other than “fire” inherent in this stone.
These two features help distinguish zircon from other stones because of its refractive index is out of scale refractometer.
Holders of spectroscope also noticed absorption spectrum consists of equidistant lines broad, exciting all of the colors of the presence of radioactive elements.
Colorless or white zircons, formerly called “jargon”, because of its high variance are often used to imitate diamonds, especially in jewelry of Indian origin, as the main source of this mineral is Sri Lanka.
However, diamonds with their single refraction can be easily distinguished from zircons using a simple magnifier.
A presence of radioactive elements in zircon may lead to the destruction of the crystal lattice of stone.
In technology such samples are called “metamict” and such stones are usually green color and do not exhibit the characteristic double refraction, they may even occur readable, albeit low refractive index – 1.78. In any case, from a commercial point of view, attention should be paid only the blue and, more rarely, orange-brown specimens have usually “outstanding” qualities: a high dispersion and strong double refraction, unreadable refractive index and, moreover, strong luster.
ZIRCON HEALING PROPERTIES
Zircon gem has long been considered a strong magical and healing stone, and a projective energy Yang. It gives people confidence, optimism and good spirits. In Indian practice yoga zircon as a diamond belongs to the highest place in the highest energy chakra Sahasrara.
The mineralogist suggest that the strong impact zircon energy be explained form of its crystals (“effect of a double pyramid”). It is believed that the yellow-red zircons have a positive effect on the pituitary gland, pineal gland and stimulate the liver (so zircons improve appetite). They help with constipation, reduced gastric secretion and intestinal.
Heat-treating minerals to change their colour or improve their clarity has been a widespread practice for centuries. It may well have begun with zircon. Brown stones from Thailand and Sri Lanka turn blue or colourless when heated; in blue stones that have lost their colour reheating will re-establish the blue colour. The process itself does not require expensive apparatus. The zircons to be treated are placed in a clay pot intermixed with fine sand; the pot is then heated in the coals of a campfire for a period determined by long experience. After slow cooling, the newly coloured stones are separated from the sand, and cut. Blue zircon reheated in the presence of oxygen changes to golden-yellow, the source of the name zargun. Because the word is of ancient origin, so, too, must be the practice of heat-treating.
Zircon hyacinth stones are universal healers, able to cleanse the entire body. They contribute to achieving emotional balance and treat insomnia. In ancient times believed that the red zircon can prevent pregnancy. To do this, a hot stone laid in the foundation of the stomach for 2-3 hours daily for 8-10 days.
In the Middle Ages, red zircons were amulets of merchants, artists, and travelers. It is believed that the zircons improve mental abilities and stimulate the desire to do science. The Indians dedicated this stone mythical dragon, from solar and lunar eclipse.
ZIRCON BIRTHSTONE
Astrologers are recommended to wear zircon jewelry people born by zodiac signs Aries and Aquarius.
It is believed that such jewellery are contraindicated Cancers and Pisces.
Zircon is a symbol of the Sun.
Zircon.
A variety of gemstone of which the common natural colour is reddish-brown but stones exhibiting green and several other natural colours are found.
However, most marketed specimens are brown stones that have been subjected to HEAT TREATMENT which produces a colourless stone or stones of a wide range of colours, especially blue, bluish-green, purple, deep red, and golden-yellow.
When the stones are heated in a closed container, they become colourless or blue; when a flow of air is permitted to enter the container, they become golden-yellow or red. Such converted colours are fairly stable, but sometimes revert in time to greenish- or brownish-blue. Certain coloured varieties have been given special names (e.g. HYACINTH, JACINTH, JARGOON) which have been recommended to be discarded in favour of merely prefixes of the particular colour.
The zircon has ADAMANTINE LUSTRE and high colour dispersion, so that a colourless stone often resembles a diamond, but with less FIRE and BRILLIANCE.
All zircons are brittle and tend to chip at the facet edges. They are classified as
(1) ‘high’ or ‘normal’ (which are CRYSTALLINE),
(2) ‘low’ or metamict (which are AMORPHOUS or nearly so), and
(3) intermediate (which can be converted by heat to ‘high’).
Zircons are faceted usually in the MIXED CUT or ZIRCON CUT style. Most zircons are treated and cut in Bangkok, Thailand. Misnomers that have been applied to zircon are ‘Siam aquamarine’, ‘Matara diamond’, and ‘Ceylon diamond’. Synthetic zircons have been produced but not commercially; a blue SYNTHETIC SPINEL has been miscalled a ‘synthetic zircon’.