Natural Zircon: Complete Guide for Trade, Jewelry, and Collections

This comprehensive guide provides everything you need to know about natural zircon, for trade partners, jewelers, and collectors alike.

Overview

Natural zircon is a zirconium silicate mineral that comes in a variety of colors, including blue, green, yellow, brown, and colorless. With a hardness of 6 to 7.5 on the Mohs scale, zircon is relatively durable and is often used in fine jewelry and decorative pieces. Its high refractive index and strong dispersion give it a brilliance that rivals diamonds, making it a popular alternative. Zircon has been used for centuries, often associated with protection and prosperity. Understanding its properties, sources, and market dynamics is crucial for anyone involved in its trade or collection.

Physical Properties and Specifications

  • Chemical Composition: ZrSiO₄ (zirconium silicate)

  • Hardness: 6 - 7.5 on the Mohs scale

  • Crystal System: Tetragonal

  • Refractive Index: 1.93 - 2.01

  • Specific Gravity: 4.6 - 4.7

  • Pleochroism: Present, showing different colors depending on the angle of view

  • Fluorescence: Generally inert, some may exhibit weak fluorescence

  • Cleavage/Fracture: Perfect cleavage in one direction, conchoidal fracture

Color and Quality Classifications

Available Color Ranges

  • Primary hues: Blue, green, yellow, brown, colorless

  • Secondary modifications: Light blue, golden yellow, reddish-brown

  • Tone and saturation ranges: Light to dark tones with varying saturation

  • Premium colors: Deep blue and vivid green

  • Commercial grades: Lighter shades and less saturated colors

Clarity Characteristics

  • Typical inclusion types: Liquid inclusions, gas bubbles, and color zoning

  • Clarity grading standards: Eye-clean to included

  • Source-specific features: Unique inclusions that may indicate origin

  • Eye-clean criteria: No visible inclusions to the naked eye

Source Locations and Material

Historic sources

  • Sri Lanka, Cambodia, and Thailand

Current production

  • Significant production is currently from Cambodia, Myanmar, and Australia.

Source-specific characteristics

  • Each location imparts distinct characteristics in color and clarity.

Production trends

  • Increasing demand for zircon has led to stable prices, especially for high-quality specimens.