Those born in December receive a bountiful variety of gems to choose from, with not one but four birthstones associated with this month! They all have one thing in common, however: they are all blue.
Zircon
Blue zircon is the original birthstone for December babies, as it is one of the earliest known gems to mankind – not to mention one of the oldest gemstones on earth! There is even a piece of zircon found that dated back 160 million years.
Similar in name only, zircons are not to be confused with man made cubic zirconia. Natural zircons occur as crystals in various colors, including red, yellow, brown, green, pink, and colorless. They range from 6-7.5 on the Mohs hardness scale. Most natural blue zircon is pale in color, so the vibrant blue stones found in jewelry stores have typically undergone heat treatment to enhance the hue.
Zircon is a symbol of chastity, virtuousness, and trustworthiness. It is thought to protect the wearer against negative energy. From a personal perspective, it is a healing and soothing stone, and can help with clearing the mind. Zircon promotes wisdom; it can help remind you of wishes you may have forgotten and support in purifying your intentions to return to those wishes.
Turquoise
Blue turquoise is one gem that is easily recognized by most people. While the blue varieties are well-known, turquoise also occurs in other colors such as bright green and white.
Turquoise is a soft stone that crystallizes and develops near water tables in semi-arid and arid environments. Being a more porous stone, it is less dense and rates between 5-6 on the Mohs hardness scale. It is always opaque, so gem-quality turquoise is based on the color, texture, and presence or absence of “matrix,” which is the web-like mineral veins that run through it.
Turquoise has been around since antiquity, even found buried in ancient Egyptian tombs dating back to 4000 B.C. The Egyptians called turquoise mefkat, which means “joy” or “delight.” Its contemporary name is thought to originate from the French pierre turquoise, or “Turkish stone,” having been acquired in Turkish bazaars and brought to Europe by Venetian traders. It goes without saying that it is also an important stone to Native Americans in the southwest, where it was called Chal-cui-hui-tal – “the most valuable thing in the world.”
Turquoise is a stone of peace but also of strength and protection. It is a stone of good luck and wards off negative energies and illness. The water element symbolized in turquoise helps with better energy flow, strengthening the immune system, and detoxifying the body for overall support with health and vitality. It is great for enhancing self-expressive communication, truthfulness, and self-acceptance.
Tanzanite
Tanzanite is a relative newcomer to the December birthstone group, as it was only officially added in 2002. That is because it is also a newly-discovered gemstone in general, having been first identified in the East African nation of Tanzania in 1967. Gemologically speaking, tanzanite is a blue to bluish-purple transparent variety of the mineral zoisite and measures 6.5 on the Mohs scale.
History says that an Indian prospector by the name of Manuel d’Souza was searching for sapphires near Mount Kilimanjaro when he found the blue stones and mistook them for what he’d been seeking. But according to legend, it was Masai herders who discovered it after a lightning strike set a plot of grasslands on fire. When the herders returned with their animals, the stones littered the ground.
Tanzanite sometimes changes color when viewed from different angles, so it is said to assist with transforming negative energy to positive energy and aid in transforming destructive urges into constructive ones. It facilitates in raising one’s consciousness, assists proverbially coming clean, and bolsters recovering integrity and self-respect. It is also a creative stone which can bring one back to their objective if it has been interrupted.
Blue Topaz
Blue Topaz is the most prominent birthstone associated with December, however it’s not one of the three recognized by the GIA (Gemological Institute of America). This could perhaps be that some consider not only yellow topaz but any shade of topaz (including blue) to be the main birthstone for November.
Topaz in general is a gem that has been known and prized for many centuries. Its dense silicate mineral structure rates it an 8-out-of-10 on the Mohs hardness scale, and it is also well-known for its vivid color and translucent clarity.
Blue Topaz, specifically, is said to represent love and affection, loyalty, and good fortune. It can help to improve one’s disposition by releasing tensions in mind, body, and heart. As with most blue stones, it is related to the throat chakra, which helps facilitate communication.
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