Zircon (including Blue Zircon)

Zircon (zirconium silicate, ZrSiO₄) is an important natural gemstone that is often confused by consumers with the unrelated synthetic diamond simulant cubic zirconia. Natural zircon crystals are in fact among the oldest known terrestrial materials, with some samples dated to about 4.4 billion years. Zircon possesses a high refractive index and strong dispersion (fire) that approaches diamond, and it is strongly birefringent, which often produces visible doubling of the back facets. It occurs naturally in earthy browns and greens (known as “high” and “low” zircons depending on the degree of natural radioactive metamictisation). The electric-blue variety — typically produced by heating Cambodian rough — is the most commercially popular.

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