Zircon

Zircon is not one of the hardest gems and has a tendency towards brittleness, so care must be taken in the cutting, setting, wearing and cleaning of these gems.  Colourless stones are also common and these were sometimes used as a diamond imitation in the early 20th Century, falling out of fashion when better and cheaper imitations became available.

Historically it was believed the stone could imbue the wearer with wisdom and riches whilst also having the power to drive away evil spirits. Commercial sources of this gem are Australia, Burma, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

Description: Zircons occur in a range of colours including blue, yellow, brown and green and have a particularly bright lustre and high dispersion. Found in many locations including Sri Lanka.

Hardness: 6.5 – 7 on Mohs Scale