Green is a rare color in Zircon. They are found in shades from yellowish-green to deep olive green.
These gems are not to be confused with Cubic Zirconia (CZ) which is a man-made substance.
Notable sources for Green Zircons are Sri Lanka and Madagascar.
Green Zircons are considered ‘low zircons’ or ‘metamict’ Zircons and their loss of crystal structure sometimes makes them appear darker or cloudier. They are routinely heated to reduce the brownish components and improve their clarity.
The name ‘Zircon’ derives from the Persian word ‘zargun’ meaning golden hued. Zircons (and possibly other gems) in the pinkish-purplish-reddish color range were historically referred to as “Hyacinth” or “Jacinth”.
Zircons have extremely high dispersion of 0.038, which is the optical property that splits light into its component colors. That explains all those flashes of color when we look at these beautiful gems.
Their refractive index (RI) is also very high ranging from 1.81 to 1.98 and they are durable with a hardness of 7-7.5 for ‘high’ zircons.
Natural Zircons are still available at a fraction of the price of most other gemstones, making them the last undervalued gem!
Zircon is December’s birthstone, providing a lot of color choice for December birthdays!
We have more colors, shapes and sizes available in Green Zircon – please contact us if you don’t find what you are looking for in our online inventory.