This beautiful gemstone was once considered an economical, yet strikingly beautiful substitute for diamond and occurs naturally in yellows, browns, greens and can also be colorless. The color is determined by the presence of several earth elements such as uranium and thorium and the presence of these radioactive elements can affect the crystal structure of the stone thereby changing the clarity. Blue and red stones can occur naturally but are considered to be very rare and therefore highly prized. Modern methods of artificially treating brown, green or colorless stones, mostly by heating, produce beautiful shades of blue and red. Gem quality stones are becoming harder to find. In recent years, zircon has fallen victim to mistaken identity and has very often been confused with the synthetically manufactured and cheaper cubic zirconia.

Properly cut and polished, these stones emit a brilliance and clarity that rivals many of the more expensive gemstones. Though blue zircon can be found in nature, most of the blue stones for sale on the market today are the result of heat treating. A relatively hard stone, it makes a durable gemstone for most jewelry.

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