December Birthstone Guide

The Lore of celestial stones intrigues the mind and allows us to wander afar to another land of possibility and mystery. 

Gemstones hold a high seat throughout history for being admired, not only for their beauty and seemingly indestructible nature- But also for their mysticism, the rank of station symbolism, and their proposed metaphysical properties. 

Turquoise

Dating back to ancient civilizations, cultures around the world have long admired turquoise. Ancient tombs of iconic pharaohs held turquoise among other fine jewels and gold. The Egyptians, like many other ancient civilizations, held turquoise in high regard. They loved it so much they had many mines in Sinai where ancient lapidaries would fashion turquoise into carved scarabs and would inlay necklaces, rings, and burial masks. Turquoise, no matter which part of the world you look at, is a sacred stone with the color of the heavens trapped inside. 

Origin Story:

Turquoise has been mined in Iran for more than 1,000 years. The prized even-colored, intense blue turquoise from this region is often called Persian Blue or Robin’s Egg. Until the 1920s, New Mexico was the largest producer of turquoise in the U.S. – Now, most U.S. turquoise comes from Arizona and Nevada. China is currently the largest producer of gem-quality turquoise.

Mythological History:

Ancient Persians thought that turquoise granted protection and represented heaven- whereas Apache Indians thought that turquoise helped with more accurate delivery of their bow and arrows. Native American Shamans would even use turquoise to connect to God through ceremonial prayer.

Zircon

Zircon is the oldest mineral on earth, dating back to (if not farther than) 4.4 billion years. Zircon is found in the earth’s crust and is a common mineral found in most sand and even crystallized magma! Zircon comes in a range of colors: colorless, yellow, brown, orange, red-violet, blue, and green. Blue Zircon was a favorite gem during Victorian times. 

Origin Story:

Elahera, a region in central Sri Lanka, is one of the country’s most zircon-productive areas. Harts Range in Australia is known for producing zircon in the colors of yellow-brown, orangy brown, pink and purple. Australia’s Zircon Hill is where this intriguing stone is mined. 

Mythological History:

Back in the middle ages, zircon was said to have powerful abilities such as banishing evil, bestowing riches, prosperity, and honor, as well as the enhancement of restfulness.

Tanzanite

Tiffany & Co. dubbed this stone “Tanzanite” after its birthplace, Tanzania. The tanzanite birthstone is most described as “velvety”. Velvety is probably the most relative word for this stone as the rich, saturated color ranges from an inky deep blue to violet.

Origin Story:

Tanzanite was formed around 585 million years ago by fierce plate tectonic activity and intense heat where Mount Kilimanjaro was later formed!

Mythological History:

Tanzanite is a blue-violet gemstone and is believed to have spiritual healing properties that aid in spiritual connectivity and the balancing of emotions and detoxifying the physical body.