green, yellow, orange, red and brown, in addition
to colorless. Zircon is prized for its brilliance and
fire as well as being a very "clean" stone,
displaying very few inclusions.
The yellow'hyacinth" zircon was associated with
the zodiac sign of Leo, thus with lions and
courage. Rare red zircon was said to be the cure
for all insomnia. From ancient times through the
Middle Ages, a zircon was considered a must for
travelers because ft was a powerful protection
against wounds and plagues. It was also said to
increase its wearer's riches because it gave him
wisdom with which to conduct his finances.
Someone bewitched by evil spirits was
encouraged to rub zircon over a cross cut into a
fresh-baked loaf of bread, recite a chant, and eat
the bread. The spell would soon vanish.
Zircon is one of the accepted birthstones for
December.
To clean, immerse in a jewelry cleaner or in
lukewarm soapy water and use a small bristle
brush. Do not use a home ultrasonic machine.
Avoid abrasives and extreme temperature
changes.
As part of the customary fashioning process,
various shades of brown zircons are heated to
produce colorless stones or beautiful shades of
blue and red.
Zircons are found today in Sri Lanka, Thailand
and Cambodia.