Zircon Consumer Information
Care
Zircons are quite soft and it is recommended that when worn in jewellery, the jewellery not be subjected to rough wear (as in sports). Facet junctions in zircons often abrade over time with careless use. Warm soapy water or a damp cloth should be used to clean zircons. Ultrasonics or steam cleaners should not be used.
Treatment
Most brown zircon is heat treated to result in different colours, including blue, red, orange or yellow
Green zircons are occasionally heated to lighten their tone
Induced changes in zircon’s colour are not always stable and colours may revert to their original colour upon exposure to light
Color
Typical colors are: brown, red, yellow, gray, green, blue, black and colorless
Origin of colors are impurities in the chemical composition
Clarity
Inclusions and flaws occur frequently
Completely eye-clean stones are rather rare
Collect
Some zircons are collected as colour groups to exhibit an array of colours, and large red zircons are particularly prized
Some collectors buy cat’s eye zircons. Cat’s eyes do occur in included material but the eye is generally indistinct