Zircon Buying Guide

Zircon Buying and the Four Cs

The IGS zircon value listing gives price guidelines for gems of many different colors.

Color

Since zircons come in all colors of the rainbow, jewelry buyers and gem collectors have many options.

Blue

Blue zircons are the most popular, and their prices reflect this trend. Occasionally called starlite or stremlite, blue hues are almost always the result of heat treatment, which creates a stable color. Blue zircons often have strong green components that give the stone a unique hue. Fine blue zircons exhibit strong greenish secondary hues and medium tones.

Green

Extremely rare green zircons are a collector’s item. Most green zircons have brownish hues and may have a khaki color. Bright green gems are extremely rare and are the top color for green zircons. Heat treatment of these gems can lighten the hue and restore clarity to the crystal. Zircons with green hues are sometimes called “beccarite.”

Yellow, Orange, and Red

Yellow, orange, and red hues are less popular than blue. Thus, they have lower prices. Trade names for yellow zircon include “melichrysos” and, for pale yellows, “jargoon” or “jargon.” The popular “golden” and “honey” hues are often the result of…

Addison Rice

A geologist, environmental engineer and Caltech graduate, Addison’s interest in the mesmerizing and beautiful results of earth’s geological processes began in her elementary school’s environmental club. When she isn’t writing about gems and minerals, Addison spends winters studying ancient climates in Iceland and summers hiking the Colorado Rockies.

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