The zircon is a famous gem of many colors, known for hundreds of years for its luster and fire. Zircon is found in many Asian countries, notably Sri Lanka as well as in Brazil, Australia, and East Africa. Colorless when pure, the zirconium silicate takes on various shades due to impurities. The brilliance and beauty of this gemstone makes it very popular and is reasonably priced in comparison with most other gems. The wide variety of colors of zircon, its rarity, and its relatively low cost make it a popular stone. It is often looked upon as an affordable diamond substitute, but is, in fact, a valuable gem in its own right.
Zircon comes closer to resembling diamond than any other natural gem. Its powerful luster and intense fire gives it splendor that no other natural gem but diamond can surpass. Colorless zircon can be distinguished from diamond by its strong double refraction and lower level of hardness. It must be treated with care, as it can crack or chip if banged too hard. For this reason, care must be also be taken when cutting zircon.
The blue variety of zircon is ofen known as Starlite. It is similar to aquamarine, topaz, indicolite tourmaline, and blue spinel.
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