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Harriet Kelsall
30th November 2010 17:25

What is natural zircon, actually?

 

As you may already know, cubic zircon is grown in a lab so even though it is a 'real' gemstone, it is made artificially in a lab. It is a very pretty stone and sparkly and often used as a lower cost alternative to a diamond.

Sterling silver and cubic zircon engagement ring

You also often find cubic zircon which is created in other too. For example we put pink and lilac cubic zircon into some of our dress rings.

However, natural zircon occurs in the ground. It is usually treated to become a blue colour. This natural stone is rather different and special - and we think much nicer than cubic zircon - being something that grows in the ground on its own. It is heated in an oxygen-free environment to turn from a brown colour into a beautiful bright blue gemstone. Once this became available, it was instantly popular and we use it quite regularly as it is a great stone for an engagement ring (especially if you have pale blue eyes!).

Platinum and Zircon engagement ring

Recently, Alice and I were talking to one of our favourite gemstone dealers who travels the world looking for wonderful stones. Alice was asking about what natural zircon looks like before it is ever treated. He said that he knew it was a brown stone but that he hadn't seen this. We said that if it was a beautiful brown stone we would be very interested to see some and maybe work with it if it was nice enough. So recently, when on his travels again, he managed to find us some.

He has just brought it back to us and I am so excited about it! They are such beautiful stones and the most wonderful colours. We have chocolate browns, bracken browns and burgundy browns - all with hints of firey flashes within them which remind us of chocolate and cognac diamonds. I gather that these natural and untreated zircon crystals are very rare indeed. So we feel very luck to have some beautiful ones.

Here are a few of the stones that have just arrived.

Natural and untreated zircon

I have just designed a beautiful rose gold ring and plan to set one of these larger octagonal firey chocolate natural zircons into it - with white shoulder diamonds. I'm very excited about this and look forward to seeing it take shape. Watch this space to see it as I hope to have it finished in a couple of weeks.

Harriet

Harriet Kelsall
 

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  • Harriet Kelsall Jewellery Design, North Barn, Fairclough Hall Farm, Halls Green, Weston, Hertfordshire, SG4 7DP, England
    Phone: +44 (0)1462 790565 Fax: +44 (0)1462 790140 enquiries@hkjewellery.co.uk
  • Harriet Kelsall Jewellery Design, 6/7 Green Street, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, CB2 3JU, England.
    Phone: +44 (0)1223 461333 Fax: +44 (0)1223 365269 cambridge@hkjewellery.co.uk

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