Blue Zircon

[Mayk]

I'm never over here in CS... and I know zero about CS but I'm very interested in finding a nice Blue Zircon. It's my birthstone and I've never owned one. I recently saw a beauty on SMTB (which I can't find now..).

What do you look for in a Zircon?

If you were buying can you show me a couple links you like and tell me why?

I like the deeper colors but I think I read they are not as "preferred"... I also noticed the prices can be dirt cheap to very pricey. I've looked at probably four or five sites including ebay and etsy, Wildfish and a couple others I can't remember.

Any pointers from any experts I would love to hear...so I could learn more.

I think I would like to stay around 7-8mm and I have no idea about setting style or preference. I seem to like the oval shapes better in the stones I've looked at..not sure if it's the cut that draws me in or just the stones I've looked at.

Thanks!

 

[chrono]

Zircon can be worn everyday as earring and pendant stones but the crown facets will show abrasion early if worn everyday as a ring stone. It is more of an occasional wear ring stone or with good care and caution, everyday (not 24/7). The deeper and more saturated (pop of colour) the blue is, the more desirable and expensive it is. A good cut is important to allow it to sparkle at its best.

http://www.gemfix.com/zircon_blue.html

 

[Mayk]

Zircon can be worn everyday as earring and pendant stones but the crown facets will show abrasion early if worn everyday as a ring stone. It is more of an occasional wear ring stone or with good care and caution, everyday (not 24/7). The deeper and more saturated (pop of colour) the blue is, the more desirable and expensive it is. A good cut is important to allow it to sparkle at its best.

http://www.gemfix.com/zircon_blue.html

Thank you Chrono.... interesting. I didn't realize the should not wear everyday... I probably wouldn't but it certainly says I should think about what type of setting. Those deep colors and high ticket items certainly are appealing but I do want to keep it very reasonable. Thank you so much for the link!!!! I hand't been to the website but I've added it to my favorites.

 

[marymm]

Here a couple of gorgeous Blue Zircons cut by Peter Torraca - the first is a 8mm round with a rich blue color, and the second is an oval Blue Zircon which is just a bit lighter in color I think...

http://www.torraca.net/gems.php?search=gid&for=ZirB776&t=Blue Zircon

http://www.torraca.net/gems.php?search=gid&for=ZirB754&t=Blue Zircon

eta: I've had my bezelled Cambodian Blue Zircon ring for 3-4 years and wear it occasionally - to date there are no eye-visible facet abrasions, and I likely won't loupe it unless I really whack it! I take great pleasure in wearing this ring because I find the blue shades of Cambodian Blue Zircons in particular so mesmerizing and so unique to this particular gemstone.

 

[Mayk]

Here a couple of gorgeous Blue Zircons cut by Peter Torraca - the first is a 8mm round with a rich blue color, and the second is an oval Blue Zircon which is just a bit lighter in color I think...

http://www.torraca.net/gems.php?search=gid&for=ZirB776&t=Blue Zircon

http://www.torraca.net/gems.php?search=gid&for=ZirB754&t=Blue Zircon

eta: I've had my bezelled Cambodian Blue Zircon ring for 3-4 years and wear it occasionally - to date there are no eye-visible facet abrasions, and I likely won't loupe it unless I really whack it! I take great pleasure in wearing this ring because I find the blue shades of Cambodian Blue Zircons in particular so mesmerizing and so unique to this particular gemstone.

OOOOH that oval is TDF... wow... so pretty... but I love the color (and the price ) of the round. Actually, that's sort of the color I thought I would be closer too.. but that oval just jumps off the page.

 

[marymm]

Here a couple of gorgeous Blue Zircons cut by Peter Torraca - the first is a 8mm round with a rich blue color, and the second is an oval Blue Zircon which is just a bit lighter in color I think...

http://www.torraca.net/gems.php?search=gid&for=ZirB776&t=Blue Zircon

http://www.torraca.net/gems.php?search=gid&for=ZirB754&t=Blue Zircon

eta: I've had my bezelled Cambodian Blue Zircon ring for 3-4 years and wear it occasionally - to date there are no eye-visible facet abrasions, and I likely won't loupe it unless I really whack it! I take great pleasure in wearing this ring because I find the blue shades of Cambodian Blue Zircons in particular so mesmerizing and so unique to this particular gemstone.

OOOOH that oval is TDF... wow... so pretty... but I love the color (and the price ) of the round. Actually, that's sort of the color I thought I would be closer too.. but that oval just jumps off the page.

I know what you mean - when I first looked at the round, I thought "gorgeous!"... but when I looked at the oval, I thought "THIS!!"
Price-wise, when you consider the oval is just over twice the carat weight of the round, and I think the finer gem quality overall, well, I am glad I already have an oval Blue Zircon (albeit apx 2ct), because otherwise I would be tempted!

If you are interested in either/both, maybe shoot Peter an email and see if he might take a couple of side-by-side pics for you? And I'd probably also ask if he has any more of that same rough as the oval, which might yield a smaller (more affordable) stone.

 

[boerumbiddy]

I am no expert, but the real experts on Pricescope steered me to this preloved blue-green zircon, cut by Jeff Davies, which is large and sparkly and cost well under $500. I had it set by Daniel M. In a pendant, it can be worn every day.

 

[FrekeChild]

http://www.pinterest.com/jeffdaviesgems/zircon/

 

[Mayk]

http://www.pinterest.com/jeffdaviesgems/zircon/

Thank you!!! Love one on his board! (Well love several) but one that the shape and color and price.... Awesomeness!

 

[Mayk]

I am no expert, but the real experts on Pricescope steered me to this preloved blue-green zircon, cut by Jeff Davies, which is large and sparkly and cost well under $500. I had it set by Daniel M. In a pendant, it can be worn every day.

So pretty and very regal!

 

[FrekeChild]

http://www.pinterest.com/jeffdaviesgems/zircon/

Thank you!!! Love one on his board! (Well love several) but one that the shape and color and price.... Awesomeness!

The ones that don't say sold are for sale. If you're interested in any, he's on Facebook.

 

[pregcurious]

I love them! Here's pandabee's beautiful ring:

 

[Mayk]

I love them! Here's pandabee's beautiful ring:

Amazing!!

Tanks Freake. I will jump on FB and like his page!

 

[MollyMalone]

Here is Jeff Davies' eBay storefront. The Buy It Now prices currently there look to be (I didn't cross-check all of them) higher than the prices given for the same stones on his Pinterest page, but there can be auction listings for stones that are not depicted on his Pinterest page. E.g., right now, there is a chubby zircon pear "up for grabs":
http://www.ebay.com/sch/jeffdvs101/m.html

Seems to me he ranks the quality of cuts (and corresponding prices) as follows, in ascending order: custom, premium, and precision. If I'm wrong about that, I hope someone will correct me.

And here are 2 pages re zircons from the GIA web site you might find useful:
http://www.gia.edu/zircon-quality-factor
http://www.gia.edu/zircon-care-cleaning

 

[MollyMalone]

P.S. Were you -- or anyone else -- to purchase the 6.39 carats, emerald step-cut zircon (#236) Gemfix is offering, I'd be grateful because that would put an end to my dithering over it
http://www.gemfix.com/zircon_blue.html

 

[Mayk]

P.S. Were you -- or anyone else -- to purchase the 6.39 carats, emerald step-cut zircon (#236) Gemfix is offering, I'd be grateful because that would put an end to my dithering over it
http://www.gemfix.com/zircon_blue.html

Stunning! But sadly out of my price range Dither on

 

[livannie]

I bought this blue zircon ring off eBay for $212. I was told it was from the Victorian era. It is a .50 carat and 18k gold, the diamonds are real but can't remember the carat weight for them. It is small but so sparkly. I love blue zircons

 

[Mayk]

I bought this blue zircon ring off eBay for $212. I was told it was from the Victorian era. It is a .50 carat and 18k gold, the diamonds are real but can't remember the carat weight for them. It is small but so sparkly. I love blue zircons

Love that... It would be a bonus to find a vintage piece..

 

[livannie]

I was thinking about buying this one, but decided since I already have one, I didn't absolutely need it
http://www.ebay.com/itm/EXTRA-PRETTY-230CT-NATURAL-BLUE-ZIRCON-DIAMOND-ENGAGEMENT-RING-18K-WHITE-GOLD-/350944390293

 

[Mayk]

I was thinking about buying this one, but decided since I already have one, I didn't absolutely need it
http://www.ebay.com/itm/EXTRA-PRETTY-230CT-NATURAL-BLUE-ZIRCON-DIAMOND-ENGAGEMENT-RING-18K-WHITE-GOLD-/350944390293

very nice... me and 22 of my closest friends are watching it together...

so.. I'm still new to this but when I look at the pictures on my desktop (versus the ipad) the stone looks scuffed on the top... also I think it's darker than I'm looking for but it could also be lighting.

 

[ChrisA222]

Yes, that "scuffing" is facet abrasion. That will inhibit the stones luster....it would really benefit from a recut/polish.

 

[livannie]

I have purchased many things from that seller and the things I have bought have always looked better in real life. I think it is probably highly magnified in the pictures. The photo I would go off of is the pic of the ring on her finger. I bet the color looks closer to that in real life. You could ask her if you can see wear on the zircon in person, I am sure she would tell you. The zircon I have has a little wear on it but you can't see it much unless you look under a magnifying glass. That is the only problem with zircons.

 

[livannie]

You can see a little wear on my zircon in this up-close picture.

 

[distracts]

I just look for a blue I like and a cut I like. I prefer the blues to the other colors. I don't know a whole lot about zircon, really, and am not terribly sure about why some are much more costly than others that look basically the same to me.

This is my blue zircon ring, I got the zircon from Mastercut Gems and the setting was preloved. It's a 7.2mm round.



If you are interested in vintage ones, there are quite a few blue zircon rings on Ruby Lane. I kind of modeled what I wanted off of this one: http://www.rubylane.com/item/1039971-ring-291/Perfect-Retro-Two-Tone-Blue

These are cute: http://www.rubylane.com/item/635099-E-331-T/Shining-Natural-Blue-Zircon-585

 

[chrono]

Tempted yet?
http://www.concavegems.com/query3.cfm?yVarieties=Blue&ySpecies=Zircon

 

[Mayk]

Tempted yet?
http://www.concavegems.com/query3.cfm?yVarieties=Blue&ySpecies=Zircon

Very! But thought of divorce keep me from going overboard with one of those beauties... I think of concave as the top of the top with just the little bit I know about colored gems! The pictures are breath taking. I would love to see one of these IRL.

 

[chrono]

Come see mine some time.

 

[pregcurious]

Chrono, that is stunning.

 

[Mayk]

Come see mine some time.

like I said. The Cream of the Crop! What are your plans for that little pretty?

 

[Mayk]

So I was watching this one, I liked the color and the shape...

Tell me your thoughts... Looks like it went for a screaming deal based on other listings, but I'm not sure. This is a cutter Freke suggested and I started to watch.

http://offer.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewBids&_trksid=p2047675.l2565&rt=nc&item=370970128682