OEC and transitional blue zircon projects and questions

[Polyhex]

The beautiful OEC zircon that @CHRISTY-DANIELLE was considering got me thinking on whether or not antique OEC zircons might be available in antique jewelry. I went looking on eBay and found a few of them and wound up with two!

I'll show them below, but first a question: do I have to worry about synthetic zircons and have these tested? They were both sold as natural and both are obviously zircon with the strong double refractivity, but I have read conflicting things on whether synthetic blue zircons exist, and what year they were invented.

The first is a 6mm OEC zircon that I pulled out of a 1930s-1940s gold filled Binder Bros mounting. Here was the entire ring:



The red stones were sold as low quality natural rubies with very uneven cutting, some are rose cuts, some are like deformed round cuts.



The 6mm zircon is a gorgeous OEC cut with beautiful kozibe and dispersion. Here is the stone released from its gold filled mounting. Edited.. for some reason when I copy and paste the images it desaturates them vs. using the insert image function.






I have this amazing antique silver cherub mounting with an old and worn white paste or glass sapphire, and I am hoping to put the OEC zircon into this mounting.





I have to make a separate post for the next zircon...

 

[Polyhex]

The second zircon is a transitional cut with a tiny culet, in a vintage to antique platinum and 18k gold mounting. This zircon is very worn and will need to be taken out and repolished, and I am debating whether to have it reset into its original mounting with cleaned up prongs, or keep it loose and design a grander diamond ring for it. I absolutely LOVE the color of this zircon. It's already so beautiful I am super excited for what it looks like after repolishing.









It has some zoning of lighter blue color inside it but very hard to see from the top, at least with the cut the way it is today.

 

[Rfisher]

Love your plans and your settings!
The zircons both are really pretty

 

[CHRISTY-DANIELLE]

@Polyhex first of all **WOW!**. I'm a sucker for all things zircon but especially the antique zircons. Your two finds look absolutely genuine.

The old zircons are actually cut in a cut similar to oec and transitionals, but was a cut designed specifically for zircon. It is called "the Zircon cut"


My first zircon was one I pulled from an original art deco ring! It needed recut and polish as it had girdle chips and facet wear. I had it reset in a custom setting as it lost some size (from 10.5 mm to 9.6mm). (Top zircon). She's not perfect but my absolute pride and joy. I will never sell her! She has the zircon cut.


I have Jeff White cutting an oec cut zircon for me now. I am addicted to zircons
I have seen a couple stones that were listed as zircon simulants, but the ones I've seen didn't have the right color. Looked off. I'm not sure but I think you'd be able to tell in person.

 

[CHRISTY-DANIELLE]

Oh and if you're asking...I too love your setting ideas. I really love the original setting for that second one.
I don't know who you will use to polish your stone, but I used Jerry at GemArt services.
I have before and after pics on PS somewhere. I can look for them if you are interested. It was a phenomenal change in brilliance once the facet wear was polished out!

 

[Polyhex]

@Polyhex first of all **WOW!**. I'm a sucker for all things zircon but especially the antique zircons. Your two finds look absolutely genuine.

The old zircons are actually cut in a cut similar to oec and transitionals, but was a cut designed specifically for zircon. It is called "the Zircon cut"

Thank you so much for this info!! I was so inspired by your thread and the beautiful zircons you have!

The 6mm one with the culet is 100% this antique zircon cut, with a bigger culet. It's adorable and it looks like there are quite a few of them available in inexpensive antique jewelry. The bigger 9.5mm deep blue one looks like this on the crown, but the pavilion is cut like a transitional diamond without the extra tier of facets.

My first zircon was one I pulled from an original art deco ring! It needed recut and polish as it had girdle chips and facet wear. I had it reset in a custom setting as it lost some size (from 10.5 mm to 9.6mm). (Top zircon). She's not perfect but my absolute pride and joy. I will never sell her! She has the zircon cut.

It's exquisite!! I hope the big blue one is half as stunning when she's finished in a ring!

I have Jeff White cutting an oec cut zircon for me now. I am addicted to zircons
I have seen a couple stones that were listed as zircon simulants, but the ones I've seen didn't have the right color. Looked off. I'm not sure but I think you'd be able to tell in person.

I can't wait to see your new OEC zircon and if I can find more that are deep turquoise like these I'm afraid I will be super addicted too! I did some further research and I am not sure there is a zircon synthetic (same stone properties) commercially available, everything I have found are simulants like you say, which are not going to have the strong double refractivity.

I am super excited about these projects!

 

[CHRISTY-DANIELLE]

I actually like a range of colors. Some are lighter turquoise, some pure blue, some that deeper turqouise. The lighter are very pretty under sun and bright light. The dispersion is unreal.
I now have a few pairs of zircon earrings, several rings and a necklace. Still have more zircon projects in the works too!
I have an eye out for the just right zircon bracelet too.
And always my first love is the antique zircons. I'm thrilled to have you join me in this addiction !

 

[Polyhex]

@CHRISTY-DANIELLE thank you so much for your help and suggestions. Jerry Newman is going to repolish the stone for me, and it looks like he will be able to do it quickly! I have been using Dan Stair for other recuts or repolishes but he is incredibly swamped.

 

[CHRISTY-DANIELLE]

Jerry repaired and polished my zircon & did a fantastic job: you are in good hands
Can't wait to see it after he's done!