Natural Zircon Stone in Pakistan

Coming soon

Zircon is not listed yet. We are sourcing natural stones and will add each one separately, with its own photographs, after it passes our checks. Message us on WhatsApp with the colour, size or shape you want, or email hello@authenticgems.pk, and we will contact you when a suitable stone comes in. Our contact page lists the other ways to reach us.

The mineral

Zircon is zirconium silicate and one of the oldest minerals on earth; some grains have been dated at more than four billion years. It rates about 6.5 to 7.5 on the Mohs scale and has a high refractive index and strong dispersion, so a well-cut stone throws lively sparkle and flashes of colour. It is also very dense, which means a zircon looks smaller than a quartz or topaz of the same carat weight. Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Tanzania and Australia are the important gem sources.

Zircon is not cubic zirconia

The similar names cause no end of confusion. Cubic zirconia (CZ) is a synthetic zirconium oxide made in factories and sold as a cheap diamond imitation. Zircon is a natural mineral dug out of the ground. They differ in chemistry, optics and weight, and a gemmologist separates them easily. When a seller calls the sparkly stone in a ready-made ring "zircon", it is very often CZ. When we list zircon, it will be natural zircon only.

Colours

• Blue: the best known, from slightly greenish to pure blue. Nearly all of it is made by heating brown zircon.
• Colourless (white): also mostly heated, and long used as a natural alternative to diamond.
• Golden and yellow: honey to gold tones, natural or heated.
• Red, orange and brown: warm natural colours, often untreated.
• Green: often "low" zircon, whose crystal structure has broken down over time from natural radiation within it, giving a softer, slightly hazy look.

Telling real zircon from imitations

Zircon has strong double refraction. Look down through the top of a faceted stone with a 10x loupe towards the back facets, and in natural zircon you will usually see those facet edges doubled, as if drawn twice. CZ, glass and diamond do not do this. Zircon is also brittle, so worn stones often show little chips and scuffs along the facet edges, which the trade calls paper wear.

• Glass: round bubbles, little fire, and it warms quickly in the hand.
• Cubic zirconia: no doubling, very even colour and a flawless look.
• Synthetic spinel and blue topaz: sometimes sold as blue zircon; a lab tells them apart quickly.

See checking a gemstone before you buy and Dur-e-Najaf: rock crystal, glass or zircon?

Zircon and Gomed

Some sellers call honey or yellowish-brown zircon "Gomed". In gemmology, Gomed is hessonite, an orange-brown garnet. They can look alike but are different minerals: hessonite shows a swirly, treacle-like texture inside and no doubled facets, while zircon is brighter, heavier and doubly refractive. If it is Gomed you want, see our garnet collection and Gomed (hessonite): who traditionally wears it and how to spot real.

Treatments

Heating is the norm for blue, colourless and many golden zircons, and it is stable and accepted across the trade. A few heated blue stones can drift slightly in colour after long exposure to strong light; some time in ordinary daylight usually brings them back. We will state any treatment we know of on the listing.

What makes one stone worth more

In blue zircon, a strong, pure blue without a heavy green or grey cast is what buyers want. Clarity matters because high brilliance shows up inclusions, so eye-clean stones are expected. The cut is important too: a well-proportioned zircon shows fire, while a poor cut looks glassy and dark. Size and the condition of the facet edges come next. Origin counts for less here than with sapphire or emerald.

Bazaars may quote zircon per carat or per ratti, and the gemstone ratti is 0.91 carat. Our carat to ratti converter and gemstone price guide help you compare quotes on the same footing.

Care

Zircon is reasonably hard but brittle, so look after its edges. Pendants, earrings, or a ring with a protective bezel suit it better than tall claws for hard daily wear. Clean it with warm soapy water and a soft brush, avoid ultrasonic and steam cleaners and sudden heat, and never store it loose with harder stones.

Zircon in tradition

In some Vedic astrology practice, colourless zircon is traditionally suggested as a substitute stone (uparatna) for diamond and linked with Venus (Shukra), usually set in silver or white gold, while yellow zircon is sometimes offered in place of yellow sapphire. These are customs, not promised outcomes. Speak to an astrologer or scholar you trust before choosing a stone for that reason.

Related stones you can order now

For colourless stones, see white topaz and Dur-e-Najaf. For blue, browse blue topaz and aquamarine (Beruj).

Once zircon is listed, you will be able to order it on Cash on Delivery anywhere in Pakistan, open the parcel and look at the stone in front of the rider before paying, and return it within 7 days if it is not right. Orders are dispatched within 1 working day of confirmation by insured, tracked courier for a flat Rs. 500 per order, usually reaching Karachi in 1 to 2 working days, Lahore, Islamabad and other major cities in 2 to 4, and smaller towns within about 7.