Brilliant blue turquoise is the customary birthstone for December, and blue is the month’s birthstone hue. In reality, the three birthstones for December are turquoise, tanzanite, and blue zircon, with blue topaz serving as a substitute.
The primary Zodiac birthstone for Sagittarius (November 23December 21) is topaz, while turquoise is one of the minor gems. The predominant birthstone for Capricorn is ruby (Dec 22 – Jan 20). The Narcissus (Daffodil) and Poinsettia, which are the birthflowers for December, are additional birthday symbols.
In addition to being heartfelt presents for December birthdays, turquoise jewelry and tanzanite jewelry are appropriate presents for 11th and 24th wedding anniversaries, respectively.
When the stone was transported to Europe from Turkish bazaars, it was given the name turquoise, which translates to “stone of Turkey.”
The turquoise stone is said to represent achievement, joy, and prosperity.
In This Article...
What flower is the December emblem?
Holly berries are tasty to some animals and birds, but they are poisonous to people.
The good news is that holly is a deer-resistant plant for gardens because deer tend to avoid eating it because of its spiky leaves.
The Narcissus (Paperwhite)
While the genus Narcissus contains several different flower varieties, including the daffodil, the paperwhite is the winter-growing species and the December birth flower.
What is the December birthstone according to tradition?
Blue to green in color, turquoise is a semi-translucent to opaque gem that frequently has matrix veins (remains of the rock it formed in) running through it. For millennia, people have treasured the birthstone for December. It was used to embellish the pharaohs and other ancient Egyptian kings. It was sculpted by Chinese artists more than 3,000 years ago.
The birthstone of turquoise was believed to have numerous positive properties, such as ensuring health and fortune. It was thought, starting in the 13th century, that it would shatter into numerous pieces as tragedy approached and would shield the wearer from falling (particularly off horses). According to Hindu mystics, seeing a turquoise after viewing the new moon guaranteed incredible fortune.
Native Americans also placed a high value on this birthstone of turquoise. The Apache believed that by traveling to the end of a rainbow, one may find turquoise. Additionally, they thought that securing the birthstone for December to a bow or gun improved one’s marksmanship. The Hopi believed that lizards crawling across the earth generated the jewel, whereas the Pueblo insisted that turquoise’s color came from the sky.
What shade of flower is in December?
The natal flower for December has a long history and is well-liked all around the world. The Narcissus, which has its origins in the Mediterranean, was introduced to Asia and quickly spread throughout China. From there, the narcissus traveled to Europe via European settlers and ultimately reached North America. Today, the Channel Islands, Holland, and Great Britain are where the Narcissus is primarily farmed.
In literature and art, the natal bloom of the Narcissus is frequently used to convey the ideas of modesty, deference, and loyalty. The flower’s meaning changed as it went, though. For instance, while the Narcissus flower was thought to symbolize egotism by Victorians, it actually symbolized riches and success in China. The Narcissus flower denotes a chance for improvement and future achievement in those circumstances.
We may study how the meaning of the December flower varies depending on the hue now that you are aware of what it is and what it represents. In garden versions, narcissus can also be orange or pink but are often white or yellow.
What are the December birthstones’ two names?
Turquoise, zircon, and tanzanite are the available birthstones if you were born in December. The soft gemstone turquoise, which is used in jewelry and ornamentation, has a long history that dates back to antiquity. Zircons are a less popular gemstone, but they produce the most beautiful jewelry. Only in Tanzania can you find tanzanite, a stunning pure blue-violet crystal.
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December birthstone: turquoise
Turquoise is known to chemists and geologists as copper aluminum phosphate. It is created when rainwater or melted snow percolates through copper porphyry deposits. An acidic solution is created when water reacts with the copper sulfides in the ore. When the aluminum and potassium in the rocks react with the copper-carrying acidic water, turquoise precipitates into the cracks. In dry regions, turquoise can be found in sedimentary rock and weathered volcanic rock.
With a Mohs scale hardness rating of five to six, turquoise is a moderately delicate gemstone. With modest force, turquoise can be scratched or broken. This porous opaque stone is easily stained by oil and paints. When some of its water content is lost, it also changes color.
The best-looking stones are compact, hard, and relatively non-porous because they may be finely polished.
Oil, paraffin, liquid plastic, or water glass are applied to softer, more porous kinds to increase their endurance and color.
Iron gives turquoise a more greenish tone, whereas copper gives it a sky-blue hue. The most expensive type of turquoise is a deep sky-blue shade that resembles the hue of a robin’s egg. The inclusions from the surrounding rock matrix are what give the gemstones their common ochre and brown-black veins.
Turquoise facts
Iran, which is renowned for its sky-blue stones from Neyshabur, produces some of the best turquoise in the world. Over 5,000 years ago, humans in Egypt began mining turquoise in the Sinai Peninsula. The southwestern states of the United StatesArizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico, and Nevadaare rich in turquoise. Afghanistan, Australia, China, India, Tibet, Mexico, and Brazil are some places where this stone can be found.
The French phrase pierre turquoise, which translates to “Turkish stone,” is where the word turquoise first appeared. This is due to the fact that Venetian traders shipped the diamond to Europe after buying it from Turkish traders.
The governing classes of ancient civilizations in Africa, Asia, and the Americas wore turquoise jewelry. In ancient Iraq, beads from the late 6th millennium BCE have been discovered. The arm of a woman in the tomb of Zer, a pharaoh who ruled Egypt approximately 3000 BCE, was adorned with turquoise bracelets. In the tomb of a nobleman in central China found a 3,700-year-old dragon relic from the Xia Dynasty fashioned of more than 2,000 pieces of turquoise.
Turquoise in the Americas
The American Southwest has a long history with turquoise. For several thousand years, Native Americans have used this gemstone to make jewelry and ornaments. Particularly the Zuni, Navajo, Pueblo, and Apache are renowned for their turquoise jewelry.
The term “sky stone” in Zuni refers to turquoise. Pueblo dancers wear turquoise during the summer growing season to promote rainfall. The Navajo use turquoise in significant rites of passage because they believe it to be a stone of protection and good health. The Apache, however, thought that turquoise was located at the end of a rainbow and that having turquoise on a bow or pistol guaranteed accurate shooting.
Pre-Columbian societies in Mexico, Central America, and South America all used turquoise. Ancient cultures in Peru produced tiny items like beads, figurines, and artifacts with turquoise inlays. Turquoise was a popular adornment material among the Aztecs. It also served crucial ceremonial and religious purposes. A high priest who participated in human sacrifice, for instance, wore a turquoise pendant that hung from his lower lip. Complex turquoise mosaics, such as the turquoise mosaic mask used at a king’s burial, were a famous Aztec art form.
Turquoise lore
Turquoise is seen as a love charm by certain individuals. It is intended to represent a promise of love when given as a gift. Shakespeare employed this knowledge in “The Venetian Merchant. In it, Leah sent Shylock a turquoise ring when he was single in the hopes that it would capture his heart and prompt him to propose to her.
Numerous more superstitions are connected to turquoise. According to an Arabian literature from the eleventh century, “When the air is clear, the turquoise sparkles; when the air is murky, it turns pale. They also thought that the weather affected its color. People thought it would shield its wearer from harm if he fell off a horse in the 13th century.
According to The Curious Lore of Precious Stones by George Frederick Kunz, diamonds and turquoise are said to lose their magical properties when sold.
The spirit that inhabited the stone was believed to object to the idea of being purchased and sold and was expected to leave, leaving it to be reduced to a meaningless piece of material. However, the spirit was very than prepared to transfer its favor from one owner to another if the diamond (or turquoise) was given as a promise of love or friendship.
There were also bogus health claims regarding turquoise. People used to think that when a stone’s user was sick, the stone changed color. Some claimed it was a successful remedy for the pain caused by evil spirits and scorpion bites. The eyes are purportedly strengthened just by glancing at turquoise.
December birthstone: zircon
A mineral called zircon is created from the elements zirconium and silicon (zirconium silicate). In the majority of igneous rock, tiny crystals, only a few millimeters in size, are frequently discovered. Zircon is tough enough to withstand the geological processes that form metamorphic and sedimentary rock, with a Mohs scale hardness of 7.5. Large zircon crystals are uncommon, though. They are mostly generated in carbonatites and pegmatites, two types of coarse-grained igneous rock. But the majority of zircons are found in alluvial and beach deposits because gem-bearing rocks have weathered.
The Arabic word zarquin, which means red, may have been the source of the term zircon. Or possibly from the Persian word zargus, which means golden.
Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Sri Lanka are significant suppliers of zircon with gemstone-quality. The gemstones are also found in Canada, Australia, France, Norway, and Myanmar.
Colors of zircon
Forces have changed the chemical makeup and color of zirconium silicate crystals throughout long geologic epochs. Radiation emitted by uranium and thorium inclusions modifies the original crystal structure. A glass-like substance with hues ranging from red to brown, orange, and yellow is created. The most uncommon natural color is green. The majority of gemstones have been heated since the 1920s in order to enhance their colors. In addition to blue and yellow stones, this results in colorless zircons.
An intriguing tale about the origin of blue stones is told in “Gems and Crystals by Anna S. Sofianides and George E. Harlow:
A brand-new blue gemstone debuted on the market in the 1920s. It received extraordinary brilliance and became popular right away.
The creation of the blue zircon
Zircons, which are typically brown to green but had never before been blue, turned out to be the gems. The renowned Tiffany gemologist George F. Kunz immediately suspected fraud since remarkable stones were not only widely available but also in great supply. Upon Kunz’s request, a colleague conducted research while traveling to Siam, Thailand, and discovered that a significant amount of unsightly brown zircon had prompted local businesspeople to try with color enhancement. The dull substance was heated in an oxygen-free chamber to create “new blue stones,” which suppliers sent to retailers all around the world. The market merely accepted the information even after becoming aware of the fraud, and the demand for the new stones remained unabated.
Blue stones are unquestionably a client choice for zircons. Colors like red and green are also beneficial. Due to their blazing fire, colorless zircons are outstanding imitations of diamonds, but only in terms of appearance. Zircon can be fragile, thus cutting requires extreme caution. Due to intrinsic tensions in the crystal brought on by radiation damage and heat treatment, it breaks with a well-placed knock. However, its breathtaking beauty keeps it in high demand. Clarity and the absence of discernible inclusions are further criteria that influence gemstone pricing.
Zircon lore
One of the stones of the Hindu Kalpa Tree, which symbolized the tree’s leaves, was green zircon. This tree served as a metaphorical sacrifice to the gods. Hindu poets of the 19th century spoke of it as a shining gem among sapphires, diamonds, and topaz in a dazzling group of priceless stones.
Ancient Arabs loved the reddish-brown and orange-red hyacinth and jacinth forms of zircon; they are even referenced in the well-known “Arabian Nights.”
Zircon gained popularity in the 14th century as a defense against the Black Death, a terrible plague that wiped off a fourth of Europe’s population. The stone was thought to have medicinal properties, including the ability to aid with digestion, induce sleep, and counteract poison.
December birthstone: tanzanite
A peculiar variation of the mineral zoisite is tanzanite (calcium aluminium hydroxyl sorosilicate). Due to the presence of vanadium in the zoisite crystals, it has blue and violet hues. This gemstone was created 585 million years ago, in a region that would one day become Mount Kilimanjaro in northern Tanzania, during a period of strong plate tectonic activity and tremendous heat.
Tanzanite is now exclusively found in the Merelani Hills, which are close to Mount Kilimanjaro.
Colors from different angles
Tanzanite flashes these hues depending on the angle from which it is viewed in its natural state, where it appears brown, yellowish green, blue, and violet. Pleochroism is a phenomena where several hues can be seen depending on how light strikes the gemstone.
Additionally, the type of lighting can have an impact. Tanzanite appears more blue in fluorescent lighting and more violet in incandescent lighting.
To eliminate the natural tanzanite’s brownish tint, heat treatments were commonly applied to crystals used in jewelry. Gems that are more vividly blue and violet are the end product. Rarely, heated stones can create a green gem with blue and violet secondary colors. Cutters can alter the general color of cut gems by how they make them.
Tanzanite’s recent history
The history of tanzanite began in 1967, as opposed to the hundreds or even thousands of years that most birthstones have had. A member of the Masai tribe discovered some extraordinary transparent violet-blue crystals in northern Tanzania’s Merelani Hills. He alerted a local prospector and tailor named Manuel d’Souza, who submitted the first of several mining claims after discovering the diamonds.
D’Souza at first thought they were sapphires. However, no one was certain. Geologists at the Gemological Institute of America received the stones and determined that they were an unusual variety of zoisite.
Tiffany & Company, a renowned jeweler, expressed interest in the stone. They started a marketing campaign in 1968. They changed the name of blue zoisite to tanzanite in honor of the country of origin in order to increase consumer interest in the jewels. The American Gem Trade Association chose tanzanite to join turquoise and zircon as the birthstones for December in 2002.
Flower: Carnation
People born under the sign of Sagittarius are powerful yet delicate, like a carnation. It makes logical that these zodiac flowers be coupled with one of the most widely used wedding flowers as Sagittarius’ are known for their love of love! Carnations are a representation of love because they frequently remain the longest in a bunch of flowers. Just as a carnation blooms in branching or forked clusters, Sagittarius is a fire sign and is noted for its adventurous nature. The fire sign will always approach their activities with an open mind because they dislike being subdued.
Which birthstone for December is the most expensive?
Tanzanite is often the most expensive birthstone for December, at least when it is blue. Although blue tanzanite is frequently regarded as an expensive gem, just one glance will persuade you of its value.
What kind of flower is Capricorn?
Congratulations if a lovely Capricorn baby has entered your family. The parents will appreciate their kid’s laid-back nature. Your new baby will develop into a caring and sincere person. Since Capricorns love to learn and will grow up to be determined and diligent, you should promote learning from a young age.
The Capricorn can be brash on the surface, exactly like their birth flower, the carnation. Capricorns have a bright appearance, but they also have a gentler side. Given that Capricorns are conventional, a gift like a bouquet of carnations would brighten their day.
While working hard to discipline their child, a Capricorn parent also enjoys themselves frequently. While Capricorns may have rules and laws for their children, they are always caring and affectionate since they enjoy family and being connected to it.
What hue is a Capricorn?
Capricorn: Khaki and earthy colors like brown are preferred by Capricorns. They prefer the color red even though they don’t frequently wear it. They look good with white, and black and white outfits are classic favorites.
What color is the birthstone for December?
Zircon, Tanzanite, and turquoise are the three gemstones that are associated with December birthdays. These gemstones all have distinctive blue tones, making them ideal December birthstones for Minnesota’s chilly winters. Zircon comes in a range of hues, but blue is by far the most popular.
