They are Turquoise, Blue topaz and Tanzanite. Besides the current stones, other traditional birthstone gems include Zircon and a stone with a funny, exotic name: Lapis Lazuli.

Modern December birthstones

Turquoise

December Birthstone - Turquoise

Turquoise is the oldest and most popular of December’s birthstones. It was found on artifacts dating back 5000 years, in ancient Egypt, Sumeria and Mesopotamia. Its name means “Turkish Stone” in French because that’s where the first deposits of turquoise were first found in the ancient world, before the first mines in Egypt, and it is the route that the gemstone took when it was introduced in Europe.

The Egyptians were the first who to recognize the value of Turquoise and use it as a precious stone. The tomb of Tutankhamen was packed with turquoise jewelry, the stone being used on it sarcophagus and mortuary mask. Most likely, Cleopatra used ground-up turquoise for her eye paint.

Millennia later, Turquoise became a sacred stone for Tibetans and Native Americans who used it extensively in their specific religious rituals officiated by the shamans. Both Tibetans and the Native Americans believed Turquoise to promote spiritual and mental clarity and also help build trust, understanding and kindness within the community.

Unlike other precious stones, Turquoise was not a stone only for rituals or for the rich. It is believed that ancient warriors wore turquoise rings that they believer would save them from falling off the horse. Many cultures believed that turquoise helped children have a healthy night sleep preventing nightmares and also protecting against harm.

The Native Americans in the southwest used turquoise as money, believing it would bring animals to the hunter, riches to the warriors and overall happiness.

Turquoise ranges in color from sky blue to green. Very often, to enhance this color, jewelers use a lair of wax coat of the gem which means that the color is not permanent.

This December birthstone is relatively easy to scratch so you need to avoid hits and also hot water and household chemicals.

When shopping for turquoise jewelry, make sure you avoid “Vienna Turquoise”. It sound exotic and refined, but in reality it is just a cheap class imitation.
Modern Turquoise sources are Iran, China, Australia, Afghanistan, Mexico and the US.

Blue Topaz

December Birthstone - Blue Topaz

The second of the modern December birthstones is Blue Topaz. Its name comes either from the Sanskrit word “tapas” which means fire, the symbol of love and fidelity, or the greek word ‘topazos’ which means “green gemstone”.

As a precious stone, Topaz became known only in the classical era. In the middle ages, the name topaz was used to name any yellow gemstone. Only later did it receive it’s proper destination, describing the current stone.

In its pure form, Topaz is colorless. However, skilled jewelers can turn it into just about any color with a little treatment, such as green, pink, blue and pink.

Topaz symbolism

Traditionally, it was believed that topaz had healing powers, could dispel sadness, anger and nocturnal fears, to warn its wearer of poisons and protect him or her from sudden death. There are also a few weird beliefs, like if you wore a topaz ring, you could put your hand in hot water and not be harmed. I wouldn’t rely on that though.

According to some translations of the bible, Topaz is an apocalyptical stone. The Romans dedicated Topaz to their God, Jupiter.

Today, the Portuguese crown has a huge Topaz stone called that weighs 1680 carats. For a long time, it was thought that it actually was a diamond.

This December birthstone is more durable than turquoise, but you still need to avoid sudden temperature changes and rough surfaces.

You can see here a a wide selection of blue topaz jewels, which you can even personalize.

Tanzanite

December Birthstone - Tanzanite

In 2002, the American Gem Trade Association officially added tanzanite to the modern list of birthstones for the month of December.

It was first discovered in 1967 in Tanzania by a local Masai shepherd and it would soon become ‘the stone of the 20th century’, being popularized only two later by Tiffany’s with a massive marketing campaign.

Tanzanite has a beautiful, intense blue color. It varies from ultramarine blue to light violet-blue. In sizes over 10 carats, the effect is impressive. Some tanzanite crystals need to be treated at 500 degrees Celsius to enhance their color and resistance.

Tanzanite is so popular today both because of its fascinating color but also because of its rarity, the only known deposits being in Tanzania, at Merelani.

Without a long history like that of the other December birthstones, tanzanite does not have any powerful, mysterious powers associated to it. But what it lacks in history, it compensates with beauty.

December birthstone jewelry

Here’s a list of the jewelry that can be used to as a gift for the natives of this month.

December birthstone rings

December birthstone earrings

December birthstone necklaces

Unlike most months, November has two birthstones. This is because both gemstones were found in the antiquity on the same Mediterranean island, Topazinos, and possess similar qualities.

People kept confusing the two, so when the jewelers settled the birthstones, they’ve given November both imperial topaz and citrine.

Most topaz stones come in brown, yellow, yellow-gold, and orange, which are strikingly similar with those of the citrine. Thanks to its numerous other colors, this gem is easily mistaken for other precious stone.

For instance, The Imperial topaz, with a reddish-orange color, looks strikingly similar with the Padparadscha sapphire.

November Birthstone - Topaz

The November birthstone has an impressive list of magical properties attributed to it. It was thought to prevent colds and other diseases, strengthen breathing, control angry passions, enhance creativity, increase understanding, bring relaxation, restore energy, and help in tissue regeneration.

In medieval times, it was believed that topaz would bring wisdom to its bearer, which explains why it was so common to give topaz jewels to heads of state, ambassadors and other officials.

One of 20th century’s important discoveries was the blue topaz, which is not found in nature. Instead, the technology made it possible to irradiate a transparent topaz in such a way that it’ll turn to blue.

The more intense the color, the more valuable the stone.

Citrine

The November birthstone is pretty delicate, so it needs special care. When purchasing, make sure there are mounting that protect the stone in case it is dropped. To clean it, it’s sufficient to use cold water and soap.