December pairs the oldest gem tradition with the newest. Turquoise was being mined in Egypt and Persia thousands of years before faceting existed, prized for a sky blue no other stone repeats, and the Victorians set it by the dozen in forget-me-not clusters. Tanzanite was found in 1967 in the Merelani Hills of Tanzania and has never been found anywhere else; its blue-violet shifts with the light and the angle you hold it. Blue zircon, the month's third stone, brings a brilliance that surprises people meeting it for the first time. Our December birthstones guide covers all three.
The collection moves between those poles: Victorian and estate turquoise, tanzanite in modern settings that give the color room, and the occasional zircon for the connoisseur of the overlooked.
Each asks something different. Turquoise is porous, 5 to 6 on the Mohs scale, and keeps its color best away from perfume, lotions, and long soaks. Tanzanite, at 6.5, makes an occasion ring and an everyday pendant. Zircon is brilliant but can wear at its facet edges, so protective settings suit it. All three prefer hand cleaning, and our care guide has each routine.
The rest of the year is in our birthstone jewelry guide.
