December Birthstone: Turquoise, Blue Topaz & Tanzanite

Shimmering in the most beautiful blues the world has ever seen, the December birthstones are the ancient Turquoise, the brilliant Blue Topaz and the rare Tanzanite. Turquoise represents protection, wisdom and good fortune, Blue Topaz symbolizes clarity, honesty and deep emotional connection, and Tanzanite embodies transformation, intuition and the magic of new beginnings.

Birthstones have their roots in ancient astrology. Birthstones are gemstones that are associated with the month of one's birth based on the planetary positions. Wearing your birthstone brings you good luck, good health, and protection. Each of the 12 months of the calendar has a unique birthstone and each stone has a unique meaning and significance.

The month of December arrives wrapped in a serene, wintry beauty — crisp air, frost-kissed mornings and skies that deepen into the most breathtaking shades of blue. A December born child is ambitious, disciplined and wonderfully warm-hearted. They carry a natural sense of wisdom beyond their years and possess a generous, giving spirit that draws people to them. They dream big, work hard and their birthstones are a stunning celebration of everything that makes them extraordinary.

All three December birthstones share the mesmerising beauty of blue — each in their own unique and spectacular shade. Together they form a trio of remarkable stones that calm the mind, open the heart and guide the wearer with clarity, protection and an enduring sense of inner peace.

Read on to find out more about the amazing December birthstones.

The Ancient Turquoise

Turquoise is one of the oldest and most revered gemstones in human history. It is a hydrated phosphate of copper and aluminium and belongs to the triclinic crystal system. Its distinctive colour ranges from sky blue and robin's egg blue to blue-green and green depending on the ratio of copper and iron within the stone — the more copper, the bluer the stone; the more iron, the greener. The finest Turquoise in the world is found in Iran, followed by the American Southwest, China, Tibet and Egypt. The most prized Turquoise is an even, vivid sky blue colour with no matrix or veining.

Turquoise is an opaque stone with a smooth, waxy lustre and scores between 5 and 6 on the Mohs scale of hardness. Because of its relative softness, it is often stabilised or treated to improve its durability and colour in the market. Natural, untreated Turquoise of fine quality is therefore considerably rare and commands great value. The stone has a porous nature which means it can absorb oils, cosmetics and perspiration over time, so it requires gentle care.

Few gemstones carry a history as ancient and as rich as Turquoise. It is one of the first gemstones ever mined, with records dating back over 6,000 years. The ancient Egyptians treasured Turquoise above almost all other stones and adorned their pharaohs and royalty with it. The iconic death mask of Tutankhamun is inlaid with Turquoise alongside gold and Lapis Lazuli. In ancient Persia, Turquoise was worn around the neck or wrist as protection against unnatural death, and Persian warriors decorated their swords and horses with it. Native American tribes of the Southwest considered Turquoise to be a sacred stone connecting heaven and earth, and it held deep spiritual significance in their rituals and ceremonies.

Turquoise is one of the most powerful protective stones in the gemstone world. It is a talisman of good luck, strength and protection and has been used for thousands of years to shield the wearer from negative energies, accidents and ill fortune. It promotes inner calm and clear thinking, making it an excellent stone for those going through periods of stress or transition. It also enhances communication, encouraging honest and heartfelt expression.

Turquoise is deeply connected to healing. It is one of the oldest healing stones known to mankind and is believed to be a master healer, benefiting the entire body. It supports the respiratory, immune and skeletal systems, helps in the absorption of nutrients and alleviates pollution and environmental contaminants. It is also a wonderful stone for emotional healing, helping to dissolve self-sabotaging patterns and encouraging a sense of serenity and wholeness.

The Brilliant Blue Topaz

Blue Topaz is one of the most beloved and widely worn gemstones in the world. Topaz is a silicate mineral of aluminium and fluorine and belongs to the orthorhombic crystal system. In its pure form, Topaz is actually colourless — it is the presence of impurities and structural defects that gives it its range of colours. Blue Topaz is found in many parts of the world including Brazil, Sri Lanka, Nigeria, Pakistan, Russia and the United States, with Brazil being the most important source of Topaz gemstones globally.

Blue Topaz comes in three distinct shades that are each celebrated in their own right. Sky Blue Topaz has a pale, delicate blue reminiscent of a clear summer sky. Swiss Blue Topaz has a vivid, medium blue that is bright and electric. London Blue Topaz is the deepest and most dramatic of the three, with a rich, inky blue-grey colour that exudes sophistication and elegance. All three varieties have an exceptional brilliance and a vitreous lustre. Topaz scores 8 on the Mohs scale of hardness, making it a highly durable stone that is well suited for all types of fine jewellery.

Topaz has a long and storied history woven through many of the world's greatest civilisations. The ancient Egyptians believed that Blue Topaz received its golden colour from the Sun God Ra and that it therefore carried divine protective power. Ancient Greeks believed that Topaz had the power to increase strength and make the wearer invisible in times of danger. In the Middle Ages, Topaz was believed to heal both physical and mental disorders and was used to break magic spells. The name Topaz itself is believed to derive from the Sanskrit word 'Tapas' meaning fire, or from the Greek name for the Red Sea island of Topazios where a yellow stone was once mined.

Blue Topaz is a stone of clarity, communication and truth. It calms the mind, facilitates the expression of thoughts and feelings and encourages honesty in all interactions. It is an excellent stone for writers, speakers, teachers and anyone who relies on clear and articulate communication in their professional or personal life. It also aids focus and concentration, making it a wonderful study companion.

Blue Topaz brings a deep sense of emotional balance and inner peace to the wearer. It soothes anxious minds, alleviates stress and helps the wearer approach challenges with a calm, level-headed perspective. It is also associated with love and fidelity, strengthening the bonds of trust and affection between partners. On the health front, Blue Topaz is said to support the throat and thyroid, aid digestion, improve metabolism and promote restful, rejuvenating sleep.

The Rare Tanzanite

Tanzanite is one of the rarest, most extraordinary and most coveted gemstones in the world. It is a blue-violet variety of the mineral Zoisite and owes its breathtaking colour to the presence of vanadium within its crystal structure. What makes Tanzanite truly unique among all gemstones is that it is found in only one place on earth — a small mining area of just a few square kilometres at the foot of Mount Kilimanjaro in the Mererani Hills of northern Tanzania. This single-source origin makes it geologically extraordinary and at least 1,000 times rarer than Diamond.

Tanzanite displays a phenomenon called pleochroism — it shows different colours when viewed from different angles, shifting between deep blue, violet and burgundy depending on the direction of light. The most prized Tanzanite stones exhibit a rich, velvety blue-violet colour with flashes of red and purple. Tanzanite scores 6 to 7 on the Mohs scale of hardness and has a beautiful vitreous lustre. Most Tanzanite on the market is gently heat-treated to enhance its blue and violet tones, which is a standard and widely accepted practice in the gem trade.

Tanzanite is a relatively recent discovery in the world of gemstones, first found in 1967 by a Masai tribesman who noticed sparkling blue crystals glinting in the sun after a bush fire had swept through the area. The stone was brought to the attention of Tiffany & Co., who named it Tanzanite after its country of origin and introduced it to the world. Since then, Tanzanite has captured the imagination of gem lovers worldwide and rapidly established itself as one of the most desirable gemstones on the planet. Given that the mines are expected to be exhausted within a few decades, Tanzanite is widely regarded as a stone of the present — a fleeting treasure that will only grow rarer with time.

Tanzanite is a stone of transformation, spiritual awakening and higher consciousness. It is said to raise awareness, deepen intuition and help the wearer connect with their inner wisdom. It encourages a calm, composed approach to life and helps dissolve old patterns of fear, worry and self-doubt, replacing them with a profound sense of confidence and purpose. It is also a stone of compassion, fostering kindness, empathy and a deeper understanding of the world and the people around us.

Tanzanite is deeply connected to the heart and the mind, helping to bridge emotions and intellect and bring them into a beautiful harmony. It supports those going through significant life changes, offering clarity, courage and a sense of calm certainty in uncertain times. On the healing front, Tanzanite is believed to support the immune system, aid recovery from illness and detoxify the blood. It is also said to improve vitality, calm an overactive mind and promote deep, restorative sleep.

Final Thoughts

Whether seeking the ancient protection of Turquoise, the clear-minded brilliance of Blue Topaz or the rare and transformative energy of Tanzanite, December's three birthstones offer something truly special for every soul. Each stone carries its own unique shade of blue — from the earthy sky blue of Turquoise to the electric brilliance of Blue Topaz to the deep, velvety violet-blue of Tanzanite — and yet together they form a breathtaking palette that captures the very essence of December's wintry, magical beauty.

If you are someone born in December, Turquoise, Blue Topaz and Tanzanite are three magnificent blue treasures to bring into your life, each offering protection, clarity and the transformative energy to help you shine at your very best. If you know someone born in December, gifting them their birthstone will offer them peace, wisdom and a beautiful piece of the world's most stunning blue wonders to carry with them always.

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