Art Deco golden zircon and diamond ring, circa 1935.

This ring is in excellent condition.

The name zircon derives from the Arabic words “Zar”, meaning gold, and “Zum” meaning color. Geologically dating as far back as 4 billion years, Zircons were used in Greece and Italy from the 6th Century AD. After faceting began in the 14th Century, colourless zircons were even sold as diamonds simulants!

While blue is the most well-known color of zircon, it actually comes in a wide range of colors, including red, orange, yellow, green, brown, and colorless. Ceylon and Burma are sources of gem zircon, which are surface mined from river gravels.

Rough Zircon is one of the key minerals used by geologists in geochronology (the study of the geological history of the earth).