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DictionaryzirconGemstone mineral
noun

zircon

ZUR-kun/zˈɝkʌn/

A mineral of zirconium silicate used as a gemstone.

The natural zircon crystal lies beside a polished gemstone of the same mineral.

A reddish-brown natural zircon crystal beside a polished golden-brown faceted zircon gemstone, showing the mineral in raw and gem-cut forms.
Etymology
zirconGermanzircon mineral

Zirkon was introduced as a chemical name for the mineral previously called jacinth. The name’s deeper ancestry is uncertain, so no descriptive root meaning is secure.

In context

Gemology for Schmucks0:08
today we're going to be talking about an ancient gemstone called zircon a lot of people confuse this ancient stone known as zircon with a modern synthetic stone called cubic zirconia
Not Your Grandma's Rhinestones: Zircon [Gem Buyer's Guide]

More examples

  • The jeweler sets two small zircons beside the larger stone.
  • Zircon occurs naturally in several colors, including brown and yellow.
  • Despite their similar names, zircon and cubic zirconia are different materials.

Forms

zircon · zircons