Blue Topaz: 7 Facts About December’s Birthstone

Embrace the iciness of winter with December’s birthstone, blue topaz. This vibrant gemstone is sure to add much-needed color to your dark, chilly winter days in the Quad Cities.

7 Facts about December’s Birthstone

1. Blue topaz can be light to dark blue.

There are 3 main types of blue topaz colors: London Blue, Swiss Blue, and Sky Blue. London Blue is the darkest shade of blue topaz and is dark blue-grey in appearance. Swiss Blue topaz is blue-green, and Sky Blue topaz is light, icy blue.¹

2. This gemstone is a type of silicate mineral.¹

Silicate minerals are minerals that contain the elements silicon and oxygen. Blue topaz contains these two elements as well as fluorine and aluminum.¹

3. Following its discovery in the Greek Islands two millennia ago, this gemstone is now mined all over the world.¹

Blue topaz is mined in several countries, including Russia, Nigeria, China, and the United States.¹

4. This birthstone scores an 8 out of 10 on the Mohs hardness scale.¹

This means that overall, this gemstone is fairly durable and resistant to scratches. However, we recommend you avoid hitting or scratching this stone against anything as it can still be damaged.

5. London blue topaz is much less durable than other types of topaz.¹

London blue topaz can be broken or scratched much easier than other blue topaz stones. Therefore, if your jewelry contains a London blue topaz you should be extra cautious with it.

6. All you need to clean your blue topaz jewelry is a soft toothbrush, mild soap, and water.

The best way to clean this gemstone at home is to gently scrub it with warm water and mild dish soap using a soft toothbrush. We do not advise putting this stone in an Ultrasonic cleaner.

7. December has 3 other birthstones.¹

Those with December birthdays have several birthstone options to choose from. In addition to blue topaz, tanzanite, turquoise, and zircon are all alternative birthstones for December.

Turquoise is a vibrant blue-green stone that’s mined in New Mexico, Arizona, and Nevada, as well as in Iran and China.² When purchasing turquoise jewelry, please note that this stone isn’t very durable. It scores a 5 to 6 out of 10 on the Mohs hardness scale, so it can be broken or cracked if you’re not careful.²

Tanzanite, December’s second alternative birthstone, varies in color from blue to purple. This stone is more durable than turquoise, with a score of 6 to 7 out of 10 on the Mohs hardness scale. This gemstone is special because it’s only mined in Tanzania.²

December’s third alternative birthstone, zircon, comes in a variety of colors. You can find red, brown, green, and blue zircon, in addition to other colors. This gemstone is mined around the world in countries such as Australia, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam.² With a score of 6 to 7.5 out of 10 on the Mohs hardness scale, this gemstone is somewhat delicate. Therefore, you should treat your zircon jewelry with care.²

Shopping for Blue Topaz Jewelry at Necker’s Jewelers

We have a large selection of this gemstone at our locations in DeWitt and Davenport, IA, and on our website.

Sources

1. December Birthstones: Blue Topaz, Blue Zircon, Tanzanite and Turquoise – International Gem Society

2. December Birthstones | Tanzanite, Turquoise, Zircon Birthstones | GIA