Y’all!!! HAPPY NEW YEAR!! Woo Hoo! So. I know it’s officially 2022 now. And I know we are officially into January. But I am determined to do two birthstone posts for December. Determined, I tell ‘ya! So … here we are: A 2021 December birthstone post in January, 2022. Go me!
For this post, I wanted to share some Zircon polishes. According to my internet sleuthing (mostly on the Brilliant Earth website), Zircon is a more modern birthstone for December. We covered Turquoise, which is more traditional, in a previous post. Zircon is a fabulous stone. This stone is double refractive, which means you will get reflections and sparkles galore with a well-cut stone. Zircon comes in a wide range of colors. I have a whiskey-toned stone in my own loose gemstone collection, and I have eyed pink and yellow Zircons in the past, although I have not yet jumped in to purchase any. I think Zircon is often confused with “zirconia” or “cubic zirconia”.
Zircon is a natural gemstone, and, in my opinion, a vastly under-appreciated stone. It has a hardness of about 7.5 on the Mohs scale, so this is a gemstone that most people feel is more suited to a pendant or earrings, so that the stone is somewhat protected. It is hard enough to wear in a ring, although I think it’s wise to go into any zircon ring design with the knowledge that, eventually, you will need to replace the stone, as it will tend to wear down over time. Luckily, Zircon tends to be fairly affordable. As you may have guessed, my favorite shade of Zircon is blue, which you can see in the above photo. This is one of my rings, done in a snowflake design. I wear this as part of an alternative wedding set, and the Zircon is around 4 carat equivalent. This one is a very nicely cut stone. It also has a beautiful color, as well as a band of lighter, icier blue, which is pretty typical for these types of stones. Most Zircons are heated, particularly the blues. This stone was heated, but only at low heat.
Okay! Let’s jump in to look at some pretty polish! Sorry for yammering on so much about the gemstones. I have such a love for Zircon. It’s definitely a favorite stone for me, so I tend to get carried away a bit — ha, ha! I have 8 polishes to share in this post, and I will be sharing both mainstream and indie picks.
MAINSTREAM POLISHES:
China Glaze, DV8.
This polish immediately made me think “Zircon” when I swatched it. And I kept right on thinking that when I wore it in a full manicure. I think I’ve worn this one a couple of times so far. I feel like this color is spot-on for a blue Zircon look. I also think the linear holographic lends a nice bit of reflection to the polish, to mimic the sparkles that will happen with this gemstone.
China Glaze, She’s So Extra-Terrestrial.
Blue Zircons often have this blue-green tone to them. They are blue, but not a straight-up sort of blue. I think most people think of royal blue or cornflower blue when they think of gemstones that rock this color. You know, like a sapphire. Zircon is not like that. I find the blues of Zircon really pleasing, but they are not the kind of “blue” you will tend to see in a sapphire. Anyhow, I think this polish shows off that green-blue, beautiful color to perfection.
China Glaze, Water You Waiting For.
This polish is a glittery extravaganza! It is total heck to remove because of all the glitters. But you know what? I can’t be mad over it. It’s worth every effort. I think this polish also shows off that blue-green sort of color often seen in blue Zircon. Plus, all these glitters have a lovely sparkle!
Zoya, Charla.
This polish is a bit darker than what I, personally, would like in a Zircon gemstone. But it is a beautiful tone of blue that has just enough green mixed in to make me think of “Zircon blue”. There is some beautiful golden glass fleck that gives this a nice bit of sparkle, too.
INDIE POLISHES:
Cupcake Polish, Blue Tourmaline.
Even though this polish is named for a completely different gemstone, this one screams “BLUE ZIRCON!!!” to me. Yes, in all caps, even. This color, for me, is so good for a Zircon blue-green. It is, maybe, slightly more green, but I feel like it still falls within the range. Plus, the glitters in this polish are magnificently sparkly in every type of lighting. I love this one!
Glam Polish, Eugene.
This polish did not immediately make me think “Zircon”, mostly because it is not a super sparkler. But, as I sat and looked at it, I felt more and more that the base color is fantastic for a “Zircon blue”. The flakes are sparkly, although this sparkle is more gentle, with some pastel flashes.
Night Owl Lacquer, Sugared Butterfly Wings.
This one is probably slightly more green in color tone, but it still makes me think of Zircon when I wear it. I feel like there is just enough blue in here to make that connection in my brain. This polish has a TON of sparkle from all the glitters, too!
Zombie Claw, Hot and Bothered.
I freaking LOVE this polish! The base color makes me think “Zircon” every time I wear it and every time I look at photos of it. The flakes in this polish are very color-shifty, reflecting pinks and reds and greens and oranges and golds. That is not something I would generally expect to see in a Zircon gemstone, so this one made my list solely on the base color.
THE WRAP-UP:
Yay! I am all done with my December birthstones — just in time for January. What can I say? never a dull moment for me in the nail blog. Right? Right!
Do you have any polishes that make you think “Zircon” when you wear them? Do you love this gemstone as much as I do? I would love to hear all about it!
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