December Blues

As December’s skies turn gray, December’s gems are blue skies all the way.  Traditional turquoise has been superceded by modern blue topaz and tanzanite as December’s birthstones.

The beautiful blue of the sky on a summer’s day sparkles in every blue topaz. Fresh and breezy, blue topaz is one of the most versatile gems in nature’s palette. It is affordable and available in both small and large sizes, making it a designer favorite.

Blue was once the rarest color of topaz, but today it is the most common, thanks to a stable color enhancement process involving irradiation and heat that was developed in the 1970s.

Legend says that topaz dispels enchantment. The ancient Greeks believed that topaz has the power to increase strength and make its wearer invisible in times of emergency. Topaz was also said to change color in the presence of poisoned food or drink.

Tanzanite has a velvety twilight purplish-blue unlike any other gem. Mined in only one place in the world, a five-square mile area in Merelani in Tanzania near the feet of majestic Kilimanjaro, tanzanite is exceptionally rare. This gem was discovered in 1969 and named by Tiffany & Co., who was the first to bring it to market.

The secret to tanzanite’s mesmerizing color is trichoism: crystals of tanzanite are three different colors from different directions. This means that blue and purple dance together in the depths of the gem as it moves and catches the light.

What blue is best for you?  The noon sky of blue topaz or the velvety twilight of tanzanite?