Starlight
Zircon
The famous mineralogist George Frederick Kunz originally proposed the name starlite for zircon. The name starlight is sometimes used for blue zircon. Blue zircon rough comes out of the ground brownish red in color. It is heated for between 1 to 1.5 hours at 800 to 1000oC to produce the blue color. It has been proposed that the color is due to U4+. The zircon comes from multiple locations in Cambodia some of which are Bo Ga-nat, Bo Kalap, Bo Keo, Bo Loy Village, and Bei Srok. The zircon was brought to the earth’s surface through volcanic activity. The rough is found in weathered basalts some of which has decomposed to a red clay called laterite. Rough up to 120ct has been found. Most faceted stones range between 1 to 10ct.
General Information
LWUV: Inert to moderate light blue
Starlight Colors
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Blue -
Blue -
Blue -
Blue
Starlight Spectra
Color due to heat treatment. The diagnostic absorption line at 653nm; and a weaker one at 662nm; both lines being rather diffuse.
We acknowledge the significant scientific contributions of John S Harris, FGA to the study of gemstone spectra and with deep appreciation to him, acknowledges the use of his images and related notes about gemstones and their spectra in the educational materials on this website.
Alternate Names
Blue Zircon
Countries of Origin
Cambodia; Unknown
Care
Avoid sharp knocks and harsh wear. Avoid prolonged exposure to UV lighting, such as tanning beds and nail polish curing lights, to avoid temporary alteration of color.