December birthstones

December birthstones: Turquoise, Tanzanite and Zircon

December has three birthstones: Turquoise, Tanzanite and Zircon. GIA names Turquoise and Tanzanite as the main stones; the American Gem Society lists all 3.

Turquoise

A soft, opaque blue to green gem colored by copper (blue) and iron or chromium (green).

Colors: Powdery blue to greenish robin's egg blue; Sky blue is often called "Persian blue"
Mohs hardness: 5 to 6
Everyday wear: Delicate
Found in: United States (now the largest supplier; Arizona leads), Iran (historic source of sky blue turquoise), Sinai Peninsula, Egypt (historic), Nevada, New Mexico, California and Colorado (US)

Turquoise has decorated jewelry, ceremonial masks, weapons and bridles for thousands of years.

Turquoise meaning, colors and care →

Tanzanite

The blue violet variety of the mineral zoisite, found only in Tanzania near Mount Kilimanjaro. It was discovered in 1967.

Colors: Pale blue to intense ultramarine with violet undertones; Shows different colors from different angles
Mohs hardness: 6 to 7
Everyday wear: Wear with care
Found in: Tanzania only (a few square miles near Mount Kilimanjaro)

Tanzanite meaning, colors and care →

Zircon

A natural gem, not to be confused with man-made cubic zirconia. AGS calls it the oldest mineral on Earth: Australian zircons are about 4.4 billion years old.

Colors: Red; Orange; Yellow; Green
Mohs hardness: 6 to 7.5
Everyday wear: Wear with care
Found in: Australia (about 37 percent of world supply), Thailand, Sri Lanka, Tanzania

Zircon is used in radiometric dating, which helps reveal how the Earth formed.

Zircon meaning, colors and care →

Which December birthstone should you choose?

Pick by color, budget and how the piece will be worn. Harder, tougher stones suit rings worn every day; softer ones last longer as pendants or earrings.

Stone	Mohs	Everyday wear	Warm soapy water	Ultrasonic
Turquoise	5 to 6	Delicate	Safe	Never
Tanzanite	6 to 7	Wear with care	Safe	Never
Zircon	6 to 7.5	Wear with care	Safe (recommended)	Not recommended

Compare: Turquoise vs Tanzanite · Turquoise vs Zircon · Tanzanite vs Zircon

December birthstone gift ideas

The right piece depends on how tough the stone is. These suggestions follow GIA's hardness and toughness notes for each stone.

Stone	Best as	Why
Turquoise	Pendants and earrings for occasional wear	Soft or easily damaged. Skip everyday rings and bracelets, which take the most knocks.
Tanzanite	Pendants and earrings, or a protected ring	Can chip or scratch, so a pendant or earrings is the safer gift. For a ring, choose a protective bezel setting and occasional wear.
Zircon	Pendants and earrings, or a protected ring	Can chip or scratch, so a pendant or earrings is the safer gift. For a ring, choose a protective bezel setting and occasional wear.

For a mom: a pendant or bracelet with each child's birthstone. Mix tougher stones with delicate ones only in pendants.
For a partner: stud earrings or a simple pendant in her own stone are easy to wear with anything.
Before you buy: ask whether the stone has been treated, and get it in writing. Treatments change how a stone should be cleaned.

See every month in our birthstone gift guide by month.

Traditional December birthstones

Before the US list was standardized in 1912, the traditional stones for December were: Bloodstone, ruby. How the list changed.

Caring for Turquoise, Tanzanite and Zircon

Turquoise: warm soapy water: safe; ultrasonic: never; steam: never. Details
Tanzanite: warm soapy water: safe; ultrasonic: never; steam: never. Details
Zircon: warm soapy water: safe (recommended); ultrasonic: not recommended; steam: not recommended. Details

Frequently asked questions

What is the December birthstone?

Turquoise, Tanzanite and Zircon. A soft, opaque blue to green gem colored by copper (blue) and iron or chromium (green).

What color is the December birthstone?

Turquoise: powdery blue to greenish robin's egg blue. Tanzanite: pale blue to intense ultramarine with violet undertones. Zircon: red.

Why does December have 3 birthstones?

Extra stones were added to the US list by jewelry trade groups to give more choice of color and price (in 1952, 2002 and 2016). Tanzanite was added in 2002.

Is the December birthstone durable?

Tanzanite is 6 to 7 on the Mohs scale (wear with care). Zircon is 6 to 7.5 on the Mohs scale (wear with care). Turquoise is 5 to 6 on the Mohs scale (delicate).

Sources: American Gem Society: Birthstones, GIA: The Beauty of Birthstones, and the GIA care guide and AGS overview for each stone (linked on its page). Checked October 16, 2026.