December is one of only a handful of months with three official birthstones — all of them blue. A working jeweler's complete guide to tanzanite, turquoise, and zircon: their colors, meanings, value, zodiac links, and how to choose the right December birthstone jewelry.
The December birthstone is not one stone but three: tanzanite, turquoise, and zircon. December is one of the few months with multiple official birthstones, and all three share a blue-to-violet palette — which is why December is often called the "blue birthstone" month. Tanzanite is the rare violet-blue stone found only in Tanzania; turquoise is the ancient sky-blue-to-green talisman treasured for millennia; and zircon (a natural mineral, not synthetic cubic zirconia) produces a brilliant, diamond-like blue.
The honest version in one paragraph: if you want a luxurious, jewel-like stone for a fine ring, choose tanzanite. If you want an earthy, bohemian, historic look, choose turquoise. If you want maximum sparkle, choose blue zircon. And if you want December's blue color with the best everyday durability and the friendliest price, many jewelers also embrace blue topaz as a traditional December stone.
Aquamarise crafts December birthstone jewelry across all of these stones — explore the December birthstone collection, tanzanite engagement rings, turquoise jewelry, and blue topaz jewelry. The complete guide is below.
Every December, I get the same happy question from shoppers: "Wait — my birthstone is which one?" Because unlike most months, December doesn't hand you a single, tidy answer. It gives you a small treasury of blue stones to choose from, each with its own personality, history, and price. After years of helping people pick December birthstone gifts and rings at Aquamarise, I've come to think of December's abundance as a gift rather than a complication — but only if you understand what makes each stone different. This guide is the working-jeweler version of that conversation, written to settle the confusion once and for all.
This is the hub guide to the December birthstone — it covers all three modern stones at overview depth and links down to deeper guides on the individual stones. For the symbolism, history, and healing properties of December's most luxurious stone, see our dedicated tanzanite meaning guide. For everything about December's most underrated and best-value stone, see the blue zircon guide. And if you're not sure which month your stone belongs to in the first place, our what is my birthstone guide maps every month.
The single sentence to remember: December has more birthstones than almost any other month — tanzanite, turquoise, and zircon by the modern list, plus blue topaz and lapis lazuli by older traditions. The question is never "what is December's birthstone?" but "which December blue is right for you?"
The Three Modern December Birthstones — An Overview
Tanzanite, turquoise, and zircon are December's three official modern birthstones. Here's how they differ at a glance — before we go deeper on each.
The modern birthstone list recognized by the Jewelers of America and reflected by the GIA assigns December three stones: tanzanite, turquoise, and zircon. They look like cousins — all in the blue family — but they're geologically and stylistically very different. One is a recent discovery prized by collectors, one is among the oldest gems in human history, and one is an ancient natural mineral with diamond-like fire that's been unfairly confused with a cheap synthetic for decades.
What it is: a transparent blue-violet variety of the mineral zoisite, discovered near Mount Kilimanjaro in 1967 and named by Tiffany & Co. The look: rich, jewel-like, and luxurious — the most "fine jewelry" of December's stones. Best for: statement rings, engagement rings, and heirloom pieces. Watch-out: softer than diamond, so it favors protective settings. Explore tanzanite jewelry and the full tanzanite meaning guide.
What it is: an opaque hydrated copper-aluminum phosphate, one of the oldest gemstones in human history, worn by Egyptian pharaohs and Native American cultures alike. The look: earthy, bohemian, vintage, instantly recognizable. Best for: distinctive everyday jewelry and statement pieces. Watch-out: the softest of the three; needs gentle care. Browse turquoise jewelry.
What it is: a natural mineral (zirconium silicate) — not the lab-made cubic zirconia it's so often confused with. Zircon crystals are the oldest known minerals on Earth. The look: diamond-like fire and a glittering sky blue. Best for: sparkle-lovers who want brilliance and color together. Watch-out: relatively brittle edges; handle with care. Deep dive in the blue zircon guide.
None of the three is the "real" December birthstone — they're all official. Tanzanite is the luxury pick, turquoise is the heritage pick, and zircon is the brilliance pick. Most December birthstone jewelry you'll find uses tanzanite's violet-blue as the signature look, which is why our December birthstone collection centers on it — but the right stone is the one whose personality matches yours.
Tanzanite — December's Rare, Violet-Blue Luxury Stone
The newest of December's birthstones is also its rarest — found in just one place on Earth, and already running scarce.
Tanzanite is the stone most people picture when they think of December birthstone jewelry, and it has the most dramatic origin story of the three. It was discovered in 1967 in the Merelani Hills of northern Tanzania, near Mount Kilimanjaro — and that small area remains the only place on Earth where tanzanite is found. Tiffany & Co. introduced it to the world the following year, naming it "tanzanite" after its homeland, and in 2002 the American Gem Trade Association officially added it to December's birthstone list, the first new birthstone addition in nearly a century.
What makes tanzanite special is its color: a deep, velvety blue-violet that can shift between blue and purple depending on the light and the angle you view it from (a property called pleochroism). The finest tanzanites show a saturated blue with violet flashes. Because the world's only supply comes from a single, finite source, geologists have long warned that tanzanite could be mined out within a generation — making it rarer than diamond and increasingly collectible.
| Tanzanite at a Glance | Details |
|---|---|
| Color | Blue-violet, ranging to purple; pleochroic (shifts with the light) |
| Mineral | Blue variety of zoisite |
| Origin | Only one source on Earth — Merelani Hills, Tanzania |
| Hardness (Mohs) | 6 – 7 (softer than sapphire or diamond) |
| Best settings | Bezel, halo, and protected designs for daily wear |
| Symbolism | Transformation, intuition, spiritual awareness |
| Best for | Engagement rings, statement rings, heirloom gifts |
Because tanzanite is on the softer side, it rewards thoughtful setting choices. A bezel or halo design protects the stone's edges and makes it far more wearable day to day — the same logic we apply to other softer colored stones. If you're drawn to tanzanite for an engagement ring specifically, it's one of the most romantic alternative-stone choices available, and it pairs beautifully with the kind of vintage and nature-inspired settings that suit colored gems. Browse tanzanite engagement rings, matching tanzanite couples rings, or the broader tanzanite jewelry range.
Tanzanite's symbolism deserves its own deeper treatment — its associations with transformation, intuition, and spiritual awareness make it a particularly meaningful gift. For the full story of what tanzanite means, where it comes from, and the metaphysical traditions around it, read our complete tanzanite meaning guide.
Turquoise — The Oldest of December's Birthstones
If tanzanite is December's newest stone, turquoise is its most ancient — a protective talisman worn for thousands of years.
Turquoise has been treasured for at least 7,000 years, making it one of the oldest gemstones in recorded human history. Egyptian pharaohs wore it; it adorned the burial mask of Tutankhamun. Persian artisans used it on domes and palaces because its sky-blue color symbolized heaven. Native American cultures of the American Southwest — particularly the Navajo, Zuni, and Pueblo peoples — have prized turquoise for centuries as a sacred protective stone, and that tradition profoundly shaped the bohemian, Southwestern aesthetic turquoise carries today.
Unlike tanzanite and zircon, turquoise is opaque — you don't see through it. Its color ranges from a pure robin's-egg sky blue (the most prized) to blue-green and green, often threaded with the dark veining (called "matrix") of the host rock it formed in. That matrix is part of turquoise's charm: every stone is unmistakably one of a kind. The trade-off is hardness — turquoise is the softest of December's three stones, so it needs gentle care, kept away from chemicals, heat, and prolonged water exposure.
Because natural high-grade turquoise is increasingly scarce, much of the turquoise on the market is stabilized (treated to harden it) or reconstituted. Neither is "fake" — stabilization is a long-accepted practice that makes softer turquoise wearable — but the most valuable turquoise is natural, untreated stone with strong, even color. When shopping, ask about treatment, and prioritize even color and a pleasing matrix pattern. Explore Aquamarise turquoise jewelry.
Turquoise is the December stone for someone who wants a distinctive, earthy, instantly recognizable look — the antithesis of a conventional clear-stone ring. Its long association with protection and good fortune also makes it deeply meaningful: across cultures, turquoise has been the stone you give someone to keep them safe. For the wider story of how gemstones like turquoise gathered their meanings across history, see our history of gemstones guide.
Zircon — December's Underrated, Diamond-Like Brilliant
The most misunderstood December birthstone is also its most brilliant — and it has nothing to do with the cheap synthetic it's constantly confused with.
Let's clear up the most common confusion in the gem world first: zircon is not cubic zirconia. Zircon is a natural mineral — zirconium silicate — that forms in the Earth's crust. Cubic zirconia is a man-made diamond simulant invented in a lab. The names sound almost identical, which has unfairly dragged zircon's reputation down for decades, but they are completely different materials. In fact, zircon crystals are the oldest known minerals on Earth, with some dated to more than four billion years old.
Natural zircon has remarkable optical properties: a high refractive index that gives it brilliant sparkle, and strong fire (the rainbow flashes you see in a diamond). Blue zircon — the variety most associated with December — is produced by heat-treating naturally occurring brown zircon, a standard and stable treatment that has been practiced for over a century. The result is a glittering, sky-blue stone with more brilliance than almost any other colored gem. For the buyer who wants both sparkle and color, blue zircon is December's secret weapon, and usually its best value.
Blue zircon offers diamond-like fire at a fraction of the price, a genuine natural-mineral pedigree, and a color that sits right in December's blue sweet spot — yet it remains relatively unknown to most shoppers. If you want a December birthstone that feels both meaningful and brilliant without a luxury price tag, zircon is the one to learn about. We cover everything — what it is, how it compares to other blue stones, how to care for it, and why it's so underrated — in the dedicated blue zircon guide.
December Birthstone Color — Why It's the "Blue" Month
If December had a single signature color, it would be blue — but each of its stones occupies a different corner of the blue spectrum.
One of the things that makes December special is how cohesive its palette is. Where some months mix wildly different colors, December's three stones all live in the cool blue-to-violet range — which means December babies have one of the most flattering, universally wearable birthstone colors of any month. Blue suits nearly every skin tone, pairs effortlessly with both warm and cool metals, and reads as calm, elegant, and timeless.
Here's how the December birthstone color breaks down across the stones:
| Stone | Color Range | Character |
|---|---|---|
| Tanzanite | Blue-violet to purple | Deep, velvety, jewel-like; shifts with the light |
| Turquoise | Sky blue to blue-green | Opaque, earthy, often veined with matrix |
| Zircon | Bright sky blue | Brilliant, glittering, transparent |
| Blue Topaz (traditional) | Icy to deep "London" blue | Clean, crisp, transparent, durable |
If you're shopping for someone with a December birthday and you're not sure which stone they'd prefer, "blue" is the safe through-line — almost any blue stone in this family will feel like an appropriate, meaningful December gift. If you want to honor the cool blue color while maximizing durability and budget, blue topaz (covered below) is the easiest everyday choice. For the deep blue look in fine jewelry, tanzanite is the most luxurious.
Traditional vs Modern — Where Blue Topaz & Lapis Fit In
December's birthstone list has shifted over time, which is why you'll sometimes see blue topaz or lapis lazuli listed too. Here's the full picture.
Birthstone lists aren't fixed laws of nature — they're traditions that have evolved across cultures and been formalized by trade organizations at different times. That's why you'll see December's birthstone described differently depending on where you look. The modern American list (tanzanite, turquoise, zircon) is the most current, but older and regional traditions add two more stones to December's roster:
Blue topaz is a traditional December birthstone in many British and European lists, even though the modern American system assigns topaz to November. Its appeal for December is obvious: a clean, icy-to-deep blue that nails the month's palette, excellent hardness (Mohs 8) for everyday wear, and a famously friendly price. For a hard-wearing, affordable December blue, it's hard to beat. Explore topaz engagement rings and topaz jewelry.
Lapis lazuli appears on some traditional December lists as well. A deep, royal ultramarine blue flecked with golden pyrite, lapis was ground into the most precious blue pigment of the Renaissance and has symbolized wisdom and royalty since antiquity. It's opaque like turquoise and similarly soft, so it suits pendants and statement pieces more than daily-wear rings — but as a meaningful, historic December blue, it's a beautiful and unexpected choice.
All of them. There is no single governing authority that makes one December birthstone more legitimate than another. If your family always considered blue topaz the December stone, that tradition is just as valid as the modern tanzanite-turquoise-zircon list. The practical upshot: December gives you five lovely blue options, so you can choose on style, durability, and budget rather than worrying about being "correct." Compare every month's stones in our what is my birthstone guide.
December Birthstone Meaning — Calm, Protection & Wisdom
December's stones may differ in look and value, but their symbolism converges on a shared set of themes.
Across cultures and centuries, December's blue birthstones have gathered remarkably consistent meanings — fitting for a family of stones that all share the calming color blue. If you're giving December birthstone jewelry as a gift, these associations add a layer of meaning beyond the birthday connection:
| Stone | Traditional Meaning & Symbolism |
|---|---|
| Tanzanite | Transformation, intuition, spiritual awareness, and new beginnings — apt for a stone discovered so recently |
| Turquoise | Protection, good fortune, and friendship; one of history's oldest protective talismans |
| Zircon | Wisdom, honor, prosperity, and restful sleep; associated with grounding and clarity |
| Blue Topaz | Calm, communication, and truth; a soothing stone associated with clear thinking |
The common threads — calm, protection, wisdom, and truth — make December's birthstones especially thoughtful gifts for milestones: a December birthday, an anniversary, a graduation, or the start of a new chapter. Turquoise in particular carries one of the most enduring gift meanings in all of jewelry: given to someone you want to keep safe. For the symbolism of December's luxury stone specifically, the tanzanite meaning guide goes deeper, and you can browse meaningful pieces in our birthstone jewelry gifts collection.
December Zodiac Stones — Sagittarius & Capricorn
December spans two zodiac signs, and each has its own gemstone associations alongside the calendar birthstones.
If you prefer to shop by zodiac sign rather than calendar month, December splits into two: Sagittarius (November 22 – December 21) and Capricorn (December 22 – January 19). Both pair beautifully with December's blue birthstones, but each sign also has its own traditional gem links.
Turquoise is the gem most often linked to Sagittarius, said to support the sign's adventurous, optimistic, truth-seeking spirit and to protect the traveler — a perfect match for a sign known for its love of exploration. Zircon and tanzanite are also embraced as Sagittarius stones, all reinforcing themes of wisdom and honest self-expression. Browse turquoise jewelry for the classic Sagittarius look.
Capricorn is most often associated with garnet (January's birthstone, since Capricorn straddles two months), but blue stones like tanzanite and blue topaz are also embraced for the sign's grounded, disciplined nature. For a Capricorn with a late-December birthday, a deep blue tanzanite or blue topaz piece honors both the calendar and the sign. Explore blue topaz jewelry or the January garnet collection.
How to Choose December Birthstone Jewelry — A 4-Question Framework
With five lovely blue stones to choose from, the decision gets easy once you answer a few questions about who you're shopping for.
Is this for everyday wear or special occasions?
For an everyday piece — especially a ring that takes daily knocks — durability matters most. Blue topaz (Mohs 8) is the most hard-wearing December blue, followed by zircon. For occasional or carefully-worn pieces, tanzanite and turquoise are wonderful. For a daily-wear ring in a softer stone, choose a protective bezel or halo setting and browse halo birthstone rings.
What's the recipient's style — classic, modern, or bohemian?
Earthy, free-spirited, vintage-loving style points to turquoise. Modern, polished, luxury-leaning taste points to tanzanite. Someone who loves sparkle above all will adore blue zircon. And a clean, classic dresser who wants crisp blue will love blue topaz. Let personality lead the stone choice — it's the difference between a gift they wear once and one they wear forever.
What's the budget?
Fine natural tanzanite is the priciest December stone, rising sharply with size and color. Blue zircon and blue topaz deliver the most color-and-sparkle per dollar. Beautifully made silver-set and simulated December birthstone pieces let you get the exact blue-violet look at an accessible price. Explore affordable options in birthday gifts and the December birthstone collection.
Ring, necklace, or a gift to keep close?
Softer stones like turquoise and tanzanite shine in necklaces and earrings, which see less impact than rings. For a December birthstone ring, lean toward protected settings or the harder stones. Shop by piece in necklaces, by style in solitaire, vintage, nature-inspired, and stacking birthstone rings, or design a one-of-a-kind piece with our custom ring studio.
December Birthstone Jewelry — The Aquamarise Range
From luxurious tanzanite engagement rings to crisp blue topaz everyday pieces, here's where to find December's blue stones at Aquamarise.
Our flagship December category, centered on tanzanite's violet-blue. From vintage emerald-cut solitaires to kite and marquise designs, available across rings and matched sets. Every piece pairs naturally with our wider women's engagement rings and nature-inspired aesthetic.
Browse: December Birthstone · Tanzanite Engagement Rings · Tanzanite Couples Rings
For the December baby who wants something earthy and unmistakable, our turquoise jewelry brings the month's most ancient stone into modern settings. A striking alternative to conventional clear-stone pieces.
Browse: Turquoise Jewelry
The traditional December stone for shoppers who want crisp blue color, excellent everyday durability, and a friendly price. Our topaz range spans engagement rings, couples rings, and kite-cut designs.
Browse: Topaz Engagement Rings · Topaz Jewelry · Topaz Couples Rings
Prefer to start from a setting style? Browse birthstone rings by design and filter to December's blues — or explore the full birthstone library and meaningful gift collections.
Browse: Solitaire · Halo · Vintage · Stacking · All Birthstone Jewelry
If you can't find the exact stone-and-setting combination you're picturing, our custom ring studio creates one-of-a-kind December birthstone jewelry in tanzanite, turquoise, blue topaz, and more. Every custom piece is backed by the same lifetime warranty on workmanship as our standard collection.
Birthstones by Month — Explore the Full Calendar
Shopping for more than one birthday? Each month has its own stone and story.
December isn't the only month with a fascinating birthstone tradition. If you're building a family piece, shopping for multiple birthdays, or just curious where your own stone fits, explore the full calendar: January (garnet), February (amethyst), March (aquamarine), April (diamond), May (emerald), June (pearl, moonstone & alexandrite), July (ruby), August (peridot), September (sapphire), October (opal & tourmaline), and November (topaz & citrine).
For in-depth month guides, our March birthstone (aquamarine), May birthstone (emerald), and September sapphire guides follow the same depth as this one. And to choose stones you can feel good about, see what makes jewelry ethical and responsibly sourced.
December Birthstone FAQs — What Buyers Most Often Ask
Ten of the most common December birthstone questions, answered clearly — covering the three stones, colors, value, meaning, and zodiac.
What are the three birthstones for December?
December has three modern birthstones recognized by the Jewelers of America and the GIA: tanzanite, turquoise, and zircon. All three are blue-to-violet stones, which is why December is often called a "blue birthstone" month. Tanzanite is the rich violet-blue stone discovered in Tanzania in 1967. Turquoise is the ancient sky-blue-to-green stone prized for thousands of years. Zircon — a natural mineral, not to be confused with synthetic cubic zirconia — produces a brilliant, diamond-like blue when heat-treated. Some traditional lists also add blue topaz and lapis lazuli, giving December more birthstone options than almost any other month.
What is the true or original December birthstone?
Turquoise and zircon are the oldest of December's birthstones, with turquoise treasured by ancient Egyptian, Persian, and Native American cultures for thousands of years and zircon used in jewelry since antiquity. Tanzanite is the newcomer — it was only discovered in 1967 and added to the official birthstone list in 2002 by the American Gem Trade Association. So if you define "true" as the original, turquoise is December's most historic stone. If you define it as the official modern list, all three are equally valid. There is no single "correct" December birthstone; the month simply offers a choice.
What color is the December birthstone?
December's birthstones are predominantly blue, ranging from icy aqua to deep violet. Tanzanite is a rich blue-violet, sometimes leaning purple depending on the angle. Turquoise spans robin's-egg sky blue to blue-green. Zircon is most famous in a bright, glittering sky blue, though it also occurs in colorless, golden, and red. If December had a single signature color, it would be blue — which is why December babies are sometimes said to have the most flattering, universally wearable birthstone palette of any month.
Is December's birthstone turquoise or tanzanite?
It is both — December is one of the few months with multiple official birthstones, so turquoise and tanzanite are equally correct, along with zircon. The choice comes down to personal style. Turquoise reads bohemian, earthy, and vintage, with an opaque sky-blue-to-green color. Tanzanite reads modern, luxurious, and jewel-like, with a transparent violet-blue sparkle better suited to fine engagement and statement rings. Neither is "more correct" than the other; both honor a December birthday. Compare them in our December birthstone collection.
Which December birthstone is the most valuable?
Tanzanite is generally the most valuable of December's birthstones, especially in larger sizes with deep, saturated blue-violet color. Because tanzanite is found in only one place on Earth — a small area near Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania — it is rarer than diamond and prices rise sharply with size and color intensity. Fine natural zircon and high-grade natural turquoise can also command strong prices, but tanzanite typically tops the list. For buyers on a budget, beautifully made simulated and silver-set December birthstone jewelry delivers the same blue-violet look at a far lower price point.
Is blue topaz a December birthstone?
Blue topaz is a traditional December birthstone in some lists, particularly older British and European traditions, even though the modern American birthstone list assigns topaz to November and gives December tanzanite, turquoise, and zircon. Many jewelers and shoppers still happily treat blue topaz as a December stone because its icy blue color fits the month's palette perfectly, it is very affordable, and it is more durable for daily wear than turquoise or tanzanite. If you love the December blue look and want a hard-wearing, budget-friendly option, blue topaz is a completely valid choice. Explore blue topaz jewelry.
What is the December birthstone meaning?
December's birthstones share themes of calm, protection, wisdom, and good fortune. Turquoise is one of the oldest protective talismans in history, long believed to guard the wearer and bring luck. Tanzanite is associated with transformation, intuition, and spiritual awareness — fitting for a stone discovered so recently. Zircon has historically symbolized wisdom, honor, and peaceful sleep. Together, December's blue stones are linked to serenity, truth, and protection, making them especially meaningful gifts for a December birthday, anniversary, or new chapter. The tanzanite meaning guide goes deeper on December's luxury stone.
What is December's zodiac birthstone for Sagittarius and Capricorn?
December spans two zodiac signs: Sagittarius (November 22 – December 21) and Capricorn (December 22 – January 19). Turquoise is the gem most often linked to Sagittarius, said to support the sign's adventurous, truth-seeking nature, while zircon and tanzanite are also embraced. Capricorn is most often associated with garnet (January's birthstone) but also with blue stones like blue topaz and tanzanite. If you are shopping by zodiac rather than by calendar month, December's blue birthstones work beautifully for both signs.
What is the rarest December birthstone?
Tanzanite is the rarest December birthstone. It is found in only one place on the planet — a roughly four-square-mile area in the Merelani Hills of northern Tanzania — and geologists estimate the supply could be depleted within a generation. That single-source rarity is part of why tanzanite has become so collectible since its discovery in the late 1960s. Natural blue zircon and fine untreated turquoise are also increasingly scarce, but tanzanite's one-and-only origin makes it December's rarity standout.
Which December birthstone is best for an engagement ring?
Tanzanite is usually the best December birthstone for an engagement ring because it is transparent, brilliantly colored, and looks luxurious in fine settings — though its softer hardness means it suits protective settings and is best for buyers who will treat it gently. For a more durable everyday December blue, blue topaz is an excellent alternative. Turquoise makes a striking, distinctive bohemian engagement ring but is the softest and needs the most care, while zircon offers diamond-like brilliance but is also relatively delicate. For most December engagement rings, tanzanite in a bezel or halo setting is the sweet spot of beauty and meaning. Browse tanzanite engagement rings.
Tanzanite, Turquoise, Topaz — The Whole December Blue, Beautifully Made.
From rare violet-blue tanzanite to crisp blue topaz, every Aquamarise December birthstone piece is thoughtfully crafted in our Florida studio and designed to be worn and loved for years. Solid 925 sterling silver, solid gold, and platinum options across rings, necklaces, and meaningful gifts — backed by a lifetime warranty on workmanship.
Shop December Birthstone Jewelry Design a Custom Piece
