December birthstone: Turquoise
Turquoise illustration
December’s classic stone is turquoise: opaque blue-green with a Southwest-to-Silk-Road gift history and plenty of personality in the matrix.
What turquoise is
Turquoise is a hydrated copper-aluminum phosphate. Color ranges from sky blue to greenish teal. Stabilization and dyeing happen in the market, so reputable sellers should say what you are buying.
Alternates: zircon and tanzanite
Zircon (the natural mineral) can be blue, white, or earth-toned after treatment. Tanzanite is a blue-violet zoisite associated with later twentieth-century jewelry fashion. Both give December a faceted, more “conventional gem” option beside turquoise.
How December got these stones
Older Western lists emphasized turquoise; later revisions added zircon and tanzanite as winter alternates. Charts change when jewelry tastes change.
Birth month vs zodiac gems
Sagittarius and Capricorn share December. Month stone and sign lore can both appear on a wishlist without being the same system.
Find your weekday
Wrap the year with the birthday calculator and see which weekday your December birthday landed on.
Common questions
What is the December birthstone?
Turquoise is a classic December stone. Many modern lists also feature zircon and tanzanite as alternates.
Why does turquoise have matrix lines?
Host rock veins show through as spiderweb or blotchy patterns. Some buyers love the matrix; others prefer clean robin’s-egg color.
Are zircon and cubic zirconia the same?
No. Zircon is a natural mineral and a December alternate. Cubic zirconia is a lab-made diamond simulant with a similar-sounding name.