December is another month lucky enough to have more than one birthstone! Though all of December’s birthstones are traditionally blue, there are still a lot to choose from.
Two of my favorite December birthstones are a little off the beaten path. Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with blue Topaz or Zircon, but there’s something special about Lapis Lazuli and Tanzanite stones.
There’s a reason I have so many of these stones in my December Birthstone jewelry collection! The rich blue hues of Lapis Lazuli and the blue-violets of Tanzanite are great reminders of the winter sky, the rich colors of icy water and the blues, purples & whites of winter mountains.
Of course, Lapis Lazuli and Tanzanite are also stones with special meanings as well. Let’s start with Lapis Lazuli:
Lapis Lazuli’s Long History And Many Meanings
Lapis Lazuli is one of the stones that humans have prized the longest. Our history with Lapis Lazuli includes artifacts found in Mesopotamia, Ancient Egypt, and basically, anywhere both Lapis and ancient humans existed together.
We’ve even been making artisan jewelry with Lapis Lazuli almost that whole time.
Genuine Lapis Lazuli is a stone most prized in its imperfections, with speckles of gold and white mineral mixed in with the rich blue of the main stone. In fact, those speckles are one of the easiest ways to tell true Lapis from fake or lab-created stones.
As for Lapis Lazuli’s meanings, this stone has been prized for so much of history that there are a lot of meanings to choose from. But, Lapis Lazuli’s most commonly accepted meanings include strength, courage, and mental fortitude. It's known around the world as a stone of truth and friendship.
Tanzanite, The Beautiful New Kid On The Block
Compared with Lapis Lazuli’s long history, Tanzanite is a relatively new discovery and a particularly beautiful one.
Like all December birthstones, Tanzanite comes in a range of blues, but it also comes in some lavender to violet shades of purple. In fact, Tanzanite is a color-shifting stone, and every Tanzanite stone will change colors slightly depending on the light, and what angle you hold it.
When Tanzanite was first discovered in 1967, the fortune hunter who claimed the mines where it was found hoped that the stone deposits would produce Sapphires, which seemed possible thanks to the blue color. Instead, the mines produced a new stone entirely, with its own unique colors, transparency, and beauty. Tanzanite is one of the few trichroic gemstones, meaning it can display three colors within the same gemstone - blue, violet and/or red.
Since that first discovery, Tanzanite has become a popular stone for jewelry and was quickly snapped up to join December’s birthstones thanks to its perfect range of colors and incredible depth of color.
Metaphysically, Tanzanite has been connected with celebrations of new life and new beginnings. It is said to awaken the heart and mind.
As a birthstone, Tanzanite brings a lot of beauty and meaning to any birthstone jewelry. And, surprisingly, Tanzanite was only recently added as a birthstone in 2002!
Two Stones For December Birthstone Jewelry
Traditional or new - you can't go wrong with either Lapis Lazuli or Tanzanite as the centerpiece of your December Birthstone jewelry! New beginnings or old friendships, the metaphysical properties of Lapis Lazuli and Tanzanite both warm the heart.
