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2023 is coming to an end, and Christmas is well on its way! But, many of us either are or have friends who were born in December. In order to make sure these Sagittarians or Capricorns don’t feel left out among the festive buzz, today we’re taking a look at three of the December birthstones, tanzanite, turquoise, and topaz. December Birthstones: Tanzanite Tanzanite takes its name from its country of origin – Tanzania. It is believed to have formed over 585 million years ago. However, tanzanite lay undiscovered until 1967 when it was unearthed by a Maasai tribesman. Tanzanite was identified as the blue-violet variety of the mineral zoisite. Tiffany & Co. were instrumental in the naming of tanzanite, therefore making it more marketable and consumer-friendly. Tanzanite can only be found in Tanzania, near Mt Kilimanjaro. With such a limited supply remaining, it is believed that over the next 20 years, all mines will eventually be depleted of this rare gem. Tanzanite has become sacred to the Maasai, for example, it is given to women after childbirth as an offering of prosperity. Now that the stone is traded throughout the world, today it is traditionally gifted for a 24th wedding anniversary to represent uniqueness. The world’s largest rough tanzanite crystal is ‘The Mawenzi’. This impressive stone was mined in 2005 and weighs an astounding 16,839 carats. Lot 203 Rectangular-shape tanzanite, 8.52ct Price Realised: £1,125.00 Lot 219 Two tanzanite crystals, 15.58ct Price Realised: £97.50 December Birthstones: Turquoise Turquoise gets its name from the French ‘turquois’ meaning ‘Turkish,’ relating to the Silk Road the mineral travelled from Persia, through Turkey and subsequently to Europe. Turquoise can be found in many locations worldwide, most notably in Iran, Egypt, China, and the USA. This stunning stone has seemingly always been popular, in fact, the Ancient Egyptians used turquoise as far back as 3000BC; the opening of King Tutankhamun’s tomb revealed the famous Pharaoh’s burial mask inlaid with turquoise amongst other precious gems. Persians also adopted turquoise as their national stone, the domes and walls of palaces were adorned with its intense blue hues said to represent heaven. The most sought-after variety is the ‘Persian turquoise’ this pure sky blue colour has no green overtones or black veins. The largest known rough turquoise was found in China, weighing 225 kilograms and is kept in the Shandong Tianyu Museum of Natural History in China. Surprisingly, turquoise is the only gemstone to be recognised as an official colour. Lot 502 Seven pairs of turquoises, 129.97ct Price Realised: £105.00 Lot 505 Six pairs of turquoises, 39.74ct Estimate: £60 – £90 December Birthstones: Topaz Finally, topaz. Blue topaz generally is said to represent calmness and inner peace. It comes in a range of colours, not called just ‘blue’ but also ‘Swiss blue’, ‘sky blue’, and ‘London blue’. London blue is considered the most desirable due to its deeper and darker hue. The word topaz comes from the Greek word topazion, which in turn came from the Sanskrit name for fire. Topaz was discovered in 1960 by a British explorer in Brazil. Although we associate topaz with the colour blue, the first discovered stone was yellow. The Natural History Museum in London is now home to the largest cut topaz at 15 centimetres long and weighing an undeniably huge 9,381 carats. Lot 345 Assorted rectangular-shape topazes, 86.96ct Price Realised: £112.50 Lot 351 Rectangular-shape topaz, 121.55ct Price Realised: £202.50 Altogether, topaz, turquoise, and tanzanite are stunning examples of gemstones. Any of the stones in our upcoming Gemstones auction would make a particularly lovely addition to a collection. However, here at Fellows, we are partial to blue! Valuations Our valuations are free, with no obligation to sell with us. Our experts will value your item with an estimate, so you can find out what it could achieve at auction. The process is simple. You can fill in a form online or book an appointment to visit either of our offices in Birmingham or London. Virtual valuation appointments are also available. Find what you’re looking for Make sure you don’t miss finding that special something by signing up to our email alerts. You’ll be the first to know when catalogues become available, receive invitations to special events and preview the hottest lots from our auctions, plus much more. Why not use our free personal shopping service? Sign up for lot alerts and tell us exactly what you are looking for. Each time we upload a catalogue, we search for your keywords and email you lots matching your interests. Your personalised email will include images, lot descriptions and auction details.