Gem Library

BUYER’S OVERVIEW:
Tanzanite is considered to be a semi-precious gemstone and while the availability of Tanzanite is very limited due to its single source deposit, good size, clear, natural stones are still available (for an ever increasing price).   Tanzanite is a kaleidoscope of royal blue, violet, indigo, lilac and periwinkle shades, easily one of the most extravagant colors known to man and one that personifies elegance. A person wearing one of these exclusive gems clearly wishes to set themselves apart from the crowd as the color suits not only a confident young woman, but serves to underscore the individuality of a more mature woman as well. This single source, one generation gemstone will be enjoyed by an elite group of connoisseurs and smart inventors.

COLOR:
Tanzanite comes in a narrow range of colors including blue to violet to bluish purple with a vivid neon blue being the most highly sought after.

APPEARANCE:
Transparent, Tanzanite is usually free of visible inclusions

SIZE RANGE:
Melle (0.01 carat) to 5 carats; stones above 1 carat are rare. Stones over 50 carat are known.

TYPICAL CUTTING STYLES:
Transparent: most cutting styles are available.
Translucent: beads

POSSIBLE ENHANCEMENTS & TREATMENTS:
Tanzanite is often heated to improve color, this treatment is undetectable and has excellent stability.

HARDNESS:
6 to 7 on the Mohs scale.

BEST USE OF THE GEMSTONE:
Tanzanite is not a strong gemstone and as such, earrings, pendants, pins, and tie tacks are probably the safest choice for this stone. Rings should be limited to occasional wear and the stones should be set with a protective setting.

CARE & CLEANING:
It is best to never expose colored gemstones to cleaning solvents or chemicals of any kind.
Common cleaning methods include:
Ultrasonic: never
Steamer: never (very heat sensitive)
Warm soapy water: safe
Reaction to Chemicals: can be damaged by acids.
Reaction to Heat: very heat sensitive, may cause cracking.
Stability to Light: generally stable after prolonged exposure to sunlight or UV light.

INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT THIS GEMSTONE:
Tanzanite is the blue / purple variety of the mineral zoisite which was discovered in the Meralani Hills of Northern Tanzania in 1967, near the city of Arusha. While its gemological name is “blue zoisite”, Henry B. Platt, great grandson of Louis Comfort Tiffany, renamed the gem Tanzanite after the country where it was discovered, for “marketing” purposes. Platt was said to have remarked that Tanzanite was “the most beautiful blue stone discovered in over 2,000 years” and when the first Tanzanites were offered for sale by Tiffany & Co. they were enthusiastically celebrated and dubbed the ‘gemstone of the 20^th century’.

In its rough state Tanzanite is a reddish brown color, requiring heat to bring out the blue violet in the stone. Only one deposit of this rare gem has ever been found and it barely covers 20 sq km in the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. It is expected that this deposit will be fully depleted in approximately 10 to 20 years and as a result of this limited availability, Tanzanite will become the gemstone of just one generation, adding to its value as an heirloom.

In August 2005 the largest crystal of Tanzanite was found in the C-Block mine, weighing 16,839 carats (3.4 kg) and measuring 22 cm x 8 cm x 7 cm. The finest specimens of Tanzanite are mined in D-Block and in daylight they display a primary hue of blue with a hint of purple. This is the color preferred by connoisseurs.

In 2002, the American Gem Trade Association selected Tanzanite as the December birthstone adding to a list of birthstones that had remained unchanged since 1912.

DESIGNATION:
Tanzanite is the birthstone for December.

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