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Ever since this rare blue gemstone Tanzanite today was first discovered in 1967, it has been admired for its truly unique beauty. The beautiful blue stone traces its way back to Tanzania, at the base of the mighty Mt. Kilimanjaro.
What most people don’t know is that ‘Tanzanite’ is a commercial name for the ‘Blue Zoisite’, coined by the very famous Tiffany and Company. Some people refer to it as the Birthstone for December, but the world recognizes it as the sparkling rare blue gemstone.
Tanzanite is a part of the Zoisite minerals family or the silicate family. The Zoisite mineral can naturally be found in many shades and hues like pink, green, blue, etc., or may even be colorless.
The Stone lies between shades of blue to a purple-bluish tinge. Although it is not as old as the other gemstones, Tanzanite has been recognized as the 2nd most admired and popular gemstone.
The popularity of this rare gemstone can be attributed to its color and the fact that a globally reputed brand like Tiffany, strongly vouched for it.
Tanzanite is a rare multi-dimensional color gemstone that reflects vibrant hues of blues and violets. What makes this one of the rarest gemstones is that the likelihood of finding tanzanite anywhere else except the Mererani Hills near Arusha (Tanzania) is almost impossible
Tanzanite comes from a legend that says that when lightning struck the foothills of the Mererani Hills, a wildfire engulfed the grasslands around the area.
Once the fire died, the local herders returned to the area and discovered what was left behind were sparkling blue stones; the rare gemstone we call Tanzanite.
It was later discovered by a Portuguese geologist who studied the stone and found out that it was a Zoisite mineral. Tiffany and Co. took over the stone and introduced it to the world.
Today, other smaller gemstone dealers are also legally mining and supplying the gemstone. However, it’s not available in very large quantities and only a hundred and fifty miners have been granted the license to mine it.
This rare blue gemstone was declared a birthstone for December by the American Gem Trade Association in 2002. It is the birthstone for the zodiac signs, Aries and Pisces. Tanzanite shares its birthstone of December status with 2 other blue gems, Turquoise and Zircon.
This rare blue gemstone has also gained a significant position in Feng Shui, signifying purity and strength. Keeping this rare blue gemstone in a room is believed to attract calmness and peace.
Its presence in the workplace is believed to relieve stress and maximize productivity. The gemstone has also found its place in the world of healing crystals, spiritual energy stones, Chakra healing stones, and also for physical healing.
Tanzanite is mined and found in a very small region that is spread across just 4 km in width and 2 km in length.
After the stone was discovered in 1967, approximately 2 million carats of the rare blue gemstone were mined in Tanzania. These mines were then nationalized by the government of Tanzania in 1971. There is only a limited resource and thus a streamlined mining process had to be put in place.
In 1990, the government of Tanzania divided the mining area into 4 categories namely Blocks A, B, C, and D. The blocks were divided between the large operators and the local miners. For instance, The Tanzanite Experience has its mine located in Block D.
However, the rapid pace at which the gemstone is being mined may soon lead to the depletion of the gemstone and complete exhaustion of the supply. It is thus also referred to as the “gemstone of a generation”.
Tanzanite is not the only blue gemstone, but is considered unique and exclusive because of its very rare ‘blue’. The range of blue tones that the Tanzanite stone offers is unique to it and sometimes a violet or purple tinge may also be seen.
In comparison to other minerals, like Diamond or Sapphire, Tanzanite stands out. Although Sapphire is still the most popular blue gemstone, Tanzanite is second. Another reason that may have enhanced the gemstone’s popularity is that it is equally, and sometimes more beautiful, than Sapphire, yet costs much lesser.
Additionally, Tanzanite is an all-naturally created gemstone, as compared to the widely available Sapphire created in a lab. The raw, natural, and authenticity of the gemstone make it more attractive.
In comparison to a Diamond, Tanzanite is much cheaper and more ‘modern’. Original diamonds are extremely expensive and what you may pay for a tiny diamond could bring you a much larger Tanzanite.
While a diamond will always be considered a ‘classic’ and ‘timeless’ gemstone, Tanzanite has a raw and very new look to it. The color, here again, makes it a popular choice.
A wide range of Chemical and Physical Tanzanite properties have been extensively studied by geologists and researchers. Let’s discuss the 3 most distinct properties:
It is the color of this blue gemstone that is most distinctly unique to it. Although considered a rare blue gemstone, it is actually a Pleochroic gem. Pleochroism is a physical property that allows the gemstone to appear to be a different color when viewed from different directions.
A single piece of this gemstone can appear blue, violet, or even red, depending on which direction we are looking from. Some can display 2, 3, or even more different shades from different directions.
A brilliant blue remains the most sought-after color of Tanzanite and also yields the highest value. Cutting the gemstone thus requires extreme skills to ensure that the blue color is maximized.
Tanzanite is a rare blue gemstone that looks beautiful in jewelry. However, the use of tanzanite must be restricted to jewelry that is worn on special occasions or ones that do not go under heavy abrasion or impact. Thus, earrings and pendants are preferred over rings.
The durability of a gemstone is measured in terms of hardness, or its scratch resistance. Tanzanite properties in terms of durability or hardness are about 6.5 on, which is low for daily wear as it may easily get scratched. However, the design of the ring, if made in such a way that the stone does not receive any direct pressure or impact, will increase its durability.
The other measure of durability is toughness or breakage resistance. Every stone has at least one direction, which is directly impacted and may lead to a break or chipping. However, as mentioned earlier, the design plays an important role in ascertaining the direct impact on the stone.
The stone is also sensitive to extreme changes in temperature and may break as a result too. Our Tanzanite buying guide delves deeper into this concept. Taking caution while wearing this blue gemstone is thus required.
The third measure of durability is color stability. Tanzanite scores well on this scale. However, like most gemstones, you must keep them away from acids or chemicals as they damage the stone. Tanzanite stones that have been heated and treated are more stable and are not affected by normal exposure to light or daily temperature changes.
Like most gemstones finding smaller tanzanite stones are much easier as they are available in abundance. The same can't be said about the large pieces. Most available stones are around 5 carats, stones that are more than 50 carats are very rare.
The smaller stones are usually cut for commercial jewelry. On the other hand, stones that have a very distinct coloring are usually used for designer jewelry.
Big Tanzanite stones that have a valuable distinct color are often bought by collectors, investors, or even museums. In fact, the size of the Tanzanite also directly affects the color; the larger the stone, the larger the distance the light travels through it. Larger Tanzanite stones thus display a richer blue color.
Heat treatment is common practice for almost all tanzanite stones available in the market for commercial buying and selling. The heat treatment enhances the color or sometimes produces the rare blue color the gemstone is well known for. However, naturally blue-colored Tanzanite stones can also be found with miners. Some buyers prefer the non-treated tanzanite to the heat-treated one.
Tanzanite found in the markets, in jewelry settings, and otherwise, are all usually heat treated; and most customers and retailers prefer the heat treated Tanzanite for the improved color.
A common question that both retailers and customers of rare gemstones have is, is it real or fake? It’s no secret that fake gemstones are as easily available as real ones. So how can retailers and customers ascertain whether or not a tanzanite stone is real or fake?
When it comes to tanzanite, many people sell Forsterite instead, a mineral that can be produced in the color and with similar properties as the Tanzanite stone. Corantine is another blue synthetic stone that may be mistaken for Tanzanite.
When Buying Tanzanite, buyers must consider the 4 C’s that ascertain the quality, these are:
This includes hue and saturation. Tanzanite is very rarely only blue and usually has a tinge of violet. The stone color is always checked as a combination of both colors.
vB or violetish blue is used to denote Tanzanite which has 50% blue under white light. On the other hand, bV or bluish violet is used for one that is majorly violet.
This includes the inclusions or the presence of any natural flaws within the stone. It ranges from lowest to highest- Heavily Included (HI), Moderately Included (MI), Slightly Included (SI), and Eye Clean (EC).
This includes the finish, proportion, shape, and brilliance of the stone. These cuts are categorized as Too Deep, Too Shallow, or Well Cut.
Refers to the weight of the gemstone. 1 carat is 1/5 of a gram and has 100 points. The depth of the stone also changes the carat weight, even though the stones may be identical.
If you are planning to buy Tanzanite, the beautiful rare blue gemstone, to add to your valuable possessions, it is important you deal with only reputable Tanzanite dealers who offer genuine goods. As discussed earlier, there are a lot of retailers selling fake Tanzanite, under the guise of being real, so if you are not too sure about how to test the quality, the safest bet is to buy Tanzanite from legal, trusted retailers such as Tanzanite Experience.
While you’re at it visit their museum, it's one of the many attractions in Arusha. In the museum, you get to learn more about this beautiful blue gemstone.
