Tanzanite

One of the most cherished and sought-after gemstones in the world today Tanzanite is blue- purple to purple blue stone belonging to family of zoisite. The name tanzanite was a trade name coined by Tiffany shortly after the gem's discovery in 1969.The name is an obvious allusion to its country of origin, Tanzania in Africa.

Modern Birthstone for the December born, besides blue Topaz, this is the only gemstone that has been added to the official birthstone list since 1912. Tanzanite is a gem stone for the 24th anniversary.

The chemical composition of tanzanite is called calcium, aluminum, silicate, and hydroxide.

Tanzanite is extremely light sensitive, with incandescent light tending to shift its color to the violet side and causing red and pink flashes to appear within the stone.

Apart from its mesmerizing deep blue color, tanzanite is also cherished because of its clarity and brilliance. Clarity is the second most important of the 4 Cs when considering Tanzanite quality. Clarity simply refers to how inclusion-free a gemstone is. The basic rule with Tanzanite is that it should be at least eye clean and preferably loupe clean also. Top grade stones are loupe clean. Any lesser clarity grade will affect the value downwards and denote a lower grade stone.

Hardness of Tanzanite is a factor that calls for care and maintenance. Since it is not as hard as corundum, it requires proper care if worn daily as a ring during common chores or heavy physical labor.

Virtually all gem tanzanite of a blue violet color has been heat-treated to enhance the color. In the rough state most Tanzanite is predominantly brown. Heating at 500 to 600 degrees centigrade causes this color to change to blue. This is a permanent and stable change

The History of Origin of Tanzanite

A Masaai tribesman stumbled upon a shimmering blue crystal in the foothills of Tanzania's Mount Kilimanjaro in 1967. The stone was at first mistaken to be Sapphire but was later identified belonging to the family of mineral Zoisite. Tanzanite is named after its country of origin and was conceived by Tiffany and co. From 1967 to 1972, an estimated two million carats of tanzanite were mined in Tanzania. The mines were later nationalized by the Tanzanian government. Currently, TanzaniteOne, through its no-profit subsidiary, The Tanzanite Foundation, has introduced its own color grading system. The new system's color-grading scales divide tanzanite colors into a range of hues, between blue violet and violet blue.

Tanzanite a Collector’s Gemstone

There is little to report by way of folklore or myths surrounding this young gemstone. All the same, it is a collector’s gem, for the sheer rarity in Nature. Tanzanite became a big hit after its enthusiastic reception by Tiffany. Today Tanzanite has its own repute distinct than that of sapphire. Hailed as the “Gemstone of the twentieth century”, the supply of tanzanite is likely to exhaust itself by our generation.

Spiritual and Healing Properties of Tanzanite are periodically mentioned. They say Tanzanite is a calming stone. It brings you back into balance. The tanzanite will help to manifest desires through will and vision. It gives personal insight and power.

One of the most famous large tanzanites (242 carats) is the "Queen of Kilimanjaro". It is set in a tiara. The tiara is currently on display in the Gallery of Gold and Gems at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.