Tanzanite...

by Julie Lee of Julie's Jewelry Design, LLC

   Tanzanite, this modern day gem is given when honoring the 24th wedding anniversary and has become a recent popular alternative as a birthstone for the month of December.

    The 1960's were a time of discovery for the jewelry world. Many new gemstones were discovered in east Africa during this time. One of the most exciting of these discoveries was that of a transparent, velvety violet blue variety of zoisite found in Tanzania.

    According to one report, this gemstone was discovered in 1962 by a Polish emigrant who was living in Arusha, a town i the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro. A member of the British Gemological Survey supposedly identified the material, but nothing came of this.

    Tanzanite's commercial life began with Manuel d"Souza, who had emigrated from India to Tanzania. A tailor by trade, ';Souza dreamed of striking it rich in the bush. His dream came true in July 1967, when he was prospecting for rubies about 60 miles southeast of Arusha. Natives took him to a place where there were blue stones on the ground. Thinking they were sapphires, he was disappointed when tests showed they were too soft. He still believed the stones might have some value, so he quickly staked out his claims and registered them with the government. Despite d'Souza's efforts to keep the find a secret, word spread fast. Before long nearly one hundred claims were staked.

    The new gem reached the US market in 1970. GIA Gem Trade Laboratory was the first to identify the material. Tiffany & Company, its main distributor, named it Tanzanite in honor of the country in which it was first found. Tiffany & Company announced its arrival with an aggressive publicity campaign.

    Tanzanite is a very rare gemstone. It's only commercial source is Tanzania. Almost all material is produced by heat treating brown zoisite. The tanzanites used in jewelry usually range from about one to five carats. Since this variety is a recent find, and there is only one source, there are not many large specimens on display. The Smithsonian Institute has two notable tanzanites: one faceted stone weighing 122.7 carats, and a rare cat's eye tanzanite weighing 18.2 carats.

    Tanzanite has been recognized as helping one deal with change. It is also known to uplift the spirit and open the heart. The blue and purple hues of the stone are associated with generosity and friendship.

    There have been comparisons between fine quality sapphires and tanzanite. Yet tanzanites are often more subtle and beautiful in their coloration. The variation between blue and purple when viewed at different angles gives tanzanite its distinctive charm. The blue color in these gems is the rarer of its two main colors. Therefore the more blue a tanzanite the more valuable it is.

    We provide a wide array of choices of this popular gem. We carry genuine faceted tanzanite in six qualities: Gem, AAA, AA, A+, A and B, ranging from deep velvety violet blue to a medium light violet. We also have an inventory of single non-calibrated large tanzanites for use as center stones, etc. in stock for next day delivery. Special ordering of tanzanite may also be accommodated by contacting on of out Gemstone Special Order Consultants.