If rarity boosts a gemstone’s worth, tanzanite, which is mined from only one supply, might be prized for that truth alone. All of the world’s tanzanite is sourced from simply 8 sq. miles (20 sq. kilometers) close to Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. In contrast, diamonds, that are thought of uncommon, are discovered in additional than 30 nations and on a number of continents.

Recognizable for its vibrant blue-violet colour, tanzanite owes its place amongst at the moment’s favourite gem stones not solely to its current discovery, but in addition to a contemporary publicity marketing campaign that catapulted the gem to fame.

What Is Tanzanite?

In gemology, stones are divided into species and selection, in keeping with Brenda Harwick, Gemological Institute of America (GIA) senior supervisor of gemology instruction, and tanzanite is quite a lot of the species zoisite. It’s thought of a gemstone, which suggests it has a particular chemical composition, is pure and is inorganic. Within the case of tanzanite, that composition consists of calcium, aluminum, silica oxide and hydroxide. In different phrases, it is a calcium aluminum hydroxy silicate.

What’s vital anyplace however chemistry class, is that tanzanite boasts two vital gemstone qualities: magnificence and rarity. One of many prize options of a gemstone is that it can’t be discovered in all places on Earth, Harwick explains. It requires sure geological occasions to type.

“Nature is attention-grabbing, and it actually is exclusive when gem stones type as a result of it does contain having the fitting temperature, the fitting strain and the fitting chemical composition,” she says. “And that’s a part of its attract.”

On the Mohs Hardness Scale, tanzanite falls within the 6 to 7 vary, which makes it simpler to scratch than diamonds (10), rubies and sapphires (9), and even quartz (7). With its softer nature and fair-to-poor toughness rating, tanzanite is among the extra delicate gem stones. It is also delicate to thermal shock — or sudden temperature modifications.

The place Is Tanzanite Discovered?

Tanzanite is present in one place on Earth — Tanzania. Though it is not as costly as a diamond, tanzanite is far rarer. The truth is, some estimates have tanzanite at 1,000 occasions rarer than diamonds.

It might be a whole bunch of thousands and thousands of years outdated, however the gem was first delivered to the eye of people in 1967, in keeping with the web site for Cape City-New York jeweler Shimansky. Legend says tanzanite was first found both by a Masai tribesman (the Masai are an ethnic group residing in northern, central and southern Kenya and northern Tanzania) who first seen the intense blue crystals and contacted Manuel de Souza, an Indian tailor and prospector, or else it was discovered by de Souza himself.

Both means, with hope that the colourful deposit was sapphire, de Souza made a mining declare to the world. Though zoisite, the species of which tanzanite is a range, was identified on the time, it was sometimes translucent, opaque, inexperienced and used for carving jewellery, in keeping with Harwick. Tanzanite’s sensible colour was an thrilling discover.

The late Harry Platt, former chairman of Tiffany & Co., is credited with introducing the blue gemstone to the world. In accordance with The New York Instances, Platt noticed it whereas visiting a lapidary in Europe and never solely gained the rights to promote the stone, but in addition received to call it, which he did in honor of the nation the place it was found. Greater than 5 a long time later, the Mount Kilimanjaro supply close to Arusha, Tanzania, continues to be the one place on the earth to supply the gem.

What Does Tanzanite Look Like?

Tanzanite is thought and appreciated for its pure blue or blue-violet colour, which is analogous to sapphire. It’s colour, in any case, that sells coloured stones, Harwick says. So higher stones have extra intense colour and can weigh 5 carats or extra. The larger the stone, the extra intense the colour, the higher the worth.

Apparently, most tanzanite doesn’t show its vibrant colour when mined. As a lot as 95 % of the gems mined are heat-treated to attain the blue colour. Most tanzanite comes out of the Earth with a brownish hue. As soon as heated to a superb blue, tanzanite’s colour is secure, so patrons don’t want to fret that it’s going to fade.

Relying on how tanzanite is minimize, the colour could begin to lean towards a grey or purple hue, which may decrease its worth. Further kinds of zoisite embody thulite (pink) and anyolite (purple/ruby), and it may well additionally present up as different colours like greenish or yellow.

How Does Its Worth Evaluate to Diamonds and Sapphires?

Though tanzanite is rarer than each diamonds and sapphire, it instructions a lower cost in the marketplace. One cause may be the sturdiness issue; tanzanite is just “fairly sturdy,” whereas sapphires are second solely to diamonds in sturdiness, in keeping with Angara.com. Whereas a sapphire may vary from $800 to $1,200 per carat, tanzanite could be had for simply $300 to $425 per carat, making it an economical substitute for sapphire relying on the applying.

To place each of those gems in perspective, diamonds begin at round $3,080 per carat and may improve in worth considerably from there. In fact, worth modifications with provide and demand, so costs fluctuate.

How Is Tanzanite Used Right this moment?

Like many gems, tanzanite doesn’t have any particular industrial worth, nevertheless it has an vital place within the jewellery trade. There aren’t many blue stones, particularly with such vibrant colour, and tanzanite doesn’t have an artificial counterpart.

Some folks think about gem stones to have therapeutic or non secular objective. Definitely, historic peoples had particular beliefs about them and makes use of for them. However we won’t delve into the historical past of tanzanite as a result of its discovery is so current.

When it burst on the jewellery scene in 1968, tanzanite modified the course of Tiffany & Co.’s model from “easy gold jewellery to colourful designs with massive stones,” Melanie Abrams wrote for The New York Instances in 2018. Due to its much less sturdy nature, tanzanite works effectively in big day jewellery or objects that like necklaces and earrings.