Tanzanite

If you’ve ever been to the Caribbean, you’ve probably been told that the world’s most beautiful and expensive gemstone is yours to be had, but you had better act now – the world’s supply will be exhausted soon [next month, within the next two years, next year, by the holidays…..pick your period of time!]. Well, the marketers get some of it right – the stone is among the most beautiful of nature’s creations, it can be somewhat expensive, but these guys will still be giving their spiel on tanzanite well into the next decade!

Tanzanite is one of the more recently discovered gemstones. In July of 1967 gem prospectors were led to a deposit of blue stones by Maasai tribesmen in Tanzania. After several business attempts at mining the area failed, the Tanzanian government took control of the mines in 1971. When New York jeweler Louis Comfort Tiffany was presented with the first tanzanites right after they had been discovered, he was immediately convinced - this gemstone is a sensation! However, he recommended finding a new name for the blue beauty, since the gemmologically correct denomination "blue zoisite" sounded very close to the English word "suicide". So Tiffany & Co. came up with the name Tanzanite, named for the country it had come from, and the new name quickly became established on the market. And it was, in fact, Tiffany’s who introduced the stone to the public in a spectacular promotional campaign two years after it had been discovered. Tiffany’s at the time had virtually the exclusive rights to all production of the mining being done. Five years later the State Mining Corporation took over and production slipped. By the middle of the 1980s, Tiffany's stopped purchasing it because the supply was not dependable.

In the late 80s, the Tanzanian government lost control of the mining area, and thousands of illegal miners flocked in, but by 1991 the government regained control and has since been issuing licenses to private domestic concerns. Supply is growing, though nowhere near the levels it could be. Because the government seeks to avoid the large-scale exploitation that would result from foreign investors, much of the world's tanzanite remains, for the time being, in the ground.

Tanzanite's mass appeal lies in its great color, a mixture of two gem favorites: sapphire and amethyst. Popular for its rich violet blue to purple tones, tanzanite has tonal depth comparable to sapphire. Rarely found in a pure blue, tanzanite almost always displays purple overtones. It is highly tri-chroic; that is, it shows varying amounts of blue and violet in incandescent light and daylight. When mined, the ‘rough’ is usually brownish-yellow, but the cutter may cure this by carefully heating the stone in an oven to about 500°C. In the course of this heating, utmost concentration is demanded, for it is essential to determine the moment when the color turns blue.

Tanzanite is considered relatively soft and thought should be given when designing jewelry to protecting the stone from harsh wear. We usually only design rings keeping in mind that the stone should be very well-protected, or make sure the buyer is made to understand the inherent risks involved if a particular style ring is desired. They make great pendant and earrings.

Warm soapy water and a soft brush is your best bet to clean tanzanite. Do not use an ultrasonic or steam cleaner. Avoid contact with acids and sudden temperature changes. Tanzanite is one of the December birthstones, and is a recommended gift for couples celebrating their 24th wedding anniversary, according to contemporary jewelers' anniversary gemstone lists.
 

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