Tanzanite 0.60 Cts.

Tanzanite

Poised between lush blue, vibrant violet, and rich purple, exotic tanzanite is found in only one place on earth, near majestic Mount Kilimanjaro.

Tanzanite is a relatively recent discovery. Tiffany & Co named this blue-violet variety of zoisite in honor of Tanzania, where it was first unearthed in 1967. Because the crystals show different colors depending on the viewing direction, cutters can fashion gems with a range of color from violetish blue to bluish violet depending on how much weight they want to retain from the rough. Tilt tanzanite and you’ll see three distinct colors in three crystal directions. Top-quality tanzanite can be violetish blue –similar to a fine sapphire color –or a unique, predominately violet hue all its own. Some stones might also appear more purplish depending on how the cutter chooses to orient the fashioned gem. Both the violet and blue pleochroic colors are readily visible in a fashioned stone when it is gently rocked and tilted. This means that every tanzanite is a blend of these pleochroic colors. The exact face-up color depends on the inherent color of the original rough, its size, the pleochroic colors the cutter favors when they orient the fashioned stone, and the light the finished gem is viewed under. Cool lighting –like daylight equivalent fluorescent –will emphasize tanzanite’s blue, while warm lighting –like incandescent –will make it appear more violet-to-purple. Tiffany & Company recognized its potential as an international seller and made a deal to become its main distributor. Tiffany named the gem after the country it came from, and promoted it with a big publicity campaign in 1968. Almost overnight, tanzanite was popular with leading jewelry designers and other gem professionals, as well as with customers who had an eye for beautiful and unusual gems. Tanzanite is a birthstone for December, along with zircon, turquoise, and blue topaz. Tanzanite is also the gem for a 24th anniversary.