You may have heard many a person recently talking about the precious stone Tanzanite. There certainly seems to be a buzz about this beautiful stone, and the jewellery that can be created from it, but for what reason? If you’re intrigued by tanzanite, ask your local independent jeweller about jewellery which uses it, and read on for more information:
Why is it so special?
One of the reasons that everyone is so crazy for this beautiful blue stone is its uniqueness, together with its relatively recent discovery. It only occurs in one place in the whole world, in an area of only four square kilometres: in the East African country it’s named after, Tanzania. Tanzanite was only discovered in 1967, making it a new precious stone. What’s more, it’s extremely rare; as it’s only found in one place in the world, it’s estimated that there’s only another 30 years’ supply left, making each piece of tanzanite jewellery extremely coveted and valuable. Nonetheless, your local independent jeweller will be able to source tanzanite jewellery for you, enabling you to share in this little piece of exclusivity.
How did it become famous?
The legendary New York jewellers Tiffany and Co have always been at the forefront of new jewellery trends, and their involvement in launching tanzanite to the world was no exception. Just two years after its discovery, Tiffany presented the gemstone to the general public, and they were met with a great response. Today, jewellers throughout the world are using the precious stone, and your local jewellery shop will be no exception.
What is it made from?
Tanzanite is actually a blue variety of the gemstone zoiste. Research into its geology has shown this stone to be totally unique, and the chance of it occurring outside of its current production area is extremely rare. It’s not a particularly hard stone, consisting of calcium and aluminium silicate, and therefore should be looked after and worn carefully; for example, tanzanite should never be placed in an ultrasonic bath for cleaning. If you’re unsure of how to care for your tanzanite, ask your local jeweller for advice, as they will be able to undertake a specialist clean of your tanzanite jewellery for you.
What shades of tanzanite can I expect to find?
Tanzanite’s brilliant blue is one of its biggest selling points. The deep shades which the stone comes in run from ultramarine to light violet. The most popular colour is a vibrant blue surrounded by a delicate purple hint; this works particularly well if the stone is over 10 carats in size. The stones often have a polychromatic quality to them too, and may appear either blue, purple or even a brownish-yellow depending on what way you look at them.
With all these shades available, they truly do make fascinating pieces of jewellery; ask your local independent jeweller to help you own a piece of this extremely beautiful, extremely rare stone today.
