It must be said that tanzanite is a very rare and exclusive stone. Discovered only a few decades ago, this material is found in one and only one place on our planet and, as we shall see, its characteristics make it a highly sought after stone.
Let's start with a bit of history… because the history of tanzanite is a real adventure!
The history of tanzanite
In the 1960s, a violent storm hit the Merelani Hills in Tanzania, hills close to the highest peak in Africa, the famous Kilimandjaro. Frightened, the Maasai nomads who lived there fled.
When they returned, they found very shiny blue stones on the ground. They took the mysterious stones to a local explorer, who, unable to identify them, sent them to a gemologist in Arusha in northern Tanzania.
The latter was also unable to identify them and in turn sent them to his father, also a gemologist who lives in New York.
In the USA, the stones were analysed at the GIA (Gemological Institute of America) which gave the following verdict: the stones were a previously unknown blue variety of zoïsite, a gem that had previously only been known in a brownish color.
When exposed to a temperature of 600 degrees, the stones had taken on and retained a unique blue to purple colour.
A few years later, the owner of Tiffany & Co, H. Pratt, fell in love with Tanzanian zoïsites and renamed them tanzanites, in homage to their country of origin.
The origins of tanzanite
As its name suggests, tanzanite comes from Tanzania. Today, Tanzania is the only place in the world where it can be found.
Did you know?
Located in the north of the country, at the foot of Mount Kilimanjaro, the only tanzanite mine in the world is about 20 km2 in size ! This means that this stone is probably one of the rarest and most exclusive in the world.
The main characteristics of tanzanite
As we said, tanzanite is a variety of zoïsite which belongs to the silicate family, which also includes tourmaline and garnet. It is rated a 6.5/10 on the Mohs scale, the famous stone strength scale.
Tanzanite could be listed as a gemstone - a designation reserved only for sapphire, ruby, emerald and diamond - for several reasons:
—— Its rarity
Geologically, tanzanite is up to 1000 times rarer than diamond. Some experts estimate that the remaining reserves are around 21 tonnes and that there are about 30 years of mining left before the mine is closed.
—— Its color
Tanzanite is every bit as special as the famous sapphire.
This gemstone has the very particular quality of pleochroism, that is to say its color changes slightly depending on the angle from which it is viewed!
Tanzanite is defined by a blue colour with purple reflections or purple with blue reflections... it really depends on your point of view.
Note: Although the most common colour is this specific blue, there are also orange, pink, yellow or green tanzanites.
FAQs
—— "Where do your tanzanites come from?"
At Gemmyo, all our tanzanites come from Tanzania. We have trusted partners in Tanzania who give us access to the most beautiful stones!
—— "What is the quality of your tanzanites?"
Our tanzanites are AAA quality, the highest quality for a coloured stone!
Find out more about AAA quality.
—— "What metal should be matched with tanzanite?"
If you're looking to show off your stone to the max white gold or platinum would be the best bet.
For a more sophisticated and assertive style, yellow gold is the ideal metal. However, we suggest that you avoid combining black gold with tanzanite, as it will tend to darken your stone.
Our advice: rose gold is a particularly recommended metal to use with tanzanite, it is the most recommended combination by our customers and the one we always suggest.
—— "Why choose a tanzanite over sapphire?"
This is not an easy choice. As we have said, sapphire isn't any better than tanzanite in terms of sapphire in terms of shine and colour.
Nevertheless, they are two different families with different characteristics. And although color is a matter of taste, sapphire is a very famous and sought-after stone in jewelry.
However, it should be noted that although tanzanite is very rare, it is still relatively affordable compared to an exceptional sapphire for example. This is simply because it is less well known and therefore less in demand.
—— "What is the occasion for giving a tanzanite?"
Choosing tanzanite is to ensure that you make the choice of exclusivity! Generally offered to celebrate a 24th wedding anniversary, it is also the stone of the month of December and the Capricorn stone.
Discover our tanzanite jewelry.
Discover our tanzanite engagement rings.
Discover our tanzanite pendants.
See all our precious stones.