Tanzanite : Jewel of East Africa

Tanzanite is a newcomer to the gemstone market, but however it has made its mark on the jewelry world very fast. In fact, no recent gemstone discovery has had more of an impact. This rare, exotic gem was first discovered in the Merelani Hills of Tanzania in 1967, in the shadow of majestic Mount Kilimanjaro and is the only know site on earth for mining Tanzanite. The stone was named after its country of origin by Tiffany & Co. in New York. The world renowned jeweler first introduced Tanzanite to the market in 1969 and began to aggressively market it to the public in the 1980s.

Tanzanite, a variety of the mineral zoisite, occurs in a wide range of shape, sizes and colors. Rarely pure blue, the gem almost always displays signature overtones of purple. In smaller sizes, it tends toward lighter tones, with lavender the most common. In larger sizes, the gem typically displays deeper, richer blues and purples. It is this mesmerizing saturation of color that has made Tanzanite so sought after. In 1998 and 1999, it was proclaimed the number one colored gemstone sold worldwide. Tanzanite is not a very hard gemstone and so it needs to be worn carefully. For this reason, many people choose to purchase Tanzanite earrings and necklaces. Tanzanite is an absolutely magnificent high quality gemstone. It is stunning,rare and enhanced when alongside other gems such as opals and diamonds and it is breathtaking when set in platinum.