Tanzanite
Why we love this gem
Tanzanites are one of the most popular gemstones emerging in the jewelry industry today. Made from a variety of the mineral zoisite, tanzanites are a relatively recent discovery, having been first mined in 1967. While tanzanite may not have an extensive history as older gemstones, some believe it represents wisdom, dignity, and truth. It also represents the birthstone for the month of December.
Tanzanites are known for their vivid blue and purple colors. These rich colors are the result of trace elements of vanadium present in the mineral. Tanzanite also exhibits pleochroism, a unique optical phenomenon in which it displays different colors when viewed at different angles and in different light.
Tanzanite truly is a gemstone for every style and every jewelry collection. With the myriad of qualities, you will certainly fall in love with the majestic beauty of December birthstones. So choose this brilliant stone for yourself that speaks to you and makes your heart sing.
CARING FOR THIS GEM
Treatment
The rich color of the tanzanite is typically the result of heating.Thus, all tanzanites should be classified as heat treated
Care
Tanzanites are generally easy to take care of due to their hardness and durability.To keep your tanzanite jewelry sparkling you may want to clean it to remove the unwanted dirt and residue build up.
Cleaning
We highly recommend an annual maintenance of your tanzanite jewelry to have the gems tightened and jewelry cleaned professionally. This will ensure your jewelry lasts a lifetime.
Optical Properties
Color
Color is of crucial importance when determining the value of this gem. Tanzanites with deep and highly saturated hue are most valued. Deep blue makes it to the top of the list, followed by bluish purple and violet-blue.
Luster
Tanzanites are transparent gemstones with an attractive, vitreous luster. The zoisite crystals, from which they are formed, are considerably free from inclusions. An eye-visible inclusion on the cut and polished gemstone will hence result in a drop in the value.
Refractive Index
Tanzanite is the blue to violet form of zoisite crystallizing in the orthorhombic system. With a refractive index of 1.69-1.70 and a specific gravity of 3.35 this gem is unusual for it trichroic nature.
Transparency
Transparent gems are the most valuable and allow one to see the true richness of color. The catch-22 with transparent gems is that it is much easier to view imperfections. Finding a tanzanite transparent and eye clean is truly rare.
