Tanzanite

Tanzanite is a gem-quality blue zoisite discovered in 1967 in Arusha, northern Tanzania, Africa, near the famous tourism attraction of Mount Kilimanjaro. This is the only place in the world where tanzanite is mined. In 1969, Tiffany & Co. named it tanzanite after the country and brought it to the market. Since then, tanzanite has been popular with American women. Currently, more than 80% of tanzanite is consumed in the United States. Tanzanite is mainly blue, but some is violet. Some appears blue, purple or golden yellow when viewed from different angles. It is easy to craft because it is softer than ruby and sapphire. Some people only consider it a semi-precious gemstone, so it is less expensive. However, when people became aware that the gemstone called the ‘Heart of the Ocean’ worn by the actress Kate Winslet in the movie ‘Titanic’ was actually tanzanite, the cost of this gemstone has significantly increased (Fig. 10).

Fig. 10

Tanzanite crystal