Educate Yourself about Tanzanite

1. Educate Yourself about Tanzanite Tanzanite is one of the most beautiful and popular blue gemstones available today. Blue-violet in color, it belongs to a variety of zoisite mineral groups. This rare gemstone was discovered in 1967 in the lower regions of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. According to the locals, these lower regions were once set ablaze due to powerful lightning storms. The storm’s strike led to a widespread fire that heated the surface enough to change the shade of the Zoisite variety. Later, it was discovered by a Masaai tribesman amidst the ashes of the scorched land. Soon after, this rare blue zoisite was named Tanzanite after the country of its origin – Tanzania. This precious gemstone is only found in a deep and little region (roughly seven square kilometers in size) on the foothills of the mountain, which makes it multiple times rare than diamond. The stone's rarity, alongside its visual appeal, has ascribed to its ever-increasing prominence. Despite the fact that there are various folklores that tell the origin of the tanzanite, the truth behind its actual discovery continues to remain a mystery. Nonetheless, geologists accept that it is impossible to find tanzanites anywhere elsewhere on the earth. The events that led to its formation around 585 million years prior, were so exceptional that chances of it being repeated are practically impossible. Today, tanzanite is considered as the second most sought-after gemstone after sapphire. In 2001, tanzanite was adjudged as ‘the second most preferred colored gemstone in the United States’. Heat treatment determines Tanzanite Colors: Zoisite mineral naturally occurs in a range of shades, including yellow, brown, blue and pink. When Tanzanite was first discovered, it garnered instant attention because of its actual similarity to sapphire. Later, the lab experiments confirmed the true identity of the gemstone. Hence, heat treatments are common for natural blue gemstone as it helps in enhancing color. The heat treatment effectively transforms natural brown and green zoisite to a deeper blue color. Tanzanites are normally heat treated at 600 degrees Celsius for around 30 minutes, which is exceptionally mild in contrast with other gemstones like sapphire. The enhancement in color is not likely to be affected under normal light exposure and in the normal temperature range of the human environment. Natural and untreated blue tanzanite is always in demand. Tanzanite: Value Unlike other gemstones, Tanzanite costs do not increase rapidly on a per carat basis at various carat sections. Tanzanite’s value is directly connected to its rarity - the better the color/cut/clarity, the higher the cost. The Tanzanite market, dissimilar to the Diamond business, is driven absolutely by the laws of demand and supply. The average cost for tanzanite goes from about $100-$500 per carat, while pure tanzanite's rarity makes it worth millions for each carat. The most valuable blue gemstones on the planet are mined in Tanzania, East Africa. Huge, fine-quality tanzanites are very rare and costly. Tanzanite prices range from $75 – $90

2. per carat for sizes under 1ct. In the event that it is top-quality rich-colored with amazing clarity (SI2 or better), it can sell upwards of $800 per carat! The Definitive Tanzanite Buying Guide: Buying a natural and high quality Tanzanite can be a confusing task, especially if you’re searching for it online as there is so much conflicting information. This guide will help you in understanding the properties and quality of Tanzanite. In order to judge the quality of the Tanzanite, you need to consider several factors – these are 4Cs - Color, Clarity, Carat and Cut. ●Color: Color is the most significant among the 4C's while considering Tanzanite quality. It can also be one of the most confusing aspects as when you surf the web, there are so many sites using different grading systems, which makes it difficult to effectively compare one with another. Additionally, Tanzanite has trichonic properties, which are considered as top but can be confusing too. The color of top quality tanzanite can equal that of sapphires and it can be hard to differentiate them. ●Clarity: Clarity is the second most important element of 4C's in determining Tanzanite’s quality. Clarity here simply means how flawless a gemstone is. Tanzanite is classed as a Type I gemstone, which is extremely perfect, without any inclusions (primary blemishes). It is impossible to see flaws in Tanzanite with naked eyes. Utilize the eye-clean standard to check the nature of a tanzanite: There ought to be no defect noticeable to the naked eye. Tanzanite stones with inclusions ought to be profoundly limited. A blue stone with violet tinge is considered to be the greatest tanzanite. ●Cut: It is the most important factor that determines the beauty and the value of Tanzanite. Cutting process can expand the overall cost of Tanzanite by up to 30%. Confused over - how do you choose from plenty of shapes, sizes and shades available in stores? Which cut will draw out the gem’s sparkle and depth? Which one of these gemstones will have what you are searching for? Tanzanite stones are available in a variety of cutting-style and shapes, the most common of which are oval and Cushion-cut. However, each cut draws out the customer's attention towards the stone's features such as its shining, range of colors and much more. There is no real perfect cut for Tanzanite; it’s all up to the customer's choice. ●Carat: Although it is the least important of the 4C's, it still impacts Tanzanite’s value. Like all other gemstones, Tanzanite is also graded by weight. A tanzanite's carat weight plays a vital role in purchasing as it directly affects the cost. A carat is a unit of estimation equivalent to 0.2grams (200 milligrams), and refers to the weight of gemstones. Large crystals of tanzanite are rarely found in nature, so they are more valuable than more modest tanzanite.

3. Carat weight is a general, standard estimation of weight that remains the same throughout the world. This means from wherever you’re buying your tanzanite jewelry, its carat weight will remain the same all over the world.