Tanzanite • skaiblu • zoisite
Zoisite, Tanzanite or Skaiblu, no matter how you want to name it, these are a beautifully rare gemstone. Tanzanite are 1000 times rarer than diamonds and are so popular that all tanzanite will only be available to a single generation.The area where Tanzanites are found is small and covers an area of only 4 square kilometers. Since the supply is so limited and because it is unlikely that another deposit will ever be found again, the world’s supply of Tanzanites will be depleted in 10 to 15 years. But what make these gemstones so wonderful, rare and mystique?
TANZANITE ORIGIN
Tanzanite is only found in one place in the entire world, in the foothills of Mt. Kilimanjaro. It is commonly thought that tanzanite was discovered in 1967 by a Maasai tribesman. The tribesman found a transluscent blue rock that he thought to be a sapphire. When the stone was tested, it was found to have different properties than corundum (sapphire). What the tribesman had found was determined to be the crystalline form of the mineral zoisite.
Mined with very primitive methods, most
tanzanite crystals come out of the ground demonstrating a dingey yellowish-brown color. Through heat treatment at 500+ degrees celcius the rough tanzanite crystals turn their beautiful purplish-blue color. The rough tanzanite gems are then faceted into various shapes in India, USA and Europe and then marketed to dealers who wholesale the finished gems to jewelry manufacturers and retailers.
Tanzanite colors occur in various shades of gray, brown, violet, blue, reddish-purple, and tints of green.
The following are the different cuts:
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| Cushion |
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| Matched Sets |
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| Emcut |
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| Marquise |
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| Heart |
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| Oval |
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| Pear |
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| Rounded |
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| Trilliant |
TANZANITE HISTORY
Much may be written and said about tanzanite. From its goreous blue irridescence along the color scale to almost pure purple, one thing is for sure: Tanzanite is a beatiful gemstone!
Tiffany & Co. of New York gave this gemstone its name. Tanzanite is simply the crystalline form of the mineral zoisite, but Louis Tiffany decided that "zoisite" would not be a good name to market tanzanite under, so he decided to name the gemstone after its east-African locale, Tanzania. This is why it is known as "Tanzanite". Only 2 years after its discovery, Tiffany rolled the gemstone out in grand style in 1969.
Tanzanite was immediately embraced by the public and Tiffany was hard-pressed to meet the demand for this exciting new gemstone due to lack of supply. Up until very recently, tanzanite was mined in open pits and very dangerous conditions. Tanzanite has become so popular that it was added to the list of December's birthstones in 2004. Please check out this gorgeous 17ct. heart shaped tanzanite below which we acquired for a very happy customer.
TANZANITE ROUTE TO MARKET
Commercially speaking, once tanzanite is mined and successfully brought to the surface, it is taken to the mine's state-of-the-art grading center where the stones are sorted by color and clarity and a determination is made whether to heat treat the rough. Since the large majority of all tanzanite is heat treated, it is safe to assume that practically any tanzanite you see in jewelry stores has been heat treated, unless certified to the contrary.
From there, some of the rough is routed to local buyers and cutters and, on a much larger scale, cutting houses in India, Europe, the Far East, and the United States. Almost 90% of tanzanite production is cut and polished in India with about 70% of India's production being landed and traded through New York City for dissemination through various distribution channels. The balance of the production is sent to the other locales, previously mentioned.
In summary, the United States, and surrounding areas, consume more tanzanite than any other region in the world. Interestingly enough, quite a large percentage of tanzanite is sold throughout the Carribean and by our 49th state, Alaska. This volume is due, in large part, to the travel and vacation industries.
TANZANITE AVAILABILITY
Since tanzanites are only mined in one place on planet earth, the billion dollar question is, "How long will the supply of tanzanite last?" Our response...Good question!
It is important to understand that the geological formations in Tanzania where tanzanite is found are quite unique and perhaps not duplicated anywhere else on earth. With this in mind, it has been determined that, in all likelihood, that crystalline zoisite will not be found anywhere else. This means, as with any non-renewable resource, that some day the supply of tanzanite will be exhausted.
Ultra-conservative estimates have been stated in the 10 to 12 year range for the current life of mine. Liberal estimates state that there is enough material in the ground to sustain another 20+ years of production. It is a well-known fact that Tanzanite One has very vast resources and have secured very generous rights for exploration within the tanzanite mining region. Top representatives have stated that the mine has enough known material to sustain production for about another 15 years. As new producing areas are discovered, Tanzanite One Ltd will make press releases. They are a publicly-traded entity and want their shareholders to be informed.
One of our clients acquired this incredible 32ct+ emerald cut tanzanite from us a couple of years ago. Notice how rich the color is! When positioned at about a 30 degree angle to the light source (bottom photo), we were able to capture the amazing, purplish-red flash on this stone. Tanzanite color at its best!
LARGEST TANZANITE FOUND
Tanzanite - World's Largest Tanzanite Crystal Found 8/6/05
(Story excerpted from the AmericasRoof.com news feed.)
Largest Tanzanite - Tanzanite One Limited said the precious (tanzanite) stone was found 270 meters (885 feet) underground at a mine in Mirelani in Tanzania's northern Manyara region near Mount Kilimanjaro and measured 220 by 80 by 70 millimeters (8.6 by 3 by 2.7 inches).
"According to all known records, the tanzanite piece is so far the world's largest," Ian Harebottle, the company's chief told AFP, adding that the stone had been named Mawenzi after the second highest peak on Mount Kilimanjaro.
"No value has been placed yet on Mawenzi, because that needs thorough analysis by experts," he said.
Tanzanite, a blue shimmering stone is found only in northern Tanzania.
Epilogue: This tanzanite crystal weighs 16,389 carats which is 3.2778 kilograms, which is 7.21116 pounds! Tentative plans for this large peice of tanzanite rough include cutting it into several highly prized gems with the largest possibly being named after Tanzanian President Benjamin Mkapa, who has made many contributions to his country's economy. One can only imagine what it would be like to find a piece of tanzanite rough the size of a brick!!! Yes...the size of a brick!
Meaning of Tanzanite
Tanzanite was the last gemstone added the birthstone list since 1912 and was assigned to share the month of December with blue Topaz. The Tanzanite Foundation considers Tanzanites the birthstone for all births and began the “Be Born to Tanzanite” campaign. Originally, the Masai gave their wives Tanzanite jewelry following the birth of their first child as a symbol of new beginnings and the Tanzanite Foundation was attempting to spread this tradition.
On a physical level, tanzanites are said to cure stress-related illnesses such as high blood pressure and depression. It is also thought to slow down the aging process and improve skin and hair by encouraging cell regeneration. Tanzanites are also rumored to be helpful for awakening people from comas.
Tanzanite is a calming stone and is said to enhance composure and harmony. It is the perfect stone for workaholics and helps them take it easy by calming overactive minds. Since the stone promotes balance, it also effectively regulates extreme personalities.
Tanzanites are responsible to giving the wearer understanding and sensitivity. They give a person insight and the power to manifest their desires. As a result, tanzanites bring success, clarity and vision. With regard to sensitivity, tanzanites are said to bring visions and allow a person to connect psychically with ancient wisdom. Tanzanites also give a person the ability to understand their heart, allowing them to speak the truth.
Tanzanites are ideal for a person who wishes to set themselves apart. Tanzanites symbolize unconventional elegance and individuality and are said to bestow confidence and a sophisticated personality.
I hope you guys enjoyed this post, will be posting more educative material around here :) ! see you soon!
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Source:
http://www.etanzanite.com
Source:
http://zivajewels.com/blog/2011/03/tanzanite-meaning-and-properties/
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