2-Tone Tanz....

[Andelain]

I picked up a fun little tanz recently, thought I'd share. It's multicolor, it starts off purple, goes green in the middle, then to blue on the far end. It's dirty in these pics, it's actually almost eye-clean and not too badly cut. The top pic is closer to what I see IRL, except that the left end goes all the way to purple. Thought you folks might enjoy.....

 

[chrono]

I've heard that such zoned or bi-coloured zoisite are likely to be unheated because if heated, then it would be an evenly blue/violet tanzanite. I don't often see such zoisite with a nice band in the middle.

 

[Andelain]

I've heard that such zoned or bi-coloured zoisite are likely to be unheated because if heated, then it would be an evenly blue/violet tanzanite. I don't often see such zoisite with a nice band in the middle.

That's what I was thinking, but wasn't sure. I'm trying to think of what I might do with it, if anything. It's a erally pretty stone.

 

[gemandjewelrylover]

I have a two-tone Tanzanite, or bi-color Zoisite as it's called, too. I really like the way the bar of lighter color moves when you move your finger. Here are a couple pictures. It's hard to capture the change of color as the bar moves on camera.
I think I've got the ugliest hands ever, I suppose I should give up my dreams of being a hand model and find regular job.

 

[Andelain]

Your's looks so much like mine, and the ring is beautiful. Can you tell me about your stone, size, etc?

 

[gemandjewelrylover]

Thank you! It's 3.40 carats, unheated. cushion mixed cut, 11.54 x 6.92 x 5.11. The setting is platinum with .66 mele diamonds.
What size is yours?

 

[Andelain]

Thank you! It's 3.40 carats, unheated. cushion mixed cut, 11.54 x 6.92 x 5.11. The setting is platinum with .66 mele diamonds.
What size is yours?

I'll have you know I'm 'borrowing' ideas from your ring!

Mine is around 3 carat. I don't know the exact weight, because I bought it at from one of the Hajji vendors on a base I was visiting, and it was outside. The wind kept his crappy scale from settling down. We settled on 3 ct and negotiated the price from there. I originally bought it for a novelty, but am really starting to fall in love with it. Do you mind telling what yours cost? The vendor wanted $280 for mine, but I got him down to $40.

 

[LoversKites]

Thanks for sharing this, I didn't know about it before.

 

[chrono]

Zoning or bi-colouration does not move as you tilt the stone back and forth. The movement of lighter colour you see is something else, most likely it is where the light hits the facets (scintillation or on/off light return). Scintillation (or contrast) is what makes a gem come alive or look lively.

 

[Andelain]

I have a two-tone Tanzanite, or bi-color Zoisite as it's called, too.

If you haven't alerady done this, put on polarized unglasses and take this ring out in the sun. Rotate the stone with the top facing you, and prepared to pick your jaw back up off the ground. I did it for the first time today, and WOW! I'm getting this thing set for sure.

 

[Andelain]

Zoning or bi-colouration does not move as you tilt the stone back and forth. The movement of lighter colour you see is something else, most likely it is where the light hits the facets (scintillation or on/off light return). Scintillation (or contrast) is what makes a gem come alive or look lively.

That, and wouldn't it also seem that way from looking at a dichrotic (sp) gemstone from different angles? The colors on this one change drastically as you rotate the stone face-up. The center band especially. It can be light olive color if I'm holding the stone N-S, but changing to distinctly green when I rotare the stone to E-W.

No matter the real cause, it makes for a really lively, interesting stone. I showed it to one of the vendors here who sells normal tanzanite today, and he was entranced by it.

 

[gemandjewelrylover]

That's twice now that my reply has disappeared!

Andelain, of course, feel free to borrow ideas from my ring. It sounds like you got an excellent price on your stone… I bought mine as a finished ring and the setting is platinum with melee diamonds, so my ring was quite a lot more than yours. I think the setting itself is upwards of $1500, so my ring cost more than that. Of course, if you would like to keep your costs down you could probably find a sterling silver setting. I've never used Stuller, but a lot of people find some nice settings there.

Chrono, thank you for your input. Yes, I don't know how to describe it, but mine has a yellowish band of color down towards the bottom but when you wear the ring and move your finger a light band of silvery blue moves up and down the ring. So it's probably the effect you described. It's very eye-catching.

Andelain, I don't know if I have any polarized glasses, but I will have to find some and try that out.

Let us know how you end up setting your stone!

 

[chrono]

That is pleochrosim and that does not change from the direction you are looking at. If you are looking at the NS, then that will stay that one colour. If you are looking at EW, then that will be a different colour, but it stays that same colour. I agree with what you wrote (NS versus EW) but GAJL is describing a different movement where the change happens while looking at it from the same plane/axis. Perhaps I did not understand her correctly.