tanzanite

[tomatoe]

Hello to all the Coloured Gemstone lovers! My mum (& I

) has expressed interest in Tanzanite and I was wondering if any of you could educate me more on where to buy, what to look out for, how much, why to choose a particular stone and when is a good time to purchase?

It''s not an urgent issue but I''d like to find out as much info as I can before talking to her about it. Thank you all very much

 

[Nicrez]

Here's a Tanzanite honker for sale!!!


http://page.auctions.shopping.yahoo.com/auction/83004116?aucview=froogle




Here's an article I found on it:


http://www.gemstone.org/gem-by-gem/english/tanzanite.html




Some more tanzanite rings around for sale...(already made but interesting!)


http://shop.bizrate.com/buy/superfind__cat_id--1,keyword--tanzanite,lp--1,mkt_id--11290191,rf--ggl,url_id--515037.html






TANZANITE, the gemstone variety of zoisite



VARIETY INFORMATION:

• VARIETY OF: Zoisite , Ca2Al3(SiO4)3(OH), Calcium Aluminum Silicate Hydroxide.
  
• USES: Gemstone
  
• COLOR: various shades of blue to lavender, deeper along the crystal axis.
  
• INDEX OF REFRACTION: 1.68 - 1.72
  
• BIREFRINGENCE: is good
  
• HARDNESS: 6.5-7
  
• CLEAVAGE: perfect in one direction
  
• CRYSTAL SYSTEM: orthorhombic
  
• SPECIMENS

Tanzanite is relatively new on the gemstone market, but has left its mark. Its blue-lavender color is rather unique and a wonderful addition to the gemstone palette. Found in Tanzania (hence the name) in 1967, it has since become a well known and widely distributed gemstone.

It has better fire than the tourmaline elbaite or peridot and an adequate hardness. Its only one direction of cleavage is somewhat of a problem because it is oriented with the direction of strongest pleochroism. This would be a problem in most gemstones because that is the direction the gemcutter would usually select to maximize the color. However, with tanzanite the color is usually strong enough anyway.

Pleochroism is very pronounced in tanzanite and is seen as three different color shades in the same stone. In the viewing a tanzanite stone, the colors dark blue, green-yellow and red-purple can be seen, all a result of pleochroism. Lesser stones may have a brownish color due to the mixing of blue, purple and green. These stones are usually heat treated to a deep blue color. Iolite is a blue-violet gemstone variety of the mineral cordierite, has strong pleochroism and can be confused with tanzanite. However, iolite is usually less strongly colored, its pleochroic colors vary from blue-violet to yellowish gray to blue and it has less fire. Iolite's unusual color shades makes it an exotic colored gemstone whose popularity is growing day by day.

 

[valeria101]

And here's my favorite related pieces of literature:

Online: Peter Bancroft's presentation....

and Off: Richard Wise's gem book...

I guess there are countless others and surely many more worthy sources I read myself, but never cared to actually rank them critically.


Oh, and some shopping, of course... These three show well enough the range of 'precious' colors one may expect from this material, aside from GREEN

 

[katbadness]

Generally, colored stones are valued on the purity and intensity of the color. The more 'colorful' the stone, obviously the more beautiful it is!

In the case of tanzanites, I seem to recall that the blue colored tanzanites seem to be valued more than ones that has a purple modifier. Ultimately, of course, your choice depends on your taste. I personally prefer tanzanites that have some purple in it.

Here's an example of a particularly fine tanzanite mounted as a pendant.

Tanzanites were once considered a more affordable replacement for blue sapphire. Although I'd say that it's true to some extent, I don't think it's quite the case anymore, as a fine tanzanite commands a premium these days.

** Edited to add an old article on Professional Jeweler's site that talks about the price difference between blue sapphires and tanzanites.

And, unlike sapphire, tanzanite is a 'softer' stone, relatively speaking (Mohs hardness of a 7 to a corundum's 9).

 

[Nicrez]

Kat, that pendant is so yummy! Where did the pic come from? ME WANT!!!!!

 

[katbadness]

Although in general tanzanite is thought of as a blue/blue-purple stone, it can come in other colors as well.

Here's a link to the image library for tanzanites on gemstone.org.

I gave my mother a pearshape tanzanite that is more this color for her birthday once.

Here's are a couple tanzanites that have more of a blue green color. Yum!

And here are various other color tanzanites can come in:

 

[katbadness]

Tomatoe: didn't you say that you are located in SG?

Nicrez: Heheh... thought I'd get your attention with that pendant. Isn't is yummy? The almost-radiant-cut tanzanite that I have is almost the same shape as the center stone on the pendant in the picture. I'm planning to have it set in a similar setting one day.

Oh yeah, that picture comes from the Professional Jeweler site.

 

[ryan seattle]

The deeper Blue Tanzanites are usaully the most expensive and most prized. Try to avoid buying Tazanite in light blue or pale lavender for they are less expensive. The best specimans being mined in Tanzania right know are coming out of D block and production is slow so get the deep blue Tanzanite now while it is still available.

 

[Jennifer5973]

Is it possible that tanzanite will soon "run out?"

Somoene rcently told me that she was advised to purchase a high-quality tanzanite for an "investment" because soon there will be no more more????????

 

[Colored Gemstone Nut]

----------------
On 3/20/2004 3:20:38 PM Jennifer5973 wrote:





Is it possible that tanzanite will soon 'run out?'

Somoene rcently told me that she was advised to purchase a high-quality tanzanite for an 'investment' because soon there will be no more more????????
----------------

Hi Jennifer,

There are a couple issues which pertain to the price of tanzanite fluctuating...The price has risen from previous years but has stabalized somewhat. The real issue is the stone is rare, but the avalability also has an impact on supply and demand and how the gem is mined.

There have been samples taken on sight reaching down to a few hundred meters in "C" block. With the current mining methods employed only about a 1/3 of this has been sourced. Using more advanced methods will drive up the price because of the cost of mining increases with the technology being used to mine deeper with more sophisticated methods. There has also been restrictions placed on the export of rough which has dramatically driven up the price of rough on site.

I think tanzanite is in high demand and the restrictions set on rough and the current methods of mining has had an affect on the current market price per carat. When the rare gem is sourced out or the high price of continuing mining exceeds profitability is when a consumer will see the most dramatic afffect of pricing on the retail market. Who knows when this will happen but comparatively price per carat of fine gem quality tanzanite has doubled from prices seen in the 90's.

 

[tomatoe]

thanks all for your replies

I just found out from here that its my (new) birthstone.... yay! another fantastic reason to get a new bauble...

kat: yes, i'm from sg. were u from here too?

 

[Jennifer5973]

Thanks, Josh!

You always hear these rumors but rarely any substance behind what's truly affecting the price of tanzanite.

 

[Nicrez]

Alright I was in Tanzanite shopping heaven this past week, and down in the USVI, there are places ALL OVER that sell rings and even loose gemstones of Tanzanite. I was quoted $500-$600 per carat for the stuff.




I love it, but is that a good deal or a rip off? I wanted so bad to buy some, and the man told me that the mines are mining out of the gems as they are not only rare, but in short supply.




What is the true story, anyone know?!

 

[valeria101]

I suspect taht if you ask a jeweler about any mineral substance chances are you will be told it is in short supply/no longer mined / rare/ etc. Forget it.

The price could be good or not - it does depend on what the price was quoted for. Tanzanite could very well reach this price per carat and top it. Was it the case? I do not know...

 

[valeria101]

With all the talk about Tanzanite, I did a bit of shopping around myself, and this could be the winner. The heating was done by geothermal springs, for this one

 

[winyan]

Well since the subject is tanzanite, here's my tanzanite and alexandrite ring I made what feels like a million years ago, and my OEC and sapphire ring.

win

 

[winyan]

Dang, that didn't come out right, let me try again.

win

 

[winyan]

Ok, I think I got it that time.

win

 

[winyan]

*lol* Furthermore, you want diamond rough...give me a few!!

*LOL*

win

 

[winyan]

Furthermore

I have this, will this do?

win

 

[AGBF]

----------------
On 3/1/2004 1:26:06 PM katbadness wrote:


"Tanzanites were once considered a more affordable replacement for blue sapphire."

When I was looking for tanzanite I recall reading a gemologist stating, "Tanzanite is what sapphire wishes it could be".

 

[Nicrez]

I was getting quoted somewhere from $500- $600+ for a carat of tanzanite, cut and polished decently. Well cut and polished carried another premuim. This was down in St. Thomas (USVI) Is that what sapphire goes for as well!?

 

[winyan]

*lol* via the magic of computers, Dave!!

win

 

[tawn]

I purchased an antique replica ring, that was preset with a tanzanite that was the same size as my mom's diamond (approx 1/2 ct), so I had it swapped out.

The ring looks totally different with a diamond in it...Gorgeous!! So, now I have to figure out what to do with the loose tanzanite! I thought about a pendant, cuz I already have a tanzanite ring. (which is chipped!)

How do you go about buying a setting for a pendant? Or do they have to be custom made?