Two (potentially uninformed) questions regarding tanzanite.

[Arkteia]

Date: 2/27/2010 11:06:22 AM
Author: tourmaline_lover

Date: 2/27/2010 10:49:28 AM
Author: Chrono
I just had to jump in to comment on the lovely rough Am Guy posted showing a lovely blue and pink, and also LD''s awesomely cut pendant and setting, which while it may not be the best coloured, the cutting makes the best use of the material, showing it at its best!

I agree - beautiful stones in the pendant and the crystal.

BTW, here''s a photo of a supposedly top color tanzanite I saw at the Field Museum in Chicago.

I don''t expect to see much dispersion on this stone because it was so dark, yet it was a vivid gem. My photo stinks.

TL, when you say your photos stink I am starting to develop big-time inferiority complex and I thought I was past this phase in my 20-es. Time to go to a psychoanalist, I think. Hopefully, he knows something about Tourmaline Lover''s complex.

 

[T L]

Crasru,
You have to see the gem in person, then you would realize that my photo truly stinks.

 

[Arkteia]

Date: 2/27/2010 10:00:04 AM
Author: LovingDiamonds
This is NOT a high quality Tanzanite by any stretch of the imagination but it''s an unusual cut and it shows the pleochroism well. Is this what you''re seeing Kim?

Wow! Was it cut in Europe?

 

[Stone Hunter]

I love the blue/purple color of Tanz. Not the light violet as much.

I think the stone just scratches easily. Maybe due to the heating process.

I have a ring that I hardly ever wear. I''d love to get a Spinel in that color.

 

[Kim Bruun]

Date: 2/27/2010 11:39:49 AM
Author: LovingDiamonds
I wonder if, as TL has suggested, that it depends also on the level of saturation of the stone?

My lighter tanzanite definitely shows the fire better than the darker one (where the effect is not really noticable). I bought it as medium light bluish violet with moderately strong saturation. I would describe it as lavender, and it doesn't have the washed out look at all that small, pale tanzanites have.

Unfortunately, I suck at photographing gems.