Tanzanite is the blue-violet gem form of zoisite, found in one small part of Tanzania and first sold in 1968. Nearly all of it has been heated to bring out the color.
Sorosilicate · Zoisite
Tanzanite
Tanzanita
- Palette
- Blue Purple
- Mined in
- Tanzania
- Hardness
- Mohs 6.5 ?
- See-through
- transparent
- Known since
- 1968
- Named for
- Tanzania, the country where it was found
- Also sold as
- blue zoisite
- Intention
- Calm New Beginnings
- Looking for
- Change and decisions Rest and meditation Calm
- Water
- Fine with water and mild soap
- Dye or finish
- Nearly all tanzanite is heated to bring out the blue and violet; the natural stone is brownish. Heat is not detectable and is assumed.
Not in our pieces now
7 KM BY 2 KM
Tanzanite comes from a mining area only about 7 kilometers long and 2 kilometers wide near the Mererani Hills of Tanzania.
585 MILLION YEARS
Tanzanite formed about 585 million years ago, during the Ediacaran period, in a spot that is now the site of Mount Kilimanjaro.
MANUEL DE SOUZA
Manuel de Souza, a Goan tailor and part-time gold prospector, found the first stones in July 1967 and at first took them for dumortierite.
What it is
Tanzanite is a transparent, violet-blue gem that shifts toward purple or blue depending on the angle. It is mostly cut as small faceted stones.
What gives it its color
A trace of vanadium gives tanzanite its blue and violet. The raw crystal shows brownish tones as well, and heating removes the brown and leaves a stronger blue-violet.
Where it comes from
Tanzanite comes from only one place in the world, the Merelani (Mererani) Hills in the Simanjiro District of Tanzania.
In history
Tanzanite was found in January 1967 in the Merelani hills of northern Tanzania, and a prospector registered claims on the site that year. Tiffany & Co. gave it its name and launched it with a publicity campaign in 1968, and in 2002 it became a December birthstone, the first addition to the list since 1912.
What's said about it
In crystal lore, tanzanite is the stone people wear while they sort out what comes next. It's said to keep them company in quiet, thoughtful stretches.
It has no ancient lore, being a modern discovery. Its fame is a jeweler's story of a renamed stone and a birthstone list that grew.
People wear it as a necklace or earrings, keep it in a meditation space, or carry it in a pocket.
How people wear or keep it: As a necklace or earrings, in a meditation space, in a pocket, or by the bed.
In crystal practice
In the crystal tradition, tanzanite is paired with the third eye and crown chakras, so practitioners rest it there during meditation or lie down with it in place for a few quiet minutes. Day to day, the same tradition suggests keeping it close: as a necklace or earrings, in a meditation space, in a pocket. People reach for it when they want change and decisions, rest and meditation, calm, and many set an intention when they put it on. Most practitioners cleanse a new stone first (running water only if the stone can take it, otherwise smoke or moonlight) and set it aside now and then to rest.
These are beliefs people have held and still hold about the stone, reported as such. Nothing here is a promise or a medical claim. We sell stones as jewelry, not for these effects.
Associations
The chakra and star sign this stone is usually matched with. These are popular traditions, not facts about the stone.
ChakraThird Eye, Crown
ZodiacGemini
BirthstoneDecember
Anniversary24th
ElementAir
Also calledblue zoisite
Care
- Moderately hard but it cleaves, so a sharp knock can split it. Take it off for rough work.
- Wipe with a soft damp cloth or mild soapy water, then dry. Avoid heat and sudden temperature change.
- Store it apart from harder gems such as sapphire or diamond, which scratch it.
- Color comes from heating brown rough, so keep it away from strong heat.
How to tell what you have
- Tanzanite is a violet-blue zoisite from Tanzania, hardness about 6.5, that shows different colors (blue, violet, brown) when turned. Beads are small faceted pieces.
- Imitations include glass, cubic zirconia, synthetic forsterite and cobalt-coated stones; a dichroscope shows two colors in real tanzanite, imitations show violet in both. Avoid steam, ultrasonic cleaners and sudden temperature changes.
What sets the price
Price follows color first: a deep, even violet-blue costs far more than a pale or grayish stone. After that come clarity and size, and heating to bring out the blue is normal and does not move the price.
Rules and sourcing
Nearly all tanzanite is heated to bring out the blue and violet. The FTC jewelry guides call for a seller to disclose heat.
Questions people ask at our table
What is tanzanite?
Tanzanite is the blue-to-violet gem variety of the mineral zoisite. It is found in one small area of Tanzania and nowhere else in commercial amounts.
Is its color natural?
The rough is usually brownish. Heating it brings out the blue-violet, and almost all tanzanite on the market has been heated. This is standard, not a disguise.
Why is it so young as a gem?
It was only found in 1967, so it has no ancient lore. Its story is a modern trade story, named by a New York jeweler after its country.
Do you carry tanzanite?
No. It is a faceted fine gem, not a bead stone. Amethyst, sodalite and blue apatite give nearby shades.
Not in our pieces right now
Stones we do carry that are close to it are listed under related stones.
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