SEARCH BY PRICE

Min:
Max:

SEARCH BY CARAT WEIGHT

Min:
Max:

SEARCH BY gem shape

CLEAR FILTER APPLY
Tanzanite,Pear 1.17-Carat
more details
Tanzanite,Pear 11.70-Carat
more details
Tanzanite,Oval 10.68-Carat
more details
Gemologist’s Pick
Tanzanite,Round 12.12-Carat
more details
Tanzanite,Pear 13.37-Carat
more details
Tanzanite,Cushion 18.46-Carat
more details
Tanzanite,Emerald Cut 5.73-Carat
more details
Tanzanite,Matched Pairs 2.72-Carat
more details
Tanzanite,Matched Pairs 3.38-Carat
more details
Tanzanite,Matched Pairs 11.35-Carat
more details
Tanzanite,Pear 3.72-Carat
more details
Tanzanite,Oval 5.28-Carat
more details
Gemologist’s Pick
Tanzanite,Cushion 19.03-Carat
more details
Tanzanite,Pear 9.45-Carat
more details
Tanzanite,Trillion 3.43-Carat
more details
Tanzanite,Cushion 8.70-Carat
more details
Tanzanite,Pear 3.54-Carat
more details

Can’t find what you want?

Submit a Special Request and we will source the gem for you.

SUBMIT YOUR REQUEST HERE

Tanzanite Educational Resources

GIA GEMOLOGIST WRITTEN ARTICLES

  • Tanzanite Prices & Value - For 2023 and A Historic...

    Looking to find out what the prices are in the market in 2023? Or perhaps you'd like to understand price trajectory since the 1990's? This article will bring you up to date.

  • The Definitive Tanzanite Buying Guide

    Everything you need to know about Tanzanite. Learn all about this beautiful, rare gemstone. Learn about its properties, how to judge quality, pricing, how it is mined, where it comes from and how to spot imitations.

  • Tanzanite Color - How it Affects Value

    Judging Tanzanite Color can be a confusing undertaking, especially online. This article will demonstrate Tanzanite color qualities in straightforward terms without the jargon.

  • Tanzanite Synthetics and Imitations

    Learn about Tanzanite imitations that you may encounter in the market. Whereas Tanzanite has never been synthesized, it has a number of imitations which can fool you. Learn what to look out for and how to spot the fakes.

  • Tanzanite Color Grading - So Many Systems, Which t...

    A guide to the different Tanzanite Color Grading systems in use in the market today.

  • Tanzanite Heating - The Facts

    Tanzanite is heated to remove the brown axis, leaving the well known blue. This article looks into the process and why it happens.

  • Tanzanite Clarity Grading - How to Judge Clarity i...

    Unlike Diamonds, colored stones do not have a universally accepted clarity grading system. We take a look at some of the most widely used systems.

  • Trichroism and Red Flash in Tanzanite

    Tanzanites can look markedly different under varying light sources. This article looks at Trichroism in Tanzanite and how it causes the Red Flash Effect.

  • Tanzanite as an Investment

    Tanzanite has long been considered a viable Investment Gemstone. This article explores the reasons for this and the pertinent considerations if you are looking to invest.

  • Tanzanite Cut - Often Overlooked but Very Importan...

    Cutting is one of the "4 "C's" of value but is often overlooked. Cut can play a central role in Tanzanite value and fine cuts command up to a 30% premium over cuts done with weight maximization techniques. This article attempts to explain what to look for

  • How to Care for Your Tanzanite

    Tanzanite is often regarded as a relatively delicate gemstone. We take a look at the best way to clean and care for it.

  • Tanzanite Crystals and Crystallography

    A brief look at Tanzanite crystallography and crystal habits with photography and videos being the focus. We look at various colors of Tanzanite (Zoisite) with some wonderful specimens and crystals

Educational VIDEOS

An in depth look at Tanzanite mining in Block D.
Take a journey to the Tanzanite mines with us and really
find out how Tanzanite is mined by plucky artisanal miners.

Tanzanite FAQ’s

Tanzanite’s value and worth is dictated by a number of factors. The 4 C’s of value – Color, Clarity, Cut and Carat govern all gemstones and Tanzanite is no exception. Color Quality is the most important value factor and contributes the most to Tanzanite’s worth. Our article on Color and Value in Tanzanite explains all. Next is clarity – how clean a Tanzanite is, and whether it contains inclusions or flaws has a big impact on how much a Tanzanite is worth. See our article on Tanzanite Clarity Thirdly, Cut Quality is an important value factor. Badly cut Tanzanites command a lower price than well cut ones for a number of reasons. Our GIA Gemologist written article on Tanzanite Cut as a Value Factor will make you an expert.

Tanzanite is a very rare gem, in fact it is one of the world’s rarest gemstones.It is found in only one location in the world – a place called Merelani in Tanzania.The mining area has been divided into 4 blocks by the Tanzanian government – A,B,C and D.It is also one of the worlds’ most popular and sought after gems and as the supply diminishes and becomes mined out, Tanzanite’s rarity increases.This is the reason it is considered to be a viable investment gemstone.This article on Tanzanite as an Investment Gemstone explains how Tanzanite’s rarity makes it attractive to investors.

The answer to this question is – both! Tanzanite is a trichroic gemstone and has several axes of color – brownish red, purple and blue.The brownish red color is removed by heating and the blue and purple axes remain. All Tanzanite has a modicum of both colors but the dominant hue is a result of which axis the cutter places the table of the Tanzanite.Additionally, the light source affects the colors you see within Tanzanite – more incandescent light will bring out the purple axis.This article on Tanzanite color and trichroism explains all in detail.

Tanzanite has a reputation for being a soft stone.However, this needs to be considered in context.There are 2 scales used by gemologists to judge a gemstone’s durability – The Mohs Scale which judges a gem’s susceptibility to scratching relative to other gem types) and the Toughness Scale(which measures how easily a gemstone chips or cracks relative to other gem types). The reason Tanzanite is considered to be a soft stone is because it is 6.5 to 7 on the Mohs Scale.Hence, it is more susceptible to scratching relative to harder gems like Ruby & Sapphire (9 on the Mohs Scale). However, in context, it is much less susceptible than many other gems also used in jewelry like Opal and Amber.Scratches can be polished off with very little loss of weight if a Tanzanite does become heavily scratched over time.If it is just the table which is scratched, this can be done whilst the Tanzanite remains in the setting but if the stone is more extensively damaged It will likely need to be removed from the setting, repolished and then reset. This article on Caring for your Tanzanite gives further tips and advice on this subject. Additionally it rates “Good” on the Toughness scale which makes it much less likely to chip or crack than Emerald for example.The toughness scale relates to a gem’s atomic bond and how strong these are. As such, Tanzanite is unlikely to chip or crack unless subjected to large blows or pressure. Steam cleaners can also cause cracks in Tanzanite so make sure your jeweler never uses one to clean your stone.

A common question is whether blue or violet Tanzanite is the best color.Generally any discussion on Tanzanite color quality centralizes around the issue of color saturation as this article on Color in Tanzanite and How it Affects Quality explores in depth. However, in the trade, Tanzanites cut on the blue axis command a premium, as generally if a cutter chooses to orient the table on the blue axis he sacrifices weight he would not, had he cut it on the violet axis.This is because the blue axis is invariably the thinner of the 2 on a Tanzanite crystal.

Yes, Tanzanite is going to run out. Tanzanite is only found in one place in the world – Merelani in Tanzania.This single deposit has been mined since the late 1960’s and the tempo of mining has increased in recent years as Tanzanite has become more popular and coveted in gem markets around the world.The latest market being China who’s billion plus people and historical love affair with gemstones present a massive draw on the remaining reserves.Whilst there is no exact geological date being put on when Tanzanite will run out, 10 – 15 years is a generally accepted timeline. This obviously depends on a variety of factors, including rate of mining, increase in demand and government legislation. One other notable factor is the possibility of discovering another Tanzanite deposit.Whilst this does remain a distant possibility, geologists have placed the chances of finding a new deposit at a million to one due to its complex structure and chemical makeup. As a result, Tanzanite is widely considered to be an investment gemstone as our article on Tanzanite as an Investment Gemstone explains.

Ever since the marketing campaign of the early 2000’s entitled “A Thousand Times more Rare than Diamond” was released, people have been fascinated by Tanzanite’s rarity.The most successful marketing campaign in the history of the gem trade was the one run by De Beers “A Diamond is Forever” which made Diamonds synonymous with engagement rings and rarity. The truth is that your average Diamond is not really that rare. They are mined in large quantities in many locations around the world.Clever marketing and a tight control on supply by powerful cartels have artificially inflated prices and perceptions of rarity. Tanzanite also currently sells for a price much lower than Diamonds but is considerably rarer, being found in only one location in the world in Tanzania.There is no cartel controlling prices and it is a good time to buy, before a supply crunch forces up prices.

Tanzanite is the birthstone for December.It is actually the first gemstone in 100 years to be added to the birthstone list(with Spinel also being added a few years later). It shares the December slot with 2 other blue gems – Blue Zircon and Turquoise.Read more about birthstones in our Birthstone Article.

Up until the last 20 years, gemstones were strictly divided into “precious” and “semi precious” with only Diamond, Emerald, Ruby and Sapphire being considered precious stones.However, gemologists and the trade have largely dropped these terms with the discovery of new and very rare gem types like Tanzanite, Paraiba Tourmaline and Tsavorite.Additionally, previously common gems have become rarer, contributing to this trend.If you have just spent $20,000 on a 25 carat top grade Tanzanite, you would probably feel that the term “semi precious” didn’t describe your gemstone very well! Similarly, even though Ruby is a rare gem, a low grade Ruby is significantly less “precious” than a high grade Tanzanite or Tsavorite.Tanzanite is only found in one place in the world (Tanzania) and is a highly coveted gem worldwide – as such, even under the old nomenclature, it would certainly have been considered precious.

See What Our Customers Are Saying