Tanzanite as Beads

The color of Tanzanite is most intense in sizes above ten carats. Smaller tanzanites are usually paler in color. Therefore most of the Tanzanite Beads that I see are small and pale.

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No gemstone discovered in East Africa has had more of an impact on the world gemstone market than Tanzanite, a velvety blue variety of the mineral zoisite that was found for the first time in 1967 and named after the country of its birth by Tiffany & Co. in New York, who introduced the gemstone to the world market in 1969.

Tanzanite's rich purples and blues often have a depth comparable to the finest sapphire. Paler Tanzanite has a delicate periwinkle color like the eyes of Elizabeth Taylor. It is supremely rare, coming from only one place in the world, the Merelani Hills of Tanzania, in the shadow of Mount Kilimanjaro. The source of its mesmerizing color is that Tanzanite is trichroic: that is, it shows different colors when viewed in different directions. One direction is blue, another purple, and another bronze, adding subtle depths to the color.

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TANZANIA United Republic of Tanzania

Tanzania has some of the most spectacular scenery in Africa, including Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain on the continent. Almost one-third of the country is reserved as a national park, or preserve, with the most famous of these being the Serengeti Plain and its countless herds of wildlife.

• Current population is 29 million people, with a Life expectancy of 42.34 years.
• The capital city is Dodoma, the currency is the Tanzania Shilling and the official languages are English and Swahili.
• Tourism, coffee, tea and diamonds are significant economic factors in this generally poor country, with a Per capita income of $800.00 ¹⁹⁹⁹
• Area: slightly larger than twice the size of California includes the islands of Mafia, Pemba, and Zanzibar
• Natural Hazards: the tsetse fly and lack of water limit agriculture; flooding on the central plateau during the rainy season

Similar to Kenya, the climate varies with the terrain. The Indian Ocean coastline is tropical, while the central highlands are moderate and semi-dry.

Care of Tanzanite:  Tanzanite jewelry is a little more delicate than other gemstone jewelry and should not be set in a ring that will be worn during strenuous activity. Never clean Tanzanite in an ultrasonic cleaner or resize or repair a ring set with Tanzanite because the stone could shatter in the heat of a torch. It is available in a variety of shapes and sometimes in large sizes that are perfect for an important necklace.

Enhancements: All Tanzanite is Heat Treated. When Tanzanite is found in the ground, the bronze color dominates. However, with gentle heating, the cutter can watch the blue color bloom and deepen in the stone. Legend has it that the effect of heat was first discovered when some brown zoisite crystals laying on the ground with other rocks were caught in a fire set by lightning that swept through the grass-covered Merelani hills northeast of Arusha. The Masai herders who drive cattle in the area noticed the beautiful blue color and picked the crystals up, becoming the first Tanzanite collectors.

A Disclaimer:  Effort has been made of including information that is found in at least two sources. I can make no claim on the accuracy of this information. I am not a Geologist or Gemologist. I make no guarantees and infer no warranties. For more information, please refer to the bibliography.

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Copyright Information:  Although I have included a bibliography, but no attempt has been made to give credit to individual passages. If you are an author and feel that I have infringed on your copyrighted material please let me know. With that in mind, all material and information, retain their respected Copyrights.

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I encourage the reader to pursue the further study of any topic that they find particularly interesting. A good place to start is your local library.

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Bibliography: 

• The curious lore of precious stones - Author Kunz, George Frederick, 1856-1932.
• Gem identification made easy - Matlins, Antoinette Leonard.
• Gems: Their Sources, Descriptions and Identification - By Robert Webster, Peter G. Read (Editor).
• Gemstone Enhancement: history, science and state of the art - by Kurt Nassau.
• Gemstones of the world - Walter Schumann ; translated by Evelyne Stern.
• Gems, Minerals & Lapidary Links
• Have you ever sent he inside story of a modern bead factory in India? I asked one of my suppliers to send me back some pictures. Check out the Tour.