11/9/2023 0 Comments Tanzanite zircon and turquoise![]() ![]() And at present, we know of no other commercially viable sources of raw tanzanite. Once the mines are empty, they are empty. Tanzanite is a pretty big deal, in terms of availability, because the only known source of the gemstone is in Tanzania. So the name paying homage to its origins was bestowed upon the stone.Ī rough, uncut tanzanite crystal (left) and a faceted trillion cut tanzanite (right) Tanzanite, gemologically speaking, is blue-violet zoisite, but the folks over at Tiffany, correctly, thought that might be a bit cumbersome for the average consumer to request the jewelry counter. What may surprise you is that famed jewelry house Tiffany & Co is responsible for the name tanzanite. Tanzania is an East African country that is famed for this lovely gemstone and the Serengeti and Kilimanjaro National Parks. Tanzanite, unsurprisingly, was named after the country in which its discovery was made. Tanzanite is an incredibly beautiful purplish-blue stone with a medium saturation of color. ![]() In the 1967, a breathtaking gemstone was discovered: tanzanite. The mid-1900s were a good time for gemstone aficionados. The London Blue hue is more popular therefore it is slightly more expensive. That is the clear, sky blue color we most often associate with blue topaz. The other juggernaut of blue topaz is the Swiss Blue. It’s reminiscent of the cloudy and rainy skies associated with the English countryside. London Blue is a delightful deep shade of grayish blue. Blue topaz’s most illustrious shade is the London Blue Topaz. Rough, uncut blue topaz crystals (left) and a faceted pear cut blue topaz (right)īut not all blue topaz is created equal. Since that time, the price of blue topaz has fallen to be one of the most affordable gemstones. However, in the ‘70s, it was discovered that clear topaz (which is plentiful and inexpensive) could be treated to exhibit a variety of blue hues. Blue topaz does occur naturally, but it is very rare, and therefore, it was very expensive. Until the 1970s, most topaz that was commercially available was brown or yellow. Blue topaz is one of, if not the absolute most, popular varieties of topaz. We talked quite a bit about topaz as a gemstone in November, but blue topaz deserves its own conversation. No matter the level of familiarity they have with blue zircon, most people easily recognize blue topaz as a birthstone of December. Many people may not readily recognize that they are different, with blue zircon enjoying popularity among gemstone lovers, but not necessarily all jewelry wearers. Zircon is a gemstone, while cubic zirconia is not. A cut and polished gemstone will always sparkle and shine more than its rough counterparts.īlue zircon should not be confused with cubic zirconia. Lapidaries (professional gem cutters) can enhance this natural phenomenon by cutting facets into the crystal. So a diamond is a higher refractive index than, say, clear quartz or rock crystal. The higher the index, this more sparkle a stone has. Inside the stone, the light is bent through the crystalline structure, which gives gemstones their characteristic sparkle and shine. When light enters a gemstone, it slows down, because the stone is denser than air. The refractive index helps gemologists identify stones. Of all the blue gemstones, including sapphire, topaz, and tanzanite, blue zircon has the highest refractive index. The romance of the crisp winter season is beautifully tied up in the clear blue hues of December’s birthstones.īlue zircon was the original December birthstone. December is closely associated with fresh snowfalls and twinkling snowflakes (this is before we are all tired of driving through the slush, snow, and ice). So this month, instead of featuring a single birthstone, or even two, I decided to highlight THREE December stones this month. With Christmas on the horizon and the new year just a few weeks away, I thought a little gemstone celebration is in order. ![]()
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