Tanzanite, first introduced to the world by American jeweller Tiffany & Co. in 1968, is a rare blue variety of the mineral zoisite.
The only place in the world where it’s found is Merelani Hills in northern Tanzania.
The deposit is just two kilometres wide and eight kilometres long, and it’s not known for certain how much tanzanite is left available to mine.
Unless stated otherwise, all tanzanite is assumed to
have been heat-treated. This process, performed at relatively low temperatures, enhances the stone's colour and removes unwanted brown and yellow tints, which are common in raw stones.
When purchasing tanzanite, it’s important to buy from a reputable source because there’s an abundance of fake stones in circulation.
