The Purple Variety of Mineral Zoisite

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Author: Rajesh Prajapati

The Purple Variety of Mineral Zoisite

The rare and exotic variety of tanzanite gemstone is found in East Africa. This immensely popular gemstone has created a special place in the hearts of people and in the colored gemstone world. The lovely color of tanzanite is a fine cusp between deep violet and royal blue with a velvety shine.

Found in the African country Tanzania, this is the place from where the stone gets its name. This is the only place in the world where tanzanite can be found. In comparison to few other colored stones tanzanite is a recent find and that is the reason why it is also known as 20th century stone. The mining of this rare gemstone is becoming a cause of concern for the jewelry industry, with the limited resources getting depleted.

Tanzanite is one of the hottest gemstones. The folklore associated with the gemstone is that the natives of the region Massai, saw lightning from the sky strike the ground. The resultant heat transformed the color of the pebbles on the ground to bluish violet gemstones. Since then these mystical stones are associated with good luck.

A calcium aluminum silicate Ca2Al3 (O/OH/SiO4/Si2O7) by chemical composition, tanzanite belongs to the zoisite mineral family. It has a hardness of 6.5-7 on the Mohs scale which is not particularly hard as compared to other gemstones.

Tanzanite is one of the hottest gemstones on the planet earth. When tanzanite is mined, it is almost always grayish or brownish in color. Very rarely rough crystal will come out purple or blue, but for those that don't, heat treatment is used to get the lovely color. This treatment brings out the beautiful blues and purples tanzanite is so celebrated for. The treatment is permanent and an accepted norm in the jewelry industry. The treatment does not affect the price of the gemstone.

Tanzanite is the birthstone for the month of December. December is the month of celebration with Christmas and New Year's falling in the same month. So it is a time for presenting and receiving gifts to your loved ones. What better gift can you think of then jewelry? Jewelry is precious, unique, long lasting and a gift so special that you will only find the receiver very glad to receive it. Tanzanite jewelry is worn as pendant, earrings, rings and bracelets. A tanzanite ring looks very pretty with diamonds or white sapphires flanking on it sides, complimenting the deep luster of tanzanite, providing tenacity to the setting. Tanzanite is the stone for couples celebrating their twenty fourth wedding anniversary.

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