The Tanzanite derives its name from the East African country of Tanzania.  This is the only place in the world where it has been found. They are sourced only in Tanzania at the base of the mysterious Mount Kilimanjaro.

For a long, long time this gemstone remained hidden from the eye of Man, until one day some Masai shepherds noticed sparkling crystals lying in the sun. In essence it was the Masai that were the original collectors of Tanzanites.

In 1967, when the world was introduced to this marvelous gem, gemologists around the world were so impressed they considered it to be ‘the gemstone of the 20^th century’.  What excited these experts was the extraordinary color.

The tanzanite displays some of the most exciting color combinations known to Man. Though these stones can run the gamut of varying shades of ultramarine blue to light violet-blue the most sought after tanzanites are an exotic, rich blue, with a tantalizing hint of purple. 

Tanzanites are exotic and beautiful, and can certainly rival any gemstone. It is the ultimate prize of a gemstone safari. Almost all tanzanites are heated to permanently change its color from orange-brown to the spectacular violet-blue color for which this precious gemstone variety is known.