Congratulations, Tanzanite… You’ve Been Named the New December Birthstone
Tanzanite’s appeal is attributable to two factors: its rarity and its beauty. It is one of the few gems that has only one source; tanzanite has never been found outside Tanzania, where it was first sighted four decades ago.The gem’s color is spectacular. It is most often gold or brownish when mined, but it is generally heated to blue when cut. The resulting hue can range from lavender to midnight blue, but the most prized color is a deep, luxurious blue with purple overtones.
The gem also exhibits an unusual gemological property called pleochroism, which means it can display more than one color. When viewed from different angles, a tanzanite ring or pendant may show flashes of various shades of blue and purple. That tanzanite’s hue may also alter in daylight and incandescent light is still another lovely gemological miracle that adds to the allure of this unique gem.