|
 Wine
Jewellery Ltd. was founded in 1989. How did it come about?
hat is so special about this beautiful gemstone that’s blue
in colour, which shimmers in a slightly purplish hue? The rarity
and the fact that it is found in only one location in the entire
world! Tanzanite has, what many would consider, the finest blue
hue in the world of gemstones, a colour which often even the finest
sapphires lack.
The source…
The world’s only known source of tanzanite occurs beneath the
sweeping grasslands in the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro in northern
Tanzania, East Africa. Indeed, experts maintain that the chance
of tanzanite occurring elsewhere in the world is one in a million.
The almost magical colour of a perfectly cut tanzanite that varies
from a deep ‘sapphire’ blue to an ‘amethyst’ purple is not only
attractive on young women, it also emphasises the individuality
of a mature woman. It truly is a stone for all ages and moods.
 This
beautiful stone that is second only to diamonds, once cut and polished,
becomes a kaleidoscope of royal blue, violet, indigo, lilac and
periwinkle shades. While the different hues appeal to different
tastes, the most distinctive and desirable shade is vibrant violet
blue. One of the special treasures is a splendid faceted flawless
gem weighing 122.7 carats which is a part of the Smithsonian Institution’s
collection, ‘The Midnight Blue’. It is located at the Natural History
Museum in Washington, DC., USA.
 Tracing
the roots…
This beautiful stone was first chanced upon by man in July
of 1967. Legend has it that the affect of heat was first discovered
when some brown zoisite crystals laying on the ground with other
rocks were caught in a fire set by lightning. It swept through the
grass covered Merelani hills northeast of Arusha. The Masai herders
who drive cattle in the area noticed the beautiful blue colour and
picked up the crystals. They became the first tanzanite collectors.
The 4 C’s of tanzanite… Colour
Colour is the most important of the 4 C’s when considering
the quality of tanzanite. One of the terms commonly used in the
trade is AAA tanzanite. The colour of tanzanite is the most intense
in sizes above 10 carats. Smaller tanzanites are usually paler in
colour. In geological terms, tanzanite is trichroic. This means,
that in its rough form, it radiates three different colours from
each of its crystallographic axes, namely blue, violet and burgundy.
Larger stones tend to exhibit more intense colour, fire and brilliance,
and richly coloured tanzanite typically commands the highest prices.
Matching pairs fetch a significant premium over a single tanzanite
because of the rarity of finding two tanzanites of identical color.
 Clarity
Clarity is the second most important of the 4 C’s. Clarity
simply refers to how inclusion-free a gemstone is. The basic rule
with tanzanite is that it should be at least eye clean but preferably
loupe clean too. Top stones are loupe clean.
Carat
Tanzanites exist even in the 100+carat range but these are
rare. Generally stones are in the between 1-10 carats.
Cuts
Tanzanites sometimes occur in extremely large sizes, with faceted
gems of hundreds of carats. In the market, tanzanites are found
in a variety of shapes and cutting styles. These gemstones are very
hard to cut due to the fact that they are not hard at all. Ovals
and cushions are the most common, but rounds are also seen, as are
other shapes, including emerald cuts, trillions etc. Cabochon-cut
tanzanites are very rare.
Maintaining right…
Like all things of beauty, the tanzanite must be treasured
and protected against knocks, pressure and extreme temperature changes.
Tanzanite is best set in less exposed, less active pieces of
jewellery, like earrings and pendants. When mounted in
a ring or bracelet, choose a low setting that will help protect
the tanzanite. Tanzanite jewellery is a little more delicate than
other gemstone jewelleries and should not be set in a ring worn
daily. Clean tanzanite with warm, soapy water and never use ultrasonic
and steam cleaners.
Market foray…
The sheer splendour of tanzanite mesmerised the marketing mind
of Henry B Platt; the great grandson of Louis Comfort Tiffany, and
later president and chairman of the famed New York jewellers, Tiffany
& Co. It was Platt who first promoted the stone, showcasing
it at Tiffany’s in October, 1968. Platt too gave tanzanite its first
endorsement, remarking that it was undoubtedly “the most beautiful
blue stone discovered in over 2,000 years”. Tiffany’s initiated
the first tanzanite advertising campaign, declaring that tanzanite
could be found in only two places on earth - Tanzania and Tiffany’s.
For the first 10 years after its discovery, Tiffany’s had the exclusive
right to this lovely gem stone. Today, after the liberalisation
of the Tanzanian economy, it is a free market.
Demand for tanzanite among the world’s jewellery designers and
manufacturers are growing because of its exquisite colour. Besides,
its diminishing source has made it even more valuable. Tanzanite
is a highly valued gemstone and is priced just below emerald, ruby,
and sapphire. Today, Tanzanite remains one of the newest, most exciting,
and most popular gemstones in the industry. After all, the desire
to own something unique and rare has always been a fantasy for all
|
.gif){kind=small}
