Tanzanite is an extraordinary geological phenomenon.

Found almost exclusively in the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, it’s considered to be 1000 times rarer than diamond.

Tanzanite is less than 100 years old.

Given that it wasn’t discovered until the 1960s, it’s taken 585 million years for tanzanite to be created in limited supplies. The last important gemstone to be discovered was Alexandrite in April 1834 — more than one hundred years earlier.

You can only find tanzanite in one place in the world.

Tanzanite is only native to the six square miles of the Merelani Hills, making this gem not just rare as a gem, but also rare as a geological phenomenon. Maasai cattle herders are said to have found the first gems in these foothills.

Trichroism plays a role in tanzanite’s color palette.

Tanzanite’s colors vary depending on which crystallographic direction you’re looking at the gem. Also, after heat treatment, tanzanite’s hues are a mix of blues, indigos, and violets. The deeper the blue, the more valuable the gem is considered, along with the size, cut, and clarity.

Tanzanite offers a unique combination.

Beauty and rarity are two desirable traits in a gemstone. Tanzanite is lucky enough to have them both.

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