The world of gemstones is filled with the most beautiful colors and vivid patterns with intricate designs and reflections. All these gemstones have unique histories and wonderful stories that are attached to their existence. When giving into the mythical side of these gemstones, one can always find bits of adventure and mystery hidden in plain sight.
The Tanzanite gemstone is relatively new to this world of colored stones. The most common story of how it was found was about how a Masai tribesman stumbled on a cluster of transparent blue and deep violet crystals in Merelani, an area in Northern Tanzania, Africa.
Within a short time from this, many people began to find out about the existence of this stone, yet no one knew what it could be. Tiffany & Co. was the first one to recognize its potential and made a deal to become its main seller.
Almost overnight, the gemstone became one of the most popular gemstones with leading designers, sellers, and buyers, all with their eyes on it.
The Tanzanite is truly a very unique and special gemstone that was forming for over 5000 years under extreme conditions that were highly unique.
Due to the fact that the gemstone only grows on one particular mountain’s foothills, it makes it even more precious, seeing how it might run out in the very near future.
Tanzanite gemstones are the birthstones for those born in the month of December, which is quite a fortuitous month to be born in.
Initially, the gemstone was cheaper than blue sapphire and was bought as a substitute for the sapphire. Today, however, it’s price and demand competes equally with that of sapphires.
Legends and lores
Legend says that the mystical landscape below the towering heights of Mt. Kilimanjaro was set alight by lightning. The heat from the magic fire of this lightning is what transformed the dull brown crystals on the surface into the bright shards of violet and blue gems we call tanzanite today.
The local Maasai tribesmen discovered these striking blue shards as they were walking, and noticed through the smoke and ashes after the fire ebbed these glittering gemstones. Since then, it has been believed that these magical gemstones will bring anyone who wears it an enriched life.
Famous Attributes
Tanzanite is known for another one of its highly unique attributes: it is the only gemstone known to man which is trichroic. It is the only gemstone with three whole color axes: blue, purple, and red/brown.
Depending on the angle the crystal is viewed from and the type of light source, the gem will appear differently. This is why under incandescent light, the more purple and red hues will be emphasized on the gem. The ‘red flash’ is highly desired in tanzanite but can rarely be viewed but can be seen under incandescent light.
The crystal comes in a variety of colors, ranging from pale lavender with blue hues to rich, velvety blue with slight violet hues. Most of the gemstones in jewelry are of pastel and light-colored Tanzanite. The best quality of the gemstone comes in velvety, saturated violets and blues. These can easily compare to the Kashmir Blue Sapphire as well.
Benefits of Tanzanite Gemstones
- The gemstone helps in segregating emotions within your body: the emotions that are not known to you but still cause turbulence in your life are said to be made clearer. The gemstone helps balance and control these emotions, and readily let go when it serves no purpose.
- The gemstone has powerful healing energies and is often linked with the throat chakra of our bodies. It can heal many physical disabilities like skin conditions, recovery from surgery, increase or replenish strength, and help with allowing the wearer to channel energy and strength to cope with troubling situations.
- Tanzanite is said to balance the energies within your body and those surrounding your body that influences you. It keeps all the chakras in sync with each other as well, and lets you have more fluid access to your chakras. You can do this without the gemstone as well, but it would take years and years of mastering.
- When you practice meditation, the gemstone allows you to calm your mind and remove all the distractions and stressors that keep you from focusing. If you want help with meditation and practicing any form of breathing exercise and spiritual practice, the gemstone helps you by balancing your energies and connecting you with yourself better.
- It can help you be more connected to your intuition and make it more clear. Wearing this gemstone is said to sharpen your intuition and your natural ability to tell what could be the outcome of each situation you’re in and the actions you take with regard to them.
The Tanzanite gemstone is one of the most exquisite gemstones to exist and their rarity and beauty truly make them an eternal and evergreen gemstone. It makes for an amazing birthstone and many have sworn on the powers and influences of this gemstone.
