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Tanzanite is one of the hottest gemstones available today and it is only going to gain in popularity as it becomes more and more scarce. Oddly enough, many people still have not heard or seen this gemstone. Or perhaps they have seen it only to believe it was a sapphire or amethyst. This is a common mistake since tanzanite can range in color from a light purple to a very dark purple and everything in between. I can assure you however that tanzanite will be a gemstone that everyone will know about very soon!
Tanzanite can only be found in Northern Tanzania which is obviously where the gem's name originated. Since it can only be found in such a small area, it is eventually going to become scarce. After all, this is a non-renewable resource. Unless tanzanite is discovered in other areas, the limited supply is going to eventually dwindle to nothing.
This scarcity is causing the rising prices and rising popularity of tanzanite jewelry. As of yet, there is no agreed upon grading for this specific gemstone. However, it is commonly known that the darker the stone is, the more valuable it is. Those darker stones are also the rarest. If you were to look in franchised jewelry stores, then you are likely to only find lighter colored jewelry. The more expensive counterpart is reserved for high end jewelry that the majority of us cannot afford! This fact should not dissuade anyone from purchasing lighter colored tanzanite; it is still beautiful and valuable.
The important thing to consider when choosing tanzanite jewelry is how it will be worn. It is not a very hard gemstone and so it needs to be worn carefully. For this reason, many people choose to purchase tanzanite earrings and necklaces. Rings and bracelets can suffer some damage since they come into contact with so many hard objects. Every woman has had one of those moments when she unwittingly slams her hand into a door, on a counter, or against a wall. Immediately, she checks her ring to make sure that it remained intact. It is a horrible feeling even when wearing a hard stone like diamonds. The fact is that a tanzanite ring may not withstand the beatings of everyday life.
As with every other gemstone, there are imitations being manufactured. These particular imitations are known as tanzanique. In addition, there is a periwinkle colored cubic zirconia that is also being passed off as a tanzanite imitation. Tanzanite is one of the most beautiful gemstones available today. Since we know that this is a resource that will soon be diminished, we have the ability to purchase our own share of this precious gemstone.