Tanzanite

Item Description

A lovely little "sparkler" of a Tanzanite gem from the 1980s era of mining at Merelani. The "Round" cut stone has virtually eye-clean clarity, and a medium purplish-blue color. An eye-catching gem for a collector or a lovely piece of jewelry. Tanzanite is one of the most popular colored stones in the world. It is the gem blue variety of the mineral Zoisite, named after Tanzanite where it was first discovered in the Merelani Hills. The first pieces were discovered in 1968, and today the production goes deep into the earth on a large commercial scale where almost every good piece of Tanzanite can be recovered quickly, faceted at or near the mine site, and shipped throughout the world in finished condition. The beautiful color and limited quantity of the material is what keeps it so in-demand. In fact, I was told in Tucson that Tanzanite is still the #1 colored gemstone in the United States in terms of overall sales. People just love these amazing and colorful gems, and Tanzanite remains as the top investment stone for collectors and dealers alike. They are truly one of the ultimate combinations of rarity and beauty in gem world. It is believed that the supply of Tanzanite at Merelani will last no longer than 10 more years, at which point the mining will cease, and no more Tanzanite may ever be mined again. Once the supply is cut off, you can expect that the price of Tanzanite will sky-rocket.
This stone is from the estate of former Phoenix area dealer Marvin Rockey. Rockey's Gems was a significant business in the early days of Arizona lapidary material, and he was a prominent dealer and buyer in the Arizona area of local lapidary and carving material from throughout the state, including Bisbee, the Ray Mine, Miami mines, and the Peridot finds on Indian lands in the 1950s-1970s. This stone was kept back from the retail stock for its quality and beauty, in a tray of special material, and was found in his estate (sold to us only recently). Today, these are not only rarely seen but of a highly desirable old quality, and sought after by collectors and gem / jewelry enthusiasts alike.