Zoisite var: Tanzanite (bi-colored crystal)

Item Description

Tanzanite is a popular gem mineral (more specifically it is the blue/purple variety of the mineral Zoisite), which is found only in the Merelani Hills of Tanzania, a metamorphic environment, and not a pegmatite locality like many people think. Fine Tanzanite crystals are always in demand, and they are becoming less available due to the depths at which they need to be mined. They are certainly some of the most desirable and valuable gem crystals in the world. This piece features sharp, lustrous, gemmy Tanzanite crystal showing excellent pleochroism with a stark blue color on the "a" axis, and a rich purple hue on the "b" axis. When backlit, you can see a pair of thin pale green "stripes" on each side of the crystal when it's viewed through the "a" axis. Good internal gemminess can be seen, and the only real imperfection is a small rough spot on the termination, and a little nick on the prism, but otherwise the piece is in great shape. A good quality and quite eye-catching Tanzanite with rarely seen bi-colored zoning. Specimen weight is 16.88 grams.
This piece came to us from a dealer's liquidation inventory with a price of $2,500 retail on it.