One of the most important factors to be considered while buying a tanzanite is its color. Although, tanzanite is considered a three-colored gemstone, the most celebrated hue is deep blue with shades of purple, violet, red or orange. Usually tanzanite has good clarity level, so one should prefer an eye clean stone. Larger carat stone have deeper color which looks attractive.

Tanzanite is usually worn as pendant, necklace or earrings. When set in rings, the gemstone is very often bezel set to protect the gem. Tanzanite looks great with diamonds or white sapphires as the brilliance of these stones complements the deep luster of tanzanite and provides more strength to the setting.

When tanzanite is mined, it is almost always grayish or brownish in color. Very rarely rough crystal will come out purple or blue, but for those that don't, heat treatment is used to get the lovely color. This treatment brings out the beautiful blues and purples tanzanite is so celebrated for. The treatment is permanent and an accepted norm in the jewelry industry. The treatment does not affect the price of the gemstone.

Avoid cleaning tanzanite with hot soapy water or steam and never clean it in an ultrasonic cleaner. Never use harsh detergents and or any cleaning solutions that contain petroleum distillates. Avoid soaking your gemstone in water for long and only use something like an old soft toothbrush (without toothpaste). A warm moist cloth may also be used to clean tanzanite jewelry.

Tanzanite is found only in Merelani Hills near Arusha in the north of Tanzania, a rift valley 25 miles from the base of Kilimanjaro, the Massai tribal land in Tanzania. From the gemstone mines to the hands of the buyer, tanzanites go through an adventurous journey. In the mines these crystals of all shapes and sizes are found mixed with the gravel or in creeps. Miners swirl water in the pebbly gravel in cane baskets or screens and pick these precious pieces from the mud. This is adventurous as no one knows what the next lot of mud contains. From the mines, the crystal is taken for lapidary. The crystal is carefully cut in slabs optimizing the size of each piece for the best color and quality available. Once this is done, the best suited shape and cut for that particular piece is determined. That means that if the cutter chooses to maximize the purity of the blue color of the tanzanite, the stone cut from the rough will be smaller and will cost more per carat. The deep blue of tanzanite, however, is so beautiful, that the sacrifice is often worth it.

Rare and unique, this newly discovered gemstone has created a substantial position in the world of colored gemstones. The lovely color of the gemstone is a fine cusp between deep violet and royal blue with a velvety shine. Tanzanite gets its name from the African country Tanzania, the only place in the world where it can be found. The natives of the region, Maasai tribesmen, have interesting legends in folklore talking of tanzanite's origin. One popular legend talks of a bolt of lightning striking the ground. The heat generated by the 'magical fire from the sky' transformed the pebbles on the ground into bluish violet gems. And since then these mystical stones are associated with good luck. But according to a more earthly version of the story of origin of tanzanite, in the year 1967, a local Massai tribesman, Ali Juuyawatu, found a translucent crystal in the region.

Intuiting it to be special, he showed the crystal to Manuel D'Souza, a Goan tailor (also a gem prospector). D'Souza took the crystal to Germany where several gem identification tests ere performed on the gem. GIA along with the mineralogists from other respected institutions like Harvard, the British Museum and Heidelberg University, identified the new gem as a variety of the mineral zoisite. This was the latest addition to the family of color gemstones and the rest is history. Since tanzanite is a much recent find, it is popularly known as the gemstone of the 20th century. The fact that these gemstones are rarest of the rare, makes them more interesting. According to The Tanzanite Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting tanzanite and those associated with its mining, tanzanite gemstone is a 1000 times rarer than diamonds. The obvious reason is its limited source which is also getting waned. This generation has the privilege to be the first time owners of a tanzanite gemstone. In the year 2002 this exceptional gemstone was added to the American Gem Trade Association's list of birthstones. Tanzanite is the birthstone for the month of December.