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Tanzanite meaning and properties

Tanzanite means fresh starts in modern crystal guides: a recent blue-violet from Tanzania.

  • Renewal
  • Rarity
  • Beginning
The essentials

Tanzanite at a glance

For you, a blue and violet stone to wear when you want to remember that a fresh start needs no past.

A question to ask yourself

Which fresh start would you like to mark with a small ritual this year?

Something to watch

Heat: sensitive to temperature changes.

Color
blue, purple
Associated intentions
renewal
Birthstone
December (2002 list)
Type
mineral
Read more
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What it evokes

Modern crystal guides associate tanzanite with renewal: it is chosen as the stone of fresh starts, of a change of course, of a page being turned.

This reading comes from its recent history. The stone was found only in January 1967, in the Mererani hills of Tanzania. Henry B. Platt, of Tiffany & Co., renamed this “blue zoisite” tanzanite in 1968, to sell it better. It comes from only one small deposit, which feeds its image as a rare stone, and the American Gem Trade Association added it to the December stones in 2002.

It is worn as a reminder: a blue-violet piece of jewelry to mark the start of a project.

The traditions

  1. 1967-1968, the discovery and the name

    Jumanne Mhero Ngoma is said to have found the first stones in January 1967, in the Mererani hills. Henry B. Platt, vice president of Tiffany & Co., renames the “blue zoisite” tanzanite to highlight its rarity and single source; the stone is launched in 1968.

    Wikipedia, “Tanzanite”
  2. 2002, December stone

    In 2002, the American Gem Trade Association (AGTA) adds tanzanite to the December birthstones. Wikipedia sees in this the first change the AGTA made to its list since 1912. No ancient text makes it a birthstone, since it did not exist in the lists Kunz compares.

    Wikipedia, “Tanzanite” (American Gem Trade Association)
  3. Modern crystal guides

    According to recent books on crystals, it is linked to renewal and intuition, at the level of the brow chakra. These readings are modern and come from the color and the novelty of the stone.

    common usage, consistent recent guides

A gestureA blue-violet piece of jewelry, ring or drop earrings, to mark a beginning, a new stage, or a project you are starting.

No stone has a proven effect on health: if you have a health concern, see a health professional.

Its profile

Type
Blue-violet zoisite
Family
Mineral
Composition
Ca2Al3(SiO4)(Si2O7)O(OH)
Mohs hardness
6–7 out of 10
Crystal system
orthorhombique
Colors
blue, purple
Origins
Tanzania (Merelani)
Common treatments
heating (almost always)

Caring for it without damaging it

  • WaterYesA quick rinse in warm soapy water, then drying, does not damage it.
  • SaltYesMohs hardness 6–7: harder than salt (2.5), it can handle brief contact; rinse afterward.
  • SunYesNo known fading in daylight.
  • HeatNoSensitive to temperature changes.
  • Scratches and knocksFragilePerfect cleavage.

Cleansing and charging without damage
Cleansing a crystal: the reported methods
Charging a crystal: moon, flower of life

Nuances and sources

The color of tanzanite changes with the angle: blue, violet, or reddish brown (trichroism). Almost all stones are heated, which is the norm of the trade, since the rough stone is brownish. The “brow chakra” comes up often, but authors diverge on the other correspondences.

Tanzanite: your questions

Is tanzanite heated?

Almost always: heating, at about 370 to 390 °C (roughly 700 to 735 °F) according to Wikipedia, removes the brownish veil and brings out the blue-violet. It is the norm of the trade, and not a deception, if it is disclosed. An unheated tanzanite remains exceptional. Ask the seller to state the heating.

Is tanzanite fragile?

Its hardness, 6 to 7, is lower than that of quartz, and it has perfect cleavage: a knock or a fall can split it. It also dislikes sudden temperature changes and ultrasonic cleaners. A pendant or drop earrings are better than a ring worn every day.

Where does tanzanite come from?

From a single known place: the Mererani, or Merelani, hills in northern Tanzania, over an area of about seven kilometers by two (roughly 4.3 by 1.2 miles). This single deposit partly explains its rarity and price; it is also the argument Tiffany used in 1968 to rename it after the country.

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