130 cts tanzanite...

Friday 27 February 2009

Large tanzanites are not frequent but they do exist. Rough zoisite is generally quite clean, certainly much cleaner than other East African gems such as tsavorites or spinels. If not blasted to pieces during the mining process, large zoisites do come out.
This 130 carat tanzanite was cut last year. Not surprisingly, the color is very nice. Tanzanite usually needs depth in order to be saturated. It could have turned out too dark, but didn't.

Photo credit to Patrick Voillot expedition.

- Tanzanite - July 7, 1967: Tanzanite: something new out of Africa...
- A few words on Tanzanite
- Tanzanite: Its discovery and early days - By John Saul - ICA's InColor Magazine. Summer 2007