• Learn
    • About Us
    • Meet the Staff
    • Events
    • The Wisdom Pocket Blog
    • Video Resources
    • Collection Consulting
    • Mineral Photography
    • Publications
    • Recommended Resources
    • Dallas Symposium
  • Shop
    • Browse
    • Search Minerals
    • New Galleries
    • Themed Galleries
    • The Vault
    • Thumbnail Corner
    • Lucite Bases
    • Order Mineral Specimens
    • SALE
  • SALE
  • Auctions
  • Connect
    • Contact Us
    • x
  • Login
  • Advanced Search
Advanced Search
Login

Remarkable Tanzanite Crystals

TANZANITE is the varietal of the normally ugly mineral Zoisite, that for peculiar reasons of mineralogy that are simply not well understood, occurs as gorgeous multicolored gem crystals at only this one-location in the world. Tanzanite was discovered in 1967 and named by Tiffany & Co. after Tanzania, the country in which it was discovered. In 2002, the American Gem Trade Association chose Tanzanite as a December birthstone, the first change to their birthstone list since 1912 (Wikipedia). Although the mine has been operating under various methods since the 1970s, specimens have come only sporadically in surges, depending on the methods of mining and the ownership of certain parcels of the mine property at the time. At some points in recent history, the government of Tanzania has tried to exercise price control over the value of the rough or of the finished stones. In these times, specimens came out few and far between. At other times, and under the current situation where a professional company (TanzaniteOne) controls a large section of the now quite deep mining, enlightened decisions are being made to preserve some crystals that otherwise would be carved or cut. This is actually a rare time in the mine's history, in this regard, and is responsible for a substantial number of fine crystals that have come to market in the last few years - a trend that either politics or geology could curtail at any time. As well, if the specimen economy is not quick to respond, such things are still cut and carved as they always have been, and lost forever. We are proud to have assembled this suite of specimens to offer, encompassing some of the fine and colorful variety that has come out of the mine in recent years.

 

Note that many tanzanite crystals are heated to intensify the blue color before cutting, but we have been careful to select only crystals that show a natural color spectrum (blue and purple on the side axes, and then a flash of red or violet or brown on the C axis). 

Tanzanite cluster
TANZ01
Tanzanite cluster
Merelani Mines, Arusha, Tanzania
Cabinet
10.5 x 3.5 x 2.0 cm
Request Price
Order Now
Details
Tanzanite
TANZ07
Tanzanite
Block D, Merelani Mines, Arusha, Tanzania
Miniature
3.9 x 2.7 x 1.5 cm
Request Price
Order Now
Details
Tanzanite
TANZ09
Tanzanite
Merelani Mines, Arusha, Tanzania
Thumbnail
1.4 x 1.0 x 0.7 cm; 45.9 carats
$8,500.00
Order Now
Details
Tanzanite on Prehnite and Graphite
TANZ02
Tanzanite on Prehnite and Graphite
Merelani Mines, Arusha, Tanzania
Small Cabinet
6.8 x 5.2 x 3.4 cm
SOLD
Details
Tanzanite
TANZ03
Tanzanite
Merelani Mines, Arusha, Tanzania
Small Cabinet
10.0 x 5.0 x 4.7 cm
SOLD
Details
Tanzanite with Calcite
TANZ04
Tanzanite with Calcite
Merelani Mines, Arusha, Tanzania
Small Cabinet
6.0 x 3.2 x 2.7 cm
SOLD
Details
Tanzanite
TANZ06
Tanzanite
Merelani Mines, Arusha, Tanzania
Small Cabinet
6.7 x 3.6 x 3.5 cm
SOLD
Details
Tanzanite
TANZ08
Tanzanite
Merelani Mines, Arusha, Tanzania
Small Cabinet
6.6 x 3.5 x 3.0 cm
SOLD
Details
Stay Connected
Arkenstone Fine Minerals
               
Follow @arkenstone_minerals
iRocks Minerals
               
Follow @irocks_minerals
Mineralauctions.com
               
Follow @mineralauctions
The Wisdom Pocket Blog

May 23, 2023

Enhancements Coming Soon to MineralAuctions.com!

We're rolling out some updates to MineralAuctions.com to better meet the needs of our customers, effective June 13, 2023!

Read More

May 1, 2023

Rock Roundup: April 2023 Edition

Welcome to the monthly rock round up where we recap some of our favorite and interesting specimens that we've uploaded this month. In case you missed it, here's a quick rundown on some of what we think you should check out!

Read More

Apr 26, 2023

Peruvian Treasures

Between the recent Peruvian finds of saturated chrysocolla, deep green fluorite, and mirror-like pyrites, this region of the world is definitely experiencing a resurgence in interest from mineral collectors. We blended a combination crystals from newer finds and old classics (think old Peruvian rhodochrosites from the Jack Halpern collection, plus new chrysocolla specimens from Tentadora) to showcase a range of beautiful material from an assortment of Peruvian localities.

Read More

Apr 20, 2023

Rice Museum of Rocks and Minerals Benefit Auction #2 Recap

The Arkenstone and MineralAuctions.com were honored to assist the Rice Museum of Rocks & Minerals (Portland, Oregon) in a second deaccession benefit auction, following our successful partnership hosting the 2022 Rice Museum Benefit Auction. The online auction concluded on April 8, 2023 and featured sixty lots of mineral specimens, gemstones, rare lapidary material, and objet d'art formerly in the Rice Family Collection.

Read More

Apr 1, 2023

The Search for the Perfect Stone

This year at in Tucson, The Arkenstone and Dr. Rob Lavinsky were featured in an interview by Rachel Monroe of The New Yorker titled, "The Search for the Perfect Stone."

Read More

Mar 17, 2023

The Arkenstone Heads West!

Our Spring West Coast Road Show is coming up fast, and we've enjoyed our annual San Fran trips over the last decade. This year, we're adding LA to our list, too. We hope to see you for minerals and light bites.  Please make sure to let us know if you're looking for anything specific, so we can pack with you in mind! This is also a great opportunity for us to hand-deliver specimens to clients who might be interested in delicate species that might be concerning to ship, as well. 

Read More

Feb 23, 2023

Rare Earth: Crystalline Treasures

Rare Earth: Crystalline Treasures, ran through September 5th, 2022 at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History and featured more than 200 spectacular mineral specimens from around the world. Many of these were on loan from the renowned collector and mineral dealer, Dr. Rob Lavinsky. The exhibit was uniquely interwoven with various themes and stories that make inspirational connections between architectural design & earth materials, art+science+culture, carvings and illustrations, striking color, fanciful formations, and a few cases at the end that took a deeper dive into crystal form.

Read More

Jan 12, 2023

Collector Profile: Dr. Erika Pohl-Stroher

Dr. Erika Pohl-Ströher collected the minerals in her collection over a period of more than 60 years. The specimens are arranged according to geographical regions. Considering that Dr. Pohl-Ströher had no intention of exhibiting her mineral collection and therefore did not make a conscious effort to ensure that she obtained specimens from all over the world, she has succeeded remarkably well in setting up an extensive, comprehensive and magnificent collection that includes minerals from every continent.

Read More

Dec 16, 2022

Collector interview: Alex Schauss

In this interview by Tomasz Praszkier, Alex Schauss shares some of his family history, and talks about his career researching nutrition and botanical medicine, and how these disciplines relate to his passion for mineralogy.

Read More

Sep 27, 2022

Competing with Thumbnails: Little Crystals, Big Impact

What even is a mineral competition? How do you determine a winner? What makes a mineral ‘competition worthy’? David Tibbits shares his perspective on competitive displays, specifically regarding thumbnail specimens.

Read More
Don't miss out on your next treasure.

Join our mailing list to get the best updates from across the entire family of Arkenstone sites!

LEARN
  • About Us
  • Meet the Staff
  • Events
  • Wisdom Pocket Blog
  • Collection Consulting
  • Dallas Symposium
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
SHOP
  • Browse
  • New Galleries
  • Themed Galleries
  • The Vault
  • Custom Bases
  • Cases
  • Ordering Information
  • SALE
CONTACT US
  • PO Box 830460
    Richardson, TX - 75083
  • (972) 437-2492
  • info@iRocks.com
AGTA
COPYRIGHT NOTICE - Please note that any images, photos, or text (unless otherwise stated) are property of The Arkenstone, iRocks.com, and cannot be used without our permission. Having said that, we're quite happy to work with media, educators, and other organizations to provide images. Please e-mail us at info@iRocks.com with a link where you found the image you wish to use and your intended purpose for the image.