Tanzanite is a blue to violet gem variety of the mineral zoisite and discovered in 1967. It has become a popular gemstone and is used extensively in jewelry and also an investment gem. Tanzanite is found in the Merelani Hills of Northern Tanzania, near the city of Arusha and Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania and it is the only source in the world. It was named after its country of origin. The main appeal of tanzanite is its lovely color. Its color ranges from pure blue to purplish-blue. It is highly pleochroic and will display different color saturation when viewed at different angles.

• Tanzanite is a relatively soft gemstone and care must be taken to protect it from being scratched.
• It also has a low resistance to ultrasound and should not be cleaned with ultrasonic cleaners as this may cause the gemstone to crack and it does have several limitations in its durability.