The Definitive Tanzanite Buying Guide

high quality tanzanite

Tanzanite is a complicated gemstone, and investigating its qualities, especially online, maybe perplexing due to the abundance of contradictory information available depending on where you look. This guide provides a comprehensive resource for anyone seeking to understand high quality Tanzanite and to make better and more informed purchasing decisions.

Tiffany's, who held exclusive marketing rights to it for the first few years after its discovery, gave it its name. Its name is derived from Tanzania's only known source. After Blue Sapphire, it has become the most famous coloured stone on the market in the last half-decade. For such a young gemstone, this is quite an accomplishment. Tanzanite deposits are only found in a tiny area in northern Tanzania, near the wholesale gemstones trading town of Arusha, in a place called Merelani.

It is the only gem type with a limited known supply with a well-established and ever-increasing demand. Because it is well recognised that the existing Tanzanite resource could be consumed in a few decades, it has earned the moniker "One Generation Gemstone. Next, let's look at what you need to know about the high quality Tanzanite.

HOW TO DETERMINE TANZANITE QUALITY

Like Diamonds and all wholesale gemstones, Tanzanite alludes to the 4 C's of quality - COLOR, CLARITY, CARAT WEIGHT, AND CUT - which are used to assess a Tanzanite's quality.

COLOR OF TANZANITE

When buying wholesale gemstones, this is by far the most crucial and possibly the most difficult of the four Cs to determine online due to various issues, not least the dependability of photos displayed on various seller's websites. Colour saturation, in a nutshell, determines the quality of colour. Consider colour saturation to be the intensity of a colour.

The next challenge is to become familiar with the various colour grading systems available. As you conduct your study, you will come across multiple systems, ranging from the GIA system to the Tanzanite Foundation system to the IGSL system. Everyone takes a different approach.

When looking for stones online, having a good understanding of how these systems work will be really beneficial (or in a store, for that matter).

CLARITY OF TANZANITE

Tanzanite can be immaculate or have a lot of inclusions. Its clarity grade has a significant impact on its quality and value. As a result, it's critical to grasp the various terminologies used in the industry and the various inclusions that can be found in high quality Tanzanite.

CUT TANZANITE

While the actual shape of a high quality Tanzanite has minimal bearing on its value, the quality of the cut is critical. In this age of catalogue websites selling large amounts of middle grades cut in India's cutting houses, it's an area that's typically disregarded. When cutting Tanzanite’s, these cutting facilities usually employ various weight-saving procedures that can boost the finished weight of a Tanzanite by up to 30%. This means that the actual cost of a Tanzanite may be far higher than you think.

A Tanzanite cut too shallowly, on the other hand, will have an unsightly "window" look, reducing its beauty and value.

CARAT WEIGHT OF TANZANITE

This is the fourth and final of the four Cs, and it has the most negligible impact on quality. A carat is a weight measuring unit that is equal to 1/5 of a gramme (as opposed to "karat", which is a ratio used to indicate gold purity).

high quality tanzanite

In general, the larger the Tanzanite crystal in a given quality category, the rarer it is. This is because larger gemstones took longer to grow, which is impressive given that Tanzanite can take over 500 million years to produce! Within quality brackets, carat weight becomes crucial. Of course, a 3-carat outstanding, investment-grade colour with top clarity will always be far rarer and more precious than a 10 carat B grade colour with inclusions.

Face Up Dimensions vs Carat Weight

A widespread misconception is that you can determine the physical face-up appearance or size of a high quality Tanzanite (or any gemstone) solely based on carat weight.

We frequently hear from clients who have a 1 carat Diamond and want a high quality Tanzanite the same size to fit in a ring so that they will purchase a 1 carat stone. Because different gemstones have varied densities, this is not a valid assumption (known as "specific gravity" in the trade). Some wholesale geston minerals, such as Sapphire and Ruby, are incredibly dense, whereas others, such as Diamond and Aquamarine, are not. Because a carat is merely a weight measurement, it provides no information regarding the physical size of the diamond you are considering purchasing. Always utilise the dimensions to determine the size of a stone, especially the face-up dimensions. Trichroism impacts how high quality Tanzanite appears under various light sources and lighting circumstances and is responsible for the stone's well-known "red flash effect."

TANZANITE VALUE AND PRICES

The value of Tanzanite varies depending on the quality range, with the rarest grades commanding higher prices than the middle and lower grades.

Colour is the essential determinant in determining price, with darker colours commanding more excellent rates. However, clarity is also vital, and the closer a Tanzanite is to flawless, the more expensive it is. 

So, what is the value of high quality Tanzanite?

Its quality mainly determines the value of a Tanzanite. The 4C's are used to assess the quality of all wholesale gemstones. Premium rates are paid for the finest strongly saturated colours that are flawless, whereas pale stones or included (lower clarity) stones are sold for considerably less. Due to differences in quality, prices can range from less than $50 per carat to more than $800 per carat.

high quality tanzanite

Is Tanzanite Expensive Compared to Diamonds?

When buying wholesale gemstones you will understand that even though a high quality Tanzanite is rarer than Diamond, it is far less expensive. When you consider that a fine 5 carat Diamond can cost upwards of $95,000 per carat, and a magnificent 5-carat Tanzanite will cost between $780 and $1,300 (depending on where you buy), you can see the disparity. Unlike the diamond industry, the Tanzanite market is solely determined by supply and demand. The diamond market is dominated by a small number of significant firms who control the supply and, consequently the price. 

If you’re looking to buy high quality Tanzanite at the best price, Iris Gems is the perfect place for you!