The sad thing about Tanzanites are the fact that they're brittle.
Tanzanite Hardness
On the Mohs Scale of Mineral Hardness, Tanzanite rates only a 6.5 - 7 on the list. In fact, Garnets, Amethyst, Topaz, Emerald and Aquamarine are more durable and scratch resistant than Tanzanites! (And Emeralds are known for being a softer stone!)
So as far as being a Gemstone that you can wear day in and day out, I would not advise it. (Special Occasions or a couple times a week is fine! Just be careful!) Unless you have your Tanzanite set low in the mounting or protected with a bezel or prongs, don't do it! A Pendant or Earrings would be a better choice for Tanzanite Jewelry!
Tanzanites are Expensive
Tanzanites really are expensive. I would be very cautious about the whole Tanzanite purchase to begin with. (Heck, Jewelers chip Tanzanites
all the time just setting the stone.) (Which also means, check your Tanzanites well for chips or breaks before you buy them, and after you get them back from repair or sizing!)
Eye-Clean
The nice thing about Tanzanites are that almost all stones sold on the market today, are "Eye-Clean". Which means, void of any eye-visible inclusions. And most Tanzanites are even eye-clean under a 10x Jeweler's Loupe as well. If you see Inclusions with the naked eye in Tanzanites, don't buy it!
Best Tanzanite Color to Buy?
Now as far as the best color to buy, there are only a few: Either Dark, Deep Blue-Violet, or Dark, Deep Blue-Violet! Yes, you read that right! Dark, Deep Blue-Violet is the ONLY true color to get for a Tanzanite Gemstone! (See Picture)
A lot of Tanzanites you see in the mall Jewelry Stores will be very pale, transparent, light-violet or light-lavender in shade... AVOID THEM! They are cheap and low quality. In other words, they're not worth the purchase. Tanzanites are only good when they're Deep, Dark Blues and Purples in color. (Some people like the lighter shades, but I'm here to say, they're low grade!)
What's the most interesting fact about Tanzanite Color? Read on...
