December’s birthstone is tanzanite jewellery. December is a month associated with ice and snow, so it’s only fitting that the birthstone representing it is a blue type of the mineral zoisite.
Where it comes from
The gem gets its name for its geographical origins, as it can only be found in one place in the world – Tanzania, in an area of only a few square miles near Mount Kilimanjaro. Some lucky herders that were tending livestock apparently first discovered it.
History of tanzanite
The blue variety of this stone wasn’t discovered until 1967, thanks to small amounts of the chemical element vanadium being affected by extreme heat. Although blue when looked at directly, it can actually present different colours when looked at from different angles.
Of note is that the name of the stone was actually given by Tiffany & Co., which popularized the stone by marketing it beginning in 1968 – the company wanted a catchier name than its scientific label of blue-violet zoisite.
Tanzanite is rare
Because of the limited geographical area that this stone can be found in, some experts believe the supply of the gem may be depleted in as soon as 30 years. That should be reason enough to want to get your hands on one of these beautiful stones, especially if you’re lucky enough to have it as a birthstone.
Visit TSC.ca’s Birthstone Boutique to shop our full assortment of tanzanite jewellery.