How do you know if tanzanite is real?

Tanzanite is a gemstone popular among lovers of luxury jewelry. He is known to many thanks to episodes from the film “Titanic” and the collections of the famous jewelry house “Tiffany”. The mineral is considered very rare, since there is only one deposit of it in the world – the Merelani plateau. According to gemologists, it is unlikely that new deposits of the gem will ever be discovered on the planet.

Due to the rarity of tanzanite, the price of jewelry with it is quite high. The final cost of jewelry with stones is influenced by many factors: the shade of the stone, its saturation, cut, degree of transparency, type of frame.

For this reason, the jewel is sometimes counterfeitto earn large sums from sales. If when buying tanzanite you do not want to lose money and get a synthetic material, then this article is for you.

What can be passed off as tanzanite?

Such jewelry is always in great demand, as not only jewelry lovers, but also collectors dream of obtaining them. That is why unscrupulous sellers pass off other minerals as genuine specimens.

Experts say that the price of tanzanite will rise in the coming years. They also believe that the stone reserves in the deposit will last only 20 years.

Analogs can be:

1. Sapphires. These stones are often confused with tanzanite due to their deep blue color. Of course, sapphires can hardly be called fake, since they are also considered precious and have a high cost. Despite this, they are found in nature much more often.
2. Semi-precious gems of blue color. These include iolites, quartz, topazes, tourmalines, zircons. Such minerals are considered natural, but their cost is much lower.
3. Glass. Such material is often passed off as precious and semi-precious rocks. Externally, it is difficult to distinguish it from a natural mineral if you do not know some tricks.
4. Sitall. This material is a synthetic analogue of real stone. It repeats the properties of a genuine specimen: shimmer, hardness, pleochroism effect. Sitall is not considered a fake, but when selling, the manufacturer is required to indicate its origin.

How to identify a genuine stone

If you find yourself in a jewelry store and doubt the authenticity of a mineral, we recommend that you remember a few tips. They will help you decide whether it is worth buying jewelry or whether it is better to abandon the new thing.

If you do not want to encounter scammers, then the most reliable solution would be to buy an accessory from a trusted jewelry store with a good reputation.

You can distinguish a real gem from an analogue as follows: ways:

1. Examine the product from different angles. At different angles, its color should change from blue to purple.
2. Pay attention to color saturation. Specimens that are too bright will most likely turn out to be a fake.
3. Look at the surface of the stone. Visually it should appear velvety.
4. Ask the seller if he has a certificate from a gemological laboratory. If the jewelry does not come with any documents, then it is not worth buying.

If you already have jewelry with a precious mineral, but you want to check it just in case, then you can use the following methods:

1. Place the product under ultraviolet light; synthetics will glow unnaturally.
2. Place the accessory in a glass of water. After time, a real mineral will lighten slightly at the edges, and the glass will retain its saturation.

The tips listed will help you avoid being scammed and buy real tanzanite. If you wish, you can purchase glass ceramic, it will be much cheaper, but its properties are no worse than a natural specimen. But be prepared for the fact that the synthetic analogue does not have magical and healing properties.

Tanzanite is transparent. And because of its fragility and softness, not all masters undertake cutting. But those who manage to “harness” the mineral create amazing products of incredible beauty.

The chemical formula of the gem is Ca2Al3(SiO4)(Si2O7)O(OH), that is, in essence it is just aluminum and calcium silicate. The physical properties of the stone are as follows:

• hardness on the Mohs scale – 6,5-7 units;
• density – 3,35 g/cm3;
• fracture – uneven;
• luster – glassy.

The stone has many amazing qualities. The most interesting of them is considered pleochroism — the ability to change shades depending on the viewing angle. This means that if you look at tanzanite from different angles, the colors will appear different.

Some samples boast alexandrite effect. In daylight they appear blue, but indoors they change color to purple. There are also specimens with cat eye effect, inside of which you can see a luminous strip.

When cutting tanzanite, many jewelers try to enhance the blue color. For example, if a mineral does not naturally have a deep sapphire hue, it heat up to 500 degrees. Under the influence of high temperatures, the stone loses all other shades, and the blue becomes very rich and bright. The physical properties of the mineral do not suffer from this.

Types of tanzanite: what it is and what it looks like

Scientists have learned to fake many gems – in laboratory conditions, you can grow the perfect crystal of any shade. Tanzanite is no exception.

The main difference between natural tanzanite and synthetics is cost.

A fake will cost much less, although it looks very similar to natural stone. Unfortunately, it does not have any magical or healing properties, but if you only care about the beauty of the stone

I, you can completely choose a synthetic mineral.

Conscientious sellers always put a mark on jewelry that uses artificial stone. But this will not protect you from mosh

traders trying to sell a fake at a higher price.

You can distinguish a natural stone from tanzanite sital by the following characteristics:

1. Pleochroism. Twist the stone in your hands and look at it from different sides. Natural tanzanite plays with shades and changes color depending on the lighting. Some fakes glow under ultraviolet light (if, of course, such verification is possible), which a real stone should not have.
2. Color. Original gems always look natural. If the shade is too bright, don’t buy from this place.
3. Immersion in liquid – if you lower the mineral into water, it will lighten a little around the edges (temporarily). Artificial stones do not change color.

Of course, sellers will not allow you to dip the crystal in water or test it on a portable ultraviolet unit, but you can always examine it from all angles. If you doubt its naturalness, ask for documentation or simply contact another store.

Fraudsters have another way to deceive buyers – using glass. They cover an ordinary piece of glass with a layer of natural stone and pass it off as real tanzanite. It is impossible to detect such a fake by eye, so buy products only from well-known jewelry houses.

The magical properties of tanzanite stone

Astrologers have not come to a consensus on this matter. Some of them believe that the mineral protects the element of Fire – that is Aries, Sagittarius and Leo. Hot-tempered and very energetic fire signs need peace of mind, which an amulet with tanzanite can give. The gem will share its wisdom with them and teach them to make the right decisions.

Others are of the opinion that the favorites of the stone are the Air signs – Gemini, Libra, Aquarius. But the mineral acts on them in a completely different way, helping them make a choice. Creative and multifaceted air signs often cannot find their way, which prevents them from achieving success. For them, an amulet with tanzanite will become a navigator through life, which will lead to the desired result much faster and easier.

The stone has an interesting meaning in the life of Water signs. Pisces, Cancer and Scorpio They perceive too painfully all the quarrels that happen around them. Tanzanite will give them complete peace of mind and relieve them of mental anguish, which will definitely lead to positive changes in their lives.

For example, the ring made of combined gold, decorated with a scattering of diamonds and tanzanite, will cost 50 thousand rubles, and stud earrings with tanzanite costs approximately 35 thousand rubles. Price bracelet from combined gold with tanzanite and diamond inserts reaches almost 95 thousand.

You can browse through the list of jewelry and choose the best one for your collection.

Tanzanite is a very young and beautiful mineral that everyone will appreciate. This deep blue gemstone fascinates with its play of colors and transparency. But this amazing gem will not only be an exquisite decoration – its strong magical properties will definitely change your life for the better!