WHAT TO LOOK FOR - THE FIVE C's

COLOUR: Tanzanite comes in a range of colours: pure blues, dark violet blues, bluish purple and pastel tones. Rich, deep hues are usually seen only in stones weighing over five carats.

Choose between stones where the colour is described as “ violetish Blue” ( vB) or “blueish Violet” (bV). The capital letter indicates the dominance of either the blue or violet hue in the stone.

CUT: As a rule of thumb when purchasing any gemstone, it's imperative that the stone is well cut. A well cut stone will radiate with brilliance in most lighting conditions. Stay away from dull, lifeless gems and look for well proportioned, symmetrically faceted stones that are pleasing to the eye. Remember... if the stone is beautiful to you, it will be beautiful to others also.

Cut also refers to the shape, facets and proportions of a Tanzanite gemstone. A 'fine cut' ensures that the stone's facets reflect light to create maximum brilliance.

CARAT: Carat is the term used to measure Tanzanite's weight. One carat has 100 points and weighs 1/5 of a gram. Two seemingly identical Tanzanites will have different carat weights if they vary in depth.

CLARITY: Clarity refers to any natural flaws or inclusions in a Tanzanite. Stones can range from 'Internally Flawless' to 'Heavily Included'.

CONFIDENCE: When purchasing Tanzanite, you want to be Confident that your tanzanite has followed an ethical route to market and is genuine. To be certain of this, always look for the Tanzanite Foundation's Mark of RarityTM.