A to Z of Tanzanite: A Glossary of Important Jewelry Terms

At Top Tanzanite, our principal focus is educating you about tanzanite, aiming to ensure you have a thorough understanding of this rare gemstone before making a purchase. To help you get started, we have a vast learning center on our website, that covers everything from its intriguing history to maintenance tips. However, some jewelry terminologies can be difficult to comprehend. So, we have compiled a list of some important terms in a glossary format:

AA/AAA/AAAA: A grading system used to gauge a gemstone’s price, quality, and other aspects. The color grades are as follows -

AA Tanzanite - Good

AAA Tanzanite - Better

AAAA Tanzanite - Best

Birthstone: A gemstone associated with a person’s birth month. December birthstone tanzanite was added to the official list in 2002 by the American Gem Trade Association (AGTA).

Cleavage: Tanzanite exhibits good cleavage, aka its tendency to split along certain planes. It allows cutters to create stunning facets that enhance their natural beauty.

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Earrings

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Dispersion: It showcases tanzanite’s exceptional ability to disperse light, creating mesmerizing flashes of color that enhance its beauty and allure.

Emerald Cut: A popular gemstone shape featuring a rectangular or square-shaped cut with trimmed corners.

Facet: A flat surface on a gemstone cut and polished to accentuate its brilliance and sparkle.

Greenbrier Tiara: A famous tanzanite headpiece commissioned by the Greenbrier Resort in West Virginia, USA.

Heat Treatment: A process that brings out the hues of clarity of gemstones. Tanzanite is heated to produce a violet-blue color.

Inclusions: Natural imperfections or characteristics such as tiny crystals, minerals, or color zoning that contribute to the gemstone's unique beauty and authenticity.

Jeweler's Loupe: A small magnifying tool jewelers use to closely examine the details and quality of gemstones and other small objects.

Karat: It refers to the purity of gold used in the setting. Tanzanite is usually set in high-karat gold, such as 18K or 14K, indicating the percentage of pure gold in the alloy.

Luster: It refers to the gemstone’s shine and reflective quality when light interacts with its surface. Tanzanite is renowned for its vitreous or glassy luster.

Mine to Market: As a "mine-to-market" manufacturer, we are involved in every stage of the gemstone's journey, from mining the rough material to creating the final product and then delivering it to customers. This helps eliminate middlemen, resulting in the best craftsmanship and quality.

Also Read: Buying Loose Tanzanite Stones - What You Should Know

Natural Tanzanite: Usually available in light green or brown hues, natural tanzanite is valued for its rarity and untouched beauty.

Orthorhombic: It refers to a crystal system with three mutually perpendicular axes of different lengths.

Pleochroism: Tanzanite has the ability to display multidimensional color, making it a pleochroic gemstone.

Queen of Kilimanjaro: One of the most iconic tanzanite jewelry pieces, it was created by renowned jewelry designer Michael Scott. It features a 242-carat beauty set in a mesmerizing tiara.

Refractive Index: It measures how much light bends when it enters the gemstone. Tanzanite has remarkable brilliance and depth due to its high refractive index of 1.69-1.70.

Saturation: An important component that determines the depth and intensity of the color of the gemstone.

Also Read: All You Need To Know About Tanzanite & Tanzanite Jewelry

Transparency: Tanzanite is typically transparent or translucent, allowing the gemstone to transmit light nearly unhindered.

Ultrasonic Cleaning: Since it uses high-frequency sound waves, it is not recommended for tanzanite due to its sensitivity and potential for damage.

Vanadium: A trace element found in tanzanite that contributes to its distinctive blue-violet coloration.

White Gold: A shiny, silver-colored gold metal used to set tanzanite jewelry.

X-Ray Fluorescence: Used to analyze the elemental composition of gemstones by measuring the fluorescent X-rays emitted when the stone is exposed to X-rays.