Tanzanite

The incredible range of blues and violets of tanzanite are on display in this jersey. This is a relatively newly discovered mineral, so there are no legends associated with it. Tanzanite will forever enjoy, however, the historical benefit of having been named by Tiffany & Co.  

Tanzanite is the blue/violet variety of the mineral zoisite (a calcium aluminium hydroxyl Sorosilicate) belonging to the epidote group. It was discovered in the Mererani Hills of Manyara Region in Northern Tanzania in 1967, near the city of Arusha and Mount Kilimanjaro. Tanzanite is used as a gemstone, and naturally formed tanzanite is extremely rare, still found only in the Mererani Hills. 

Tanzanite is noted for its remarkably strong trichroism, appearing alternately sapphire blue, violet and burgundy depending on crystal orientation. Tanzanite can also appear differently when viewed under alternate lighting conditions. The blues appear more evident when subjected to fluorescent light and the violet hues can be seen readily when viewed under incandescent illumination. Tanzanite is usually a reddish brown in its rough state, requiring artificial heat treatment to bring out the blue violet of the stone. 

The mineral was named by Tiffany & Co. after Tanzania, the country in which it was discovered. In 2002, the American Gem Trade Association chose Tanzanite as a December birthstone, the first change to their birthstone list since 1912. 

(Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanzanite; see also:  http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)

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