tanzanite

According to the legend, the picturesque landscape in the shadows of Mount Kilimanjaro was set afire by lightning. Dull brown crystals were magically transformed into striking bright shards of blue violet gems and were discovered by Masai tribesmen walking through the smoke and ashes. Ever since, the Masai of Tanzania have believed these mystical stones will enrich their lives abundantly. When a new baby is born within a village, they will be gifted a blue Shuka (blanket), to represent new beginnings and a fortunate life.

Ali Juyawatu was the Masai tribesman who first discovered this unusually beautiful gemstone whilst grazing his cattle. His curiosity of his find was the beginning of Tanzanite. Manuel d’Souza was an Indian tailor, who travelled the world prospecting for gold and gemstones. Juyawatu first took his gem find to d’Souza, who was then responsible for transforming this small discovery into an international success.

At Blue Zebra we will always provide authentication certificates to accompany your stone, confirming the colour, clarity, weight, shape and value of the stone. The Tanzanite Quality Scale is an internationally recognised system to describe a stone’s properties. Using the four C’s: colour, clarity, cut and carat weight, you can rest assured that your Tanzanite gemstone has been graded professionally. The higher the combination of these properties, the more valuable the gemstone.

At Blue Zebra we have an exceptional collection of Tanzanite gemstones and jewellery, sourced directly from the mines. Each piece of our Tanzanite has its own personal story, from mine to market. We go as far back as the miner who discovered your stone, to cutting, polishing and its journey to sale.

It’s extremely rare to find companies who work closely with local miners, but here at Blue Zebra we are dedicated to recognising their stories, their efforts and their skill. Local miners contribute over 80% of the world’s Tanzanite production and deserve to not be forgotten along the way.