Tanzanite

Book excerpt: Tanzanite is one thousand times rarer than diamonds The first book ever presenting this precious stone discovered only forty years ago Upon the discovery of Tanzanite in Tanzania a specimen was entrusted to the stonecutter Manuel de Souza, who shared some samples with distinguished gemologists. While the prospector thought that he had found some sapphires, he was astonished to learn that he had unearthed something altogether extraordinary. The new gem immediately caught the eye of Tiffany & Co. Since 1968, the New York-based jeweler has pushed the stone into the spotlight. It launched a campaign that was successful enough to earn tanzanite the noble title of 'gem of the 20th century'. Tanzanite gained further renown when in 2002 the American Gem Trade Association (AGTA) named tanzanite, together with turquoise, the birthstones for December. Tanzanite's transformations have ultimately placed it alongside the most precious of precious gems. In short, tanzanite's age of glory has finally dawned. Needless to say, tanzanite's allure has attracted the attention of a list of famous designers: Lorenz Baumer (France), Ruth Grieco (Brazil), Catherine Sauvage (Germany), MVee (Hong Kong) and TTF (China). In Asia and elsewhere, tanzanite is seen as the source of happiness for the happy few. Tanzanite: Born from Lightning showcases hundreds of beautiful pieces of tanzanite jewelry, including superb creations made by Boucheron, Bulgari, Cartier, Chanel, Chaumet, Chopard, Dior, Boucheron, Louis Vuitton, Piaget, Van Cleef & Arpels, Wallace Chan and more."