Tanzanite was discovered in 1967 in the Merelani Hills of northern Tanzania, near Mount Kilimanjaro. According to legend, a Masai tribesman stumbled upon vibrant blue crystals after a wildfire. The heat from the fire had transformed the originally brownish zoisite crystals into the stunning blue-violet gem we know today.
Unlike diamonds, sapphires, or rubies found in multiple locations worldwide, tanzanite comes from only one small mining area in Tanzania. Geologists estimate that the deposits may be depleted within the next few decades, making tanzanite even more valuable over time.
