Tag: gems

The Tanzanite Experience

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An ancient story from Tanzania, tells a story of how the local Maasai saw a bolt of lightening come down from the sky and strike all of the rocks on the ground turning them to a shimmering blue.

Tanzanite.

As a jewelry enthusiast, diamonds, emeralds, sapphires and rubies were the extent of my gemstone knowledge.  I had heard of Tanzanite, but I’ve never owned any.  Come to think of it, where it originated had never even crossed my mind.

Where does it come from, you ask?  Well, if you’ve ever heard of Mount Kilimanjaro, then you know where it comes from!

Museums were not on my agenda for our visit to Arusha.  We knew that we wanted to see the town and visit the market, but when someone mentioned going to the Tanzanite museum, we decided, “Why not?”.

Located near the iconic clock tower in the center of town, the museum lies a couple of blocks away on India street.

Ascending three floors in the Blue Plaza, we patiently waited while the security guard stood at attention until we were buzzed into two sets of secure doorways.  Greeted enthusiastically by our guide Akiyo, we were offered light refreshments before beginning our tour.

Beginning with a brief introduction on where Tanzanite is found in one small area in the Mererani Hills in Northern Tanzania, at the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro, Akiyo then went on to explain how Tanzanite could once be collected on the surface.  Eventually, this scavenger mining gave way to pits and tunnels extending far beneath the earth’s surface.

Leading us into the Tanzanite Experience’s own “mine” in the museum, we were versed on the strict mining practices which are followed at their own mine located in Block D.

Exiting the “mine”, we were then instructed on the extensive education required to learn the procedures for proper cutting of Tanzanite.  Years of training prepares the gem cutter to cut the Tanzanite to the point that it can be certified as an “excellent cut” where the stone reflects light to create maximum brilliance.  This process of cutting plays a crucial role in displaying the true colors of the Tanzanite and its ability to show either blue or violet from different angles.  Though much of the raw Tanzanite mined is exported to Kenya, India and China for processing, the government is working to change this and keep processing in Tanzania.

Finally, we were shown different types of stones and the grading process was explained.  The Tanzanite Experience Museum is also home to the Tanzanite Laboratory where all the gemstones are expertly assessed before being made available for purchase.

After the tour, we were invited to browse the beautiful stones and stunning jewelry available for purchase.  Though no pressure was placed on us to purchase any pieces, we were encouraged to take our time and inspect any piece we thought worthy.

Thanking the staff for the amazing and informative tour, we made our way through the security doors and down the stairs to the street.  The Tanzanite Experience Museum was a surprising find!  It was exciting to learn something new, see this beautiful gemstone and understand its place in the world and its impact on the Tanzanian economy.

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Tanzanite Experience Museum