Early Mined 4.85 Carat Tanzanite in Diamond and Platinum Custom Vintage Ring

This custom made platinum and diamond ring is a timeless frame for this gorgeous 4.85ct tanzanite. The beautifully cut gemstone shows blue, purple, and flashes of red. What is especially interesting is that the gem was purchased from a dealer in Kenya only a few years after tanzanite was initially discovered! The ring is in exceptional pre-owned condition, showing only the most minimal signs of wear. -4.85ct Tanzanite -0.48ct Diamonds -Platinum -ring measures approximately 11.3mm across at widest point -ring is size 7.25 -ring was custom made in the USA in the early 1970s ABOUT THE GEMSTONE Tanzanite is among the most fascinating of the modern gemstone discoveries. Tanzanite was discovered in the Merelani Hills (at the base of Mt. Kilimanjaro in northern Tanzania) in 1967, and this remains the only place in the world this unique gemstone is found. Tanzanite is a variety of the mineral zoisite, and there is lively debate in the gemstone community whether the word tanzanite should be used to describe all gem quality zoisite from Tanzania, or exclusively in reference to the blue-violet class of material. Tanzanite crystals exhibit strong pleochroism, which means that distinctly different colors are shown as you turn the stone to different angles. The finished color of the gemstone depends on how a cutter orients the original material. At Cynthia Scott Jewelry, I am strongly drawn to cut tanzanites which clearly exhibit pleochroism as the stone faces up. I eagerly seek out stones which will show blue and violet with flashes of red; in my personal opinion, these stones most clearly showcase one of the properties which makes tanzanite special. Tanzanite crystals are initially sorted based on the intensity of color saturation; this is a gem in which the deepest saturations of color are the most highly prized. Interestingly, tanzanite is one of a handful of gems which requires larger body size in order to achieve the lush and velvety saturated tones for which it is famous.