TheManWithNoName
Registered Shopper
- Joined
- Feb 16, 2023
- Messages
- 2,168
Gemporia were flogging a Ruby Zoisite pendant - and a viewer messaged in asking "What is Zoisite?".
Toby responds with, and I quote, "We can only refer to Tanzanite when it's, actually, potentially, been heated. It's the heat treatment that makes Tanzanite go blue. So now your question is going to be, so what about natural Tanzanite? Well, that is still Zoisite in form, OK, it's just had a few elements to it, that gives you that colour, hence we can't call it Zoisite. So what we're looking at here is a natural form of Tanzanite Joanna".
So, based on that logic, this should not be called 'Natural Tanzanite' then?
https://www.gemporia.com/en-gb/prod...ite-zircon-in-sterling-silver-8.29cts/icvj87/
Well, we know it shouldn't anyway because the GIA clearly states that Tanzanite is a blue variety of Zoisite from Tanzania. Any other colour should be referred to as Zoisite.
So, why don't they call it what it is - Zoisite?
Someone cynical might say its because, as the question proves, some people do not know what Zoisite is - but people know the name Tanzanite because its been hyped up over the years - and they can therefore charge more for Tanzanite because people have been told how "rare" and "valuable" it is. People don't link Zoisite to that perceived "rarity" or "value".
Gemporia also have a habit of calling Thulite 'Pink Tanzanite' too - even though it isn't!
Toby responds with, and I quote, "We can only refer to Tanzanite when it's, actually, potentially, been heated. It's the heat treatment that makes Tanzanite go blue. So now your question is going to be, so what about natural Tanzanite? Well, that is still Zoisite in form, OK, it's just had a few elements to it, that gives you that colour, hence we can't call it Zoisite. So what we're looking at here is a natural form of Tanzanite Joanna".
So, based on that logic, this should not be called 'Natural Tanzanite' then?
https://www.gemporia.com/en-gb/prod...ite-zircon-in-sterling-silver-8.29cts/icvj87/
Well, we know it shouldn't anyway because the GIA clearly states that Tanzanite is a blue variety of Zoisite from Tanzania. Any other colour should be referred to as Zoisite.
So, why don't they call it what it is - Zoisite?
Someone cynical might say its because, as the question proves, some people do not know what Zoisite is - but people know the name Tanzanite because its been hyped up over the years - and they can therefore charge more for Tanzanite because people have been told how "rare" and "valuable" it is. People don't link Zoisite to that perceived "rarity" or "value".
Gemporia also have a habit of calling Thulite 'Pink Tanzanite' too - even though it isn't!
