Tabs
Registered Shopper
I have had some paler Tanzy, from Gems and from TJC. I think the trend is more that "Cadburys Tanzy" demands more money and businesses want to get as much as they can.
info about tanzanite??
- Thread starter gourangaoo
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M
Meeshoo
Guest Shopper
The best way to explain Tanzanite is to show you the cheaper end, a middle end (and this is what most people get and tend to call Cadburys) and then high end. This is just my opinion however and others may disagree.
First up, here's the lighter end of the scale which is the cheapest of tanzanite. This is what you'd call A grade. You'll see that the colour is very pale. Still attractive but you wouldn't want to be paying big bucks for this! I think this ring was around £70-80 a few years ago.
And another - high carat weight but not great Tanzanites:
This one is a little better but would be in the AA range and not above in my opinion.
Ok - so moving on to the mid range. This is what is in the majority of rings from jewellery channels. People calls this the Cadburys colour and it will often has quite a bit of purple as well as blue. This has good colour saturation but the depth is lacking. This isn't vivid but it's nice. This is probably better than an AA but only just inching into the AAA category (going by the Anchorcert gradings).
Not a great picture but here's another that's in the same category:
So now here are some fine examples of exceptionally good quality Tanzanite. Can you see how deep the colour is? Verging more on the blue end?
Dreadful photo as this was taken through the top of a gems box so it's taken through plastic but you get the idea!
A great great great Tanzanite is like looking at a piece of rich royal blue velvet (with a hint of purple). The only thing you have to watch is that sometimes Tanzanite gets too dark. If that's the case then it's not as valued as one that's vibrant. If you're buying a high end piece, make sure you see the ring (if it's a ring) on the hand and off the hand. Occasionally when you see a presenter put on a ring you'll see it goes black. You don't want that!
Hope that helps!
First up, here's the lighter end of the scale which is the cheapest of tanzanite. This is what you'd call A grade. You'll see that the colour is very pale. Still attractive but you wouldn't want to be paying big bucks for this! I think this ring was around £70-80 a few years ago.
And another - high carat weight but not great Tanzanites:
This one is a little better but would be in the AA range and not above in my opinion.
Ok - so moving on to the mid range. This is what is in the majority of rings from jewellery channels. People calls this the Cadburys colour and it will often has quite a bit of purple as well as blue. This has good colour saturation but the depth is lacking. This isn't vivid but it's nice. This is probably better than an AA but only just inching into the AAA category (going by the Anchorcert gradings).
Not a great picture but here's another that's in the same category:
So now here are some fine examples of exceptionally good quality Tanzanite. Can you see how deep the colour is? Verging more on the blue end?
Dreadful photo as this was taken through the top of a gems box so it's taken through plastic but you get the idea!
A great great great Tanzanite is like looking at a piece of rich royal blue velvet (with a hint of purple). The only thing you have to watch is that sometimes Tanzanite gets too dark. If that's the case then it's not as valued as one that's vibrant. If you're buying a high end piece, make sure you see the ring (if it's a ring) on the hand and off the hand. Occasionally when you see a presenter put on a ring you'll see it goes black. You don't want that!
Hope that helps!
Last edited:
NikkiS
Tanzanite Flasher!
Mine look like the 'just into AAA' ones - I adore them. I suppose I will know exactly what A they are when I get them valued!
N xxx
N xxx
NikkiS
Tanzanite Flasher!
With that very very deep blue do you still get the pink and purple flashes? That's what I love about mine.
Tabs
Registered Shopper
The last 3 are stunnning gorgeous Meesh, truly fab stones, but..i still think there is something attractive about the pale lilac, altho i know its not the same quality as your beauties 
M
Meeshoo
Guest Shopper
You probably won't. It depends who does the valuation. Be careful with the A grades as they mean different things to different people. As I posted the Anchorcert grades before I've used those above. I haven't used the A system that jewellery channels use. However, the Anchorcert grading system is not universally recognised. If you get a piece valued by Safeguard for example, they will say if it's a good piece or not but they won't necessarily grade the piece for you. To properly grade you need to have reference stones (like you do with diamonds).
Tanzanite is pleochroic so you always see blue/purple/pink but to varying degrees. The top quality Tanzanite will have the most wonder pleochroism because all of the colours will be rich, deep and vivid.
M
Meeshoo
Guest Shopper
The last 3 are stunnning gorgeous Meesh, truly fab stones, but..i still think there is something attractive about the pale lilac, altho i know its not the same quality as your beauties
I agree Tabs and I like the paler colours in some designs as well - but I would only pay tiny bucks for them! I like all Tanzanite although my preference is for the high end (why aren't you surprised!)
NikkiS
Tanzanite Flasher!
I love all my tanzanite too tabs - my lilac for different reasons to my darker!
Tabs
Registered Shopper
I agree Tabs and I like the paler colours in some designs as well - but I would only pay tiny bucks for them! I like all Tanzanite although my preference is for the high end (why aren't you surprised!)
Never suprised and i can't blame you either:nod:I know my paler Tanzies were all under £40-£50 so i don't think i have any worries about being over charged
