Tanzanite or Diamond: Which Gemstone is Rarer

In the short span that the world has known it, Tanzanite has managed to steal everyone’s hearts. As much as we like to credit its exotic beauty & visually-striking violet-blue hue for it, the role of its relative rarity also can’t be ignored. It is hard to come across a gemstone of the likes of Tanzanite that is so rare to find.

In fact, (besides its one of a kind beauty), the rarity of Tanzanite has fostered its comparisions with Diamond- the stone that we’re in love with for as long as we can remember. The most common question that arises when we speak of the two gemstones together is- Is Tanzanite rarer than Diamonds?

While this battle is completely one-sided, the discussion (& the end of confusion once & for all) is totally worth a read. So without any further ado, let’s begin!

The History of Tanzanite’s Discovery

Back in 1967, the world was acquainted with one of the rarest treasures of the gemstone industry- Tanzanite. While tending livestock in the Merelani Hills of Tanzania, this visually-striking violet-blue gemstone caught the eye of Masaai Herders at the very first glance. They were quick to inform their prospector, Manuel D’Souza who (justifiably) confused it for a Blue Sapphire. He even registered claims for mining right after. But in no time, the world saw Tanzanite for what it really was- an exotic variety of the Zoisite mineral. Soon after, it began to be addressed as Tanzanite in honor to its origin.

The locals had an interesting take on its discovery. As per their belief, Tanzanite was brought to the surface by a fire caused by a lightning bolt in the foothills of the Mount Kilimanjaro.

But do you know how its formation actually took place? Spoiler Alert: The conditions that led to its formation are considered rare to an extent that the possibility of the re-creation of another batch of Tanzanite is as small as one in a million (but more on its rarity later!). Intrigued to dive deeper into its formation? We’ve put together a blog that covers it all right here- Exploring the Formation of Tanzanite: A Geological Marvel.

Tanzanite: The Rare Gemstone of the Generation

Besides its exotic violet-blue hue, Tanzanite is hailed for its rarity. The following facts serve as living proofs of that:

• For starters, it is mined in only one place in the world, i.e., Tanzania. But consider that as only the beginning of the tales of its rarity. Besides that, the area where Tanzanite is mined, which is in the foothills of the Mount Kilimanjaro, is only 7 kilometers wide & two kilometers long.

• Most importantly, as per Geologists, Tanzanite (though discovered recently) was formed about 585 million years ago, back when Mount Kilimanjaro itself was born. Thus, it is next to impossible for the conditions that led to the formation of this one-of-a-kind gemstone to be re-created.

• Last but not the least, people have even rewarded Tanzanite with the title of the ‘Gemstone of a Generation’ because it is predicted to be depleted within the next 25 years. So, more or less, this is the last generation that is blessed enough to get their hands on this beauty in blue.

Moving on, if you ask us ‘Is Tanzanite the rarest gem out there?’ We’d tell you- we don’t know about that but it certainly is one of the most rare gemstones in the world. So does that make it rarer than the finest gemstone to have ever existed- Diamond? Let’s find out:

Battle of the Rarer Gemstone: Diamond vs Tanzanite

Tanzanite’s undeniable beauty & appeal has rewarded it with the prestige of being compared to Diamond. While we can all mutually agree that Diamond is, hands down, the greatest stone of all times, which naturally also makes it the most mined gemstone. It stays uncompromising when it comes to beauty, sparkle, & durability. But does that also make it rarer than Tanzanite? The answer is a straight no.

Tanzanite is far more rare than Diamond. A thousand times, if you speak of the exact stats. And since Tanzanite takes the bigger piece of the cake when we speak of rarity, it is not far behind in desirability as compared to the world favorite precious gemstones.

But is that enough to make Tanzanite more valuable than Diamond? In financial terms, no. Diamond is still the most pricey gemstone out there. But on the other hand, Tanzanites are a rare treasure. It would be near impossible to come across them in the next two decades. So if you look at it from that point of view, you might end up valuing them more.

Parting Note

Tanzanite is one of the very few newly discovered gemstones that has surprised everyone with its sudden rise to fame. And we’re not speaking of any ordinary fame since today, people are comparing it to the world’s greatest gemstone- Diamond. The most common comparison and in turn, confusion that people have is if Tanzanite beats Diamond when it comes to rarity.

In order to arrive at the answer & end the dilemma once and for all, we’ve discussed everything you need to know on the topic in rather detailing. We’re certain that you’ll have a lot to take away from this discussion. Stay tuned for more of such blogs.