Qualities of Tanzanite

The Four Qualities of Tanzanite

There are four grades or qualities of tanzanite: AAA, A, B and C. All of the tanzanite available on Tanzanite.com is priced for the highest quality, which is "AAA" quality stones. This is the finest quality readily available in the retail market.

We've provided a clarification of the four qualities of tanzanite. The above color chart illustrates the different colors for each grade. Please note that AAA quality also has a flash of red in it that is not apparent in the photo.

"AAA" Quality is the highest grade of quality. It holds a deep concentration of all three hues of colors. You will see a strong intense mixture of blue and violet hues with a slight reddish tone. This is a visible mixture of colors not comparable to any gem in the world. This quality is very rare and limited. These qualities are mostly found in one area of the mine in Africa, block D. Most retail stores never get their hands on this quality.

"A" Quality is considered the fine grade of the jewelry industry. It is available but still limited. It is deep and rich in color and is the highest grade of quality that you'll normally see in a retail store. This quality is the next best quality after "AAA" quality. The color concentration is slightly lighter than "AAA", but is still very intense in color.

"B" Quality is much lighter than "A" quality. It may only have one of the three hues of tanzanite. This is mostly found with a lavender blue color and is much more affordable than "A" quality. It is also not as rare as "A" quality. You will find very large quantities of "B" quality tanzanite available in the jewelry industry. There are no intense hues of color visible in this quality. No "B" quality Tanzanite is sold on Tanzanite.com.

"C" Quality is a washed-out color. However, it is still considered tanzanite because of its composition, but this quality of tanzanite is very light and almost looks like glass. This quality is very abundant in supply.