Tanzanite vs Sapphire

Both Sapphire and Tanzanite are prized for their beauty, elegance and durability. They are both transparent gemstones that are more often used in jewelry, but there are some key differences between these two gems.

Color

One of the most obvious differences between Sapphire and Tanzanite is their color. Sapphire is a variety of the mineral corundum and is typically the color blue, although it can also be found in shades of pink, yellow, green, orange and purple. Tanzanite, on the other hand, is a blue-purple gemstone that is only found in one place in the world: the Merelani Hills of Tanzania. Tanzanite is a relatively new gemstone, having only been discovered in the late 1960s, whereas sapphires have been prized for centuries. Tanzanite can also be found in it's natural color of "diesel" brown, or fancy colors such as yellow, green, pink and peach!

Hardness

Another difference between Sapphire and Tanzanite is their hardness and durability. Sapphire is one of the hardest gemstones, ranking a 9 on the Mohs scale of mineral hardness. This one reason it has been used in jewelry for so long. No issues in rings, pendants, earrings or bracelets. This also means that it is resistant to scratches and is a good choice for everyday wear. Tanzanite, though, is lower on the Mohs scale of hardness and ranks a 6.5-7. While it is still durable enough for everyday wear, it is more prone to scratching and may not be the best choice in an every day ring (like an engagement ring) for someone who is hard on their jewelry. Pendant and earring wear is fine for everyone. Now we have customers that have 2-3 Tanzanite rings and have never had an issue, so don't let the hardness scare you!

Value

In terms of value, Sapphire is generally more expensive than Tanzanite. This is due in part to their rarity and hardness, as well as their long history as a coveted gemstone over the ages. Tanzanite, while still very valuable, are more readily available currently and are therefore not as expensive as Sapphire.

Summary

Sapphire and Tanzanite are both beautiful, elegant and valuable gemstones, but they differ in their color, hardness, and sparkle. Sapphire is typically blue and are one of the hardest gemstones, while Tanzanite is a blue-purple color and not quite as hard. And last, but not least, Sapphire are generally more expensive than Tanzanite, especially in larger sizes. This is due to the rarity vs demand, though Tanzanite, being found in just one area of the world, could easily become much more valuable in the future.