Tanzanite is admired for its remarkable range of blue and violet hues, but if you're shopping for this gemstone, you may wonder: what is the best color of tanzanite?
Color is one of the most important factors affecting tanzanite's appearance and value. However, choosing a beautiful tanzanite isn't simply a matter of finding the darkest or bluest stone. Hue, saturation, tone, pleochroism, cut, carat weight, lighting and personal preference can all influence how a tanzanite looks.
In this guide, we'll explain how tanzanite color is evaluated, why some stones look more blue while others appear more violet, how heat treatment affects color, and what you should actually look for when buying tanzanite jewelry.
Quick Answer: What Is the Best Tanzanite Color?
Deeply saturated violet-blue to blue-violet colors are generally the most highly valued in tanzanite. According to the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), the most prized tanzanite colors are deep, saturated violet-blue and blue-violet, while paler colors are more commonly found.
Predominantly blue face-up tanzanite can be rarer than predominantly violet material because of the way the rough gemstone must be oriented during cutting. However, this does not mean that every blue tanzanite is automatically better than every violet-blue tanzanite.
A beautiful tanzanite should combine an attractive hue, strong saturation, balanced tone, good cut and appealing face-up appearance. Your personal color preference matters too.
Tanzanite Color at a Glance
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Why Does Tanzanite Have Different Colors?
Tanzanite is the blue-to-violet variety of the mineral zoisite. Its distinctive color is associated primarily with trace amounts of vanadium within the mineral.
Another fascinating characteristic of tanzanite is its pleochroism. This means the gemstone can display different colors when viewed from different crystallographic directions.
In its natural state, tanzanite may contain brownish, yellowish, greenish, blue and violet components. Heat treatment is commonly used to reduce unwanted brownish, yellowish or greenish components and bring forward the blue and violet colors for which tanzanite is famous.
As a result, the exact appearance of a finished tanzanite depends not only on its natural material but also on treatment, cutting orientation, lighting and viewing direction.
Understanding Tanzanite Hue, Tone and Saturation
When comparing tanzanite colors, it helps to understand three fundamental color characteristics: hue, tone and saturation.
Hue: Is the Tanzanite Blue or Violet?
Saturation: How Intense Is the Color?
Tone: Is Darker Tanzanite Always Better?
Hue refers to the basic color you see in a gemstone.
Tanzanite commonly displays a combination of blue and violet, so descriptions such as violet-blue and blue-violet are common.
A violet-blue tanzanite has blue as the dominant face-up color with a violet component, while a blue-violet appearance contains a stronger violet influence.
Predominantly blue face-up stones can be rarer because cutters may have to sacrifice more rough material to orient the gemstone for a stronger blue appearance. However, a beautifully saturated violet-blue tanzanite can still be highly desirable.
For buyers, the most important question is not simply "Is it blue?" but rather: Does the face-up color look rich, attractive and lively to you?
Saturation describes the strength or intensity of a gemstone's color.
A weakly saturated tanzanite can appear pale, grayish or washed out. Stronger saturation creates the rich blue and violet appearance commonly associated with fine-quality tanzanite.
Deeply saturated violet-blue and blue-violet colors are generally valued more highly than pale colors, assuming the gemstone retains attractive brightness and overall appearance.
Instead of relying solely on a retailer's numerical saturation grade, look at the actual gemstone and consider whether its color appears rich, clean and visually appealing.
No. Darker tanzanite is not automatically better.
Tone describes how light or dark a gemstone appears. A very light tanzanite may lack the rich color many buyers seek, but an excessively dark gemstone can lose brightness and make its color harder to appreciate.
The goal is therefore not to choose the darkest stone available. Look for an attractive balance in which the tanzanite appears richly colored while remaining lively enough to display its blue and violet character.
Blue vs. Violet Tanzanite: Which Is More Valuable?
Predominantly blue face-up tanzanite can command particular interest because obtaining that appearance may require cutters to orient the rough in a way that sacrifices more weight.
However, that does not mean violet is an undesirable color in tanzanite. GIA identifies deep saturated violet-blue and blue-violet among the most valuable tanzanite colors.
Therefore, color should be evaluated as a combination of:
- Hue
- Saturation
- Tone
- Brightness
- Cut quality
- Face-up appearance
A richly saturated violet-blue tanzanite can be far more visually appealing than a poorly cut or overly dark stone that happens to show a stronger blue component.
Why Does Tanzanite Look Blue in One Light and Violet in Another?
If your tanzanite appears blue in one situation and more violet in another, that does not necessarily indicate a problem with the gemstone.
Tanzanite is strongly pleochroic, meaning its appearance can change depending on viewing direction. Lighting conditions can further influence how your eyes perceive its blue and violet components.
For this reason, evaluate tanzanite under more than one lighting environment when possible. A stone viewed only under jewelry-store lighting may appear somewhat different in daylight or ordinary indoor lighting.
The color you see when looking straight down at the finished gemstone—its face-up color—is particularly important when choosing jewelry.
How Does Cut Affect Tanzanite Color?
Cut plays an especially important role in tanzanite because of the gemstone's pleochroism.
A cutter doesn't simply choose a shape. The orientation of the rough can influence whether the finished stone appears predominantly blue, violet-blue or more violet.
According to GIA, cutters may sometimes choose between retaining more carat weight with a more violet-purple face-up appearance or sacrificing additional rough material to obtain a stronger blue component.
Oval and cushion cuts are commonly seen in tanzanite jewelry, but no single shape automatically produces the "best" color. What matters more is how skillfully the gemstone has been oriented and cut.
A well-cut tanzanite should display attractive color across its face while providing appealing brilliance and avoiding obvious areas that appear lifeless or visually distracting.
If you'd like to explore this subject further, read our guide: Which Cut Is the Best to Flaunt Your Tanzanite?
Does Carat Size Affect Tanzanite Color?
Carat size can influence how strongly tanzanite's color is perceived.
According to GIA, smaller tanzanites often show lighter saturation, while the finest and deepest colors are commonly seen in larger stones, particularly those above approximately five carats.
However, a larger tanzanite is not automatically a better tanzanite.
A smaller stone with attractive saturation, good cutting and appealing clarity may be more beautiful than a larger stone with weak color or poor cutting.
Therefore, evaluate carat weight together with color, cut and clarity rather than using size as a shortcut for quality.
Is Heat-Treated Tanzanite Normal?
Yes. Heat treatment is extremely common in tanzanite.
Much of the blue and violet tanzanite available in the jewelry market has been heated. Heating reduces or removes undesirable brownish, yellowish or greenish components and emphasizes the gemstone's characteristic blue and violet colors.
GIA notes that heating is so common in tanzanite that the trade generally assumes it has occurred.
Heat treatment should therefore not automatically discourage you from purchasing a tanzanite. What matters is receiving clear and accurate information about the gemstone and any known treatment.
What Do AAA, AAAA and Other Tanzanite Grades Mean?
You may encounter tanzanite described as A, AA, AAA or AAAA while shopping online. These terms can be useful within an individual seller's inventory, but there is an important distinction buyers should understand:
There is no universally standardized A, AA, AAA or AAAA quality-grading scale for tanzanite.
According to GIA, individual companies may create their own quality descriptions using labels such as A, AA or AAA, but these are not part of a universal tanzanite grading standard.
That means an "AAA tanzanite" sold by one company is not necessarily equivalent to an "AAA tanzanite" offered by another.
Instead of choosing a gemstone based solely on a commercial grade label, consider its actual characteristics:
- Color: Is the hue and saturation attractive?
- Clarity: Are there distracting eye-visible inclusions?
- Cut: Does the gemstone show good brilliance and appealing face-up color?
- Carat: Is the size appropriate for your jewelry and budget?
- Treatment: Have known treatments been clearly disclosed?
If a retailer uses its own commercial grading terminology, check how that company defines each grade before comparing it with another seller.
Does Clarity Affect Tanzanite Color and Quality?
Although this guide focuses on color, clarity should not be ignored.
Fine-quality tanzanite is commonly expected to be eye-clean, meaning distracting inclusions are not readily visible to the unaided eye. Eye-visible inclusions can reduce value, particularly if they interfere with the gemstone's beauty.
Fractures and certain inclusions can also have durability implications, so a gemstone's apparent color should never be considered completely separately from its clarity and overall condition.
How to Choose the Best Tanzanite Color for You
When comparing two or more tanzanites, use this practical checklist rather than relying solely on a color name or commercial grade.
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Look at the face-up color: Decide whether you prefer a stronger blue appearance, violet-blue or blue-violet.
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Check the saturation: Look for rich, attractive color rather than a weak, grayish or washed-out appearance.
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Consider the tone: The gemstone should look richly colored without becoming so dark that it loses life and brightness.
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View it under different lighting: Tanzanite can look different in daylight and indoor lighting.
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Examine the cut: A good cut should display the gemstone's color attractively while providing pleasing brilliance.
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Check clarity: Look for distracting eye-visible inclusions, particularly fractures.
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Consider carat size: Larger stones can display stronger saturation, but size alone does not guarantee better quality.
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Ask about treatment: Heat treatment is common, but treatment information should still be transparent.
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Understand the seller's grading terminology: Don't assume that AAA or AAAA represents a universal industry grade.
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Choose the color you actually love: Market preferences matter when discussing value, but you're the person who will wear the jewelry.
How Can You Verify Tanzanite Quality When Buying Online?
Color photographs alone shouldn't be the only factor you use when making an important tanzanite purchase. Camera settings, lighting and screen calibration can influence how gemstone colors appear online.
Check the Gemstone Description
Look for clear information about the gemstone's identity, carat weight, color, treatment and other relevant characteristics rather than relying only on marketing terms such as "premium" or "AAAA."
Understand Certificates and Laboratory Reports
Don't assume that every document called a "certificate" provides the same information.
An independent gemological laboratory report can help establish important characteristics of a gemstone. For example, GIA's Colored Stone Identification Report can identify the material and state whether detectable treatments are present.
However, GIA does not assign an A, AA, AAA or AAAA quality grade to tanzanite. This distinction is important when comparing laboratory documentation with a retailer's own commercial quality categories.
Check the Return Policy
A clear return policy is particularly useful when purchasing colored gemstones online because the gemstone may appear somewhat different when viewed in person under your normal lighting conditions.
Read the seller's applicable return terms before purchasing so you understand your options if the jewelry does not meet your expectations.
Evaluate the Seller Transparently
Look for clear business information, detailed product descriptions, treatment disclosure, customer-service information and transparent policies. For significant purchases, consider whether independent gemological documentation is available or appropriate.
Find Your Perfect Statement Piece
Celebrate a special moment with a beautiful tanzanite ring. Known for its distinctive blue-violet color, tanzanite makes a memorable choice for engagements, anniversaries, birthdays, and meaningful gifts.
Frequently Asked Questions About Tanzanite Color
What is the most valuable color of tanzanite?
Deeply saturated violet-blue to blue-violet colors are generally the most highly valued. Predominantly blue face-up stones can also be rarer because cutting the rough to emphasize blue may require sacrificing more material. Overall value still depends on color together with clarity, cut, carat weight and the individual gemstone's appearance.
Is blue tanzanite better than violet tanzanite?
Not automatically. Predominantly blue tanzanite can be rarer, but deep saturated violet-blue and blue-violet are both highly valued color ranges. A beautifully saturated violet-blue stone can be more attractive than a poorly cut, overly dark or weakly saturated blue stone.
Is darker tanzanite more valuable?
Not simply because it is darker. Fine tanzanite should have rich saturation and an attractive tone while retaining enough brightness to display its blue and violet colors. An excessively dark stone can appear less lively.
Why does my tanzanite sometimes look purple?
Tanzanite is strongly pleochroic, so different viewing directions can reveal different color components. Lighting conditions can also influence whether its blue or violet characteristics appear more prominent.
Does tanzanite change color in different lighting?
Its apparent color can vary under different lighting conditions. This is why it is useful to view tanzanite under more than one type of light before making a purchasing decision whenever possible.
What does AAA tanzanite mean?
AAA is a commercial quality designation used by some sellers rather than a universally standardized tanzanite grade. Different retailers may define AAA differently, so check the seller's grading criteria and evaluate the gemstone's actual color, clarity, cut, carat weight and treatment information.
Is AAAA tanzanite an official gemstone grade?
No universal gemological standard defines AAAA as an official tanzanite quality grade. Some companies use AAAA or similar labels as part of their own internal grading systems, but those labels should not be assumed to have identical meaning across different sellers.
Is heat-treated tanzanite less valuable?
Heat treatment is extremely common for tanzanite and is widely accepted in the gemstone trade. Much of the blue and violet tanzanite available today has been heated, so treatment alone does not automatically make a tanzanite undesirable. Buyers should still receive accurate disclosure about known treatments.
Does larger tanzanite have better color?
Larger tanzanites often display stronger color saturation, while smaller stones can appear lighter. However, larger does not automatically mean better. A gemstone should still be evaluated for its hue, saturation, tone, clarity, cut and overall appearance.
So, What Tanzanite Color Should You Choose?
If you're looking for the color traditionally associated with fine tanzanite, focus on a richly saturated violet-blue to blue-violet gemstone with an attractive tone and lively face-up appearance.
If you particularly love predominantly blue tanzanite, you may find those stones especially appealing and comparatively uncommon. If you prefer a stronger violet component, there is no reason to dismiss an attractive violet-blue gemstone simply because another stone looks bluer.
Most importantly, don't judge tanzanite by darkness or an AAA/AAAA label alone. Examine the actual hue, saturation, tone, cut, clarity, carat weight and treatment disclosure.
The "best" tanzanite color therefore has two dimensions: gemological desirability and personal preference. Understanding both allows you to choose a gemstone that is attractive in quality and genuinely beautiful to you.
Gemological Sources
Technical information in this guide was checked against educational resources from the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). For independent information about tanzanite color, quality, treatment and buying considerations, visit GIA's Tanzanite Quality Factors and GIA's Tanzanite Buying Guide.