Tanzanite 7 x Pear Cabochon

This pear-shaped cabochon displays the blue-violet hue that makes tanzanite a sought-after gemstone for jewelry designs of all types. Mount this cabochon in a white-metal setting, or in yellow gold—it pairs well with both. Tanzanite is one of the birthstones for December. Tanzanite, a name first used by Tiffany & Co., is a blue/purple variety of zoisite, which is a trichroic gemstone—it often exhibits different colors when seen from different directions. These gemstones are cut to show the orientation of deep blue to violet-blue colors; the blue color is due to the traces of vanadium in the crystal structure.