December – Tanzanite
December’s exquisite birthstone has been described as ‘a geological phenomenon’ and is 1000 times more rare than diamonds. These beautiful blue-purple gems are found only in one place in the world, the Mererani Hills of Northern Tanzania, near the city of Arusha and Mount Kilimanjaro. They’re mined in an area 4 square km wide and were named by Tiffany’s after their country of origin in 1968.
Tanzanites are celebrated by specialists as “the gemstone of the 20th century” even though they were formed some 585 million years ago.
Birthstones are not only fun and nostalgic, but throughout our lives they serve as a beautiful reminder of the month when we were born. The history behind birthstones is fascinating, with origins that date back to the Old Testament and Aaron’s breastplate, which featured 12 gemstones that represented the 12 tribes of Israel.
Over time, the 12 gems eventually became associated with the zodiac. Then, in 1912, the National Association of Jewelers established the modern list of birthstones we know today.
R75.00
A small, square gem of a print (14,5 x 14,5cm), this beautiful piece of jewellery features nine exquisite blue-purple tanzanites set in an intricate gold pendant setting, finely painted in watercolour by Libby Bell.
All prints are made to order and are signed in pencil by the artist before they are shipped. Please allow 3 – 5 days for printing and packaging.
| Print sizes | A0 (119 x 84cm), A1 (84 x 59cm), A2 (59 x 42cm), A3 (42 x 29.7cm), A4 (29.7 x 21cm), A5 (21 x 14.8cm) |
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