The main reason why people mistake Amethyst vs. Tanzanite is because both crystals have blue shades and that makes Amethyst and Tanzanite very similar.
People like to wear jewelry made from Amethyst and Tanzanite crystals because of their beauty.
We will discuss the similarities and differences between these stones.
It will help you choose the most suitable stone.
What Is Amethyst?
Amethyst is a quartz crystal with violet to purple color. You can get Amethyst at many places because it is abundantly available in different countries.
These crystals form when iron faces radiations. Iron converts to Fe3+ form.
This form has a violet to purple color.
You will see different shades of the Amethyst due to the concentration difference of the iron atoms.
It will show dark color when it has more iron atoms.
Some parts of Amethyst can also exhibit red color due to other forms of iron.
You can find it abundantly in North America, Brazil, and Uruguay.
You can get the Amethyst in all types of rocks.
Most purple Amethyst crystals come from the Four Peaks area of the United States.
How Can You Identify Amethyst?
You can identify the Amethyst by placing it in natural light.
Color is the most crucial for the identification of the Amethyst.
It has a violet to purple color. You may find a reddish tone in the purple crystal.
It is due to different forms of iron in the Amethyst.
You can use a magnifying glass to find flaws in the crystals.
Amethyst will have some minor flaws due to the natural process.
You should avoid sellers selling deep purple crystals with no flaws as they are counterfeit Amethyst.
These are usually synthetic materials made from glass.
You can also identify the Amethyst by checking the crystal clarity.
It should show high transparency. You should see the object on the other side of the crystal.
It is hard to see the bubbles in the Amethyst with the naked eyes. It is also scratch-resistant.
What Are Amethyst鈥檚 Physical Properties?
Amethyst is a water-resistant crystal and a scratch-resistant crystal.
This resistance is due to the high level of hardness of the Amethyst.
Iron gives a purple to violet color to the Amethyst.
You can see through the Amethyst crystals due to the high level of transparency.
There are some translucent Amethyst crystals also. It is due to the high concentration of iron.
Iron gives it purple color and blocks some light.
Amethyst has a specific gravity value of 2.6 to 2.7.
It has more than double the weight of the same volume of water.
It is a safe-to-handle crystal because it does not produce harmful radiation or fumes.
What Is Tanzanite?
Tanzanite is a popular gem with many colors. You can get Tanzanite in light blue, deep blue, and violet colors. The name Tanzanite came from a place in Africa.
People found the Tanzanites in 1960 for the first time. They found it in Northern Tanzania.
Only one company is extracting the Tanzanite from the source.
It comes from an eight-mile-long mine in the Arusha.
Tanzanite is in high demand among jewelers and crystal collectors.
Blue sapphire was the most popular stone in the market ten years ago.
Tanzanite has taken over popularity because of its magnificent color.
People keep it to improve their luck because it protects them from hardships.
It is also a part of many rituals in different traditions.
How Can You Identify Tanzanite?
You can identify the tanzanite by observing it in natural light or light from a heating lamp.
It has a trichroic color. It means that you will see three colors when you view it from different angles.
You will see two colors in the natural light.
You can place it in the sun to observe the color.
It will show a blue and violet color.
When you put it in the incandescent lights, it will give red or pink color.
There are no other natural stones with this feature.
Tanzanite has the same consistency in the stone.
Viewing it from the top and the side will get the same color.
Iolite is a similar crystal. It will give a yellow shade when you view it from the top.
All tanzanite stones should have minor defects as the natural process will always leave minor issues.
What Are Tanzanite鈥檚 Physical Properties?
Tanzanite has the same hardness as the quartz crystals because of a hardness score of 6 to 7 on the Moh hardness scale.
Tanzanite resists scratches and water damage.
Pleochroism is one of the most prominent features of the Tanzanites.
The stone will show different color shades at some specific angles.
It is due to the different refractive index of Tanzanite.
There are many commercial applications of Pleochroism.
Tanzanite is available in the form of clear crystals on the market.
You can see through the Tanzanite gems easily.
It may look like purple glass with a high level of reflective properties.
People like to make jewelry from Tanzanite because it has a high level of reflection.
It will enhance the looks of the person wearing it.
What Are the Differences Between Amethyst and Tanzanite?
You can differentiate Amethyst from Tanzanite by placing the Tanzanite and Amethyst crystals in one location. It is better to observe them in the natural light because it will be easier to look for Amethyst vs. Tanzanite differences in the natural light.
Tanzanite shows more color variations with richer color intensity.
You will see shades of blue and pink by looking at the crystal from different angles.
No one says that Amethyst is not a beautiful stone.
It is also true that you cannot compare it with the Tanzanite as it does not give different color shades at specific angles.
It is also crucial to know that you cannot find the Tanzanite anywhere else as it is only available in Tanzania.
If you find a stone of violet color at any place in the world, it is Amethyst.
You can find Amethyst in different places because it consists of quartz crystals.
What Are the Similarities Between Amethyst and Tanzanite?
You will find many similarities when you compare Amethyst vs. Tanzanite. People confuse these crystals because of the color similarities. Some Tanzanite crystals can show purple color. Amethyst also has many colors. Purple is one of the Amethyst crystal colors.
It is hard to differentiate between the Tanzanite and Amethyst if you look at them from a distance.
You cannot differentiate them based on hardness.
Amethyst and Tanzanite have a hardness score of 6 to7 on the Moh hardness scale.
You may think that people are writing about the same stone when you read about these crystals.
To Summarize: Amethyst vs. Tanzanite
There are hundreds of points to consider when looking for Amethyst vs. Tanzanite.
Physical properties and appearance are the most crucial factors in the comparison.
You can get a lot of information from these points.
- All the Tanzanite in the world comes from Tanzania.
- Amethyst has a violet color due to the effects of radiation.
- Tanzanite and Amethyst have the same hardness level.
- Some crystals of Tanzanite and Amethyst have the same color.
- You can differentiate between these crystals by color-changing features as Tanzanite has trichroic properties.
- Amethyst gives only one color shade with some red parts.
- The jewelry made from Tanzanite is expensive because it is a rare crystal.
- You can tell the difference between these stones when you hold them together.