Its Legendary Origin
Tanzanite was first found in the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania in the year 1967. According to ancient lore, the entire foothills of the mountain were set ablaze by a lightning strike. Eventually, the fire and the smoke died down, and in its place were glistening bluish-purple crystals. They were found by Masai herders who were exploring the scorched land. The find was considered to be a rare one indeed and the stone was later called Tanzanite, after its original finding place Tanzania. While this is one of the many stories concerning the gemstone, the actual story of its origin remains a mystery.