Tanzanite

The man who named tanzanite has passed away:

Henry B. Platt, who helped steer the Tiffany empire for 34 years, luring in brand-name jewelry designers and marketing newly discovered gemstones like tanzanite, which he named, died on July 22 at his home in Palm Beach, Fla. He was 91.

While visiting a lapidary in Europe in 1968, Harry Platt spotted a transparent, velvety dark blue gemstone that had been mined near Mount Kilimanjaro, in Tanzania. He won the rights to sell the newly discovered stone, which he called tanzanite. It became one of Tiffany’s best sellers.

“I could have named it Plattite or Tiffanyite,” he later told New York magazine. He also named tsavorite, a green stone found in Tsavo National Park in Kenya.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/30/business/henry-b-platt-scion-who-gave-tiffany-sparkle-dies-at-91.html?emc=edit_th_20150730&nl=todaysheadlines&nlid=1779911

Interesting facts about tanzanite. Thanks for posting.

Sad to hear this news. I LOVE Tanzanite & have a ring & earrings all bought while on a cruise! Wonder if the mines are still mining?? LOL

Tanzanite is one of my favorite stones. Thanks for the news.