Diamonds or Tanzanite? How To Compare And Invest In Gemstones

Everyone has at least seen or heard about diamonds.

After all, they’re a “girl’s best friend” and the symbol of love, power, and wealth. While diamonds are seen as rare and hard to come by, and they most certainly are, tanzanite is far rarer but valued far less than all diamonds.

If you’re looking to invest in one of these gorgeous gemstones, there are several things you need to consider, including rarity, marketability, price, uses, hardness, and gem grade.

How to Compare and Invest in Diamonds and Tanzanite

Diamonds are a great place to start when investing in gemstones due to their popularity, but tanzanite may be a great showpiece that fills out your collection. Let’s see how they compare.

Diamond vs. Tanzanite Rarity

Tanzanite jewelry is extremely valuable and coveted, both for the gem’s rarity as well as its beauty. Discovered some fifty years ago in Tanzania, this stone is 1,000 times rarer than diamonds. Intense or saturated colored tanzanites are some of the rarest gems on the plant.

White diamonds, while not as rare as tanzanite, are loved the world over. If you want a rarer diamond, find a larger version of this gemstone or try to find a yellow or pink variety.

Diamond vs. Tanzanite Uses

Jewelers who want to invest in both gemstones can create jewelry that features them. For example, diamond and tanzanite rings combine soft purples with white gold to create a dazzling piece. Since both gemstones are expensive, you should hire an experienced jewel cutter.

Real diamonds and tanzanites are too expensive to use in crafts, so if someone claims their cheap jewelry piece was created from these gems, it’s most likely fake.

Diamond vs. Tanzanite Marketability

Tanzanite severely missed the mark when it comes to marketability, but hope isn’t lost. TanzaniteOne, the largest miner and vendor of tanzanite, is doing everything it can to emulate diamond’s business model. In its current state, tanzanite is only valuable to collectors.

On the other hand, diamonds are still marketable and profitable but losing steam due to the blood diamond trade. It may be beneficial for investors to buy from ethical sources.

Diamond vs. Tanzanite Price

The average cost of a 1-carat natural diamond ring is $5250. Tanzanite sells for about $4800 less than diamonds per carat, making it a cheaper investment. However, diamonds are more likely to retain their value over time. With tanzanite, there’s no guarantee you’ll make a profit.

The key to investing is buying at the right time because your average rate of return on gems is largely dependent on inflation. In this kind of market, you have to buy low and sell high.

Diamond vs. Tanzanite Hardness

Diamonds are 58 times harder than any other mineral on the planet. They’re so hard that the only object that can cut a diamond is another diamond. With a Mohs scale of 10 (the highest), even flawed diamonds can be used for saw blades and other cutting instruments.

Tanzanite’s rank 6.5 on the Mohs scale can only be used for decorative purposes. You won’t be able to shape defective tanzanite without it fracturing or breaking.

Diamond vs. Tanzanite Gem Grade

The Four Cs (carat, cut, clarity, and color) determines the quality of several gemstones, including diamond and tanzanite. An exceptional grade in all Four Cs means the gem is nearly perfect. While they’re rare, a near-flawless gem will be costly and almost impossible to sell.

When purchasing gems, prioritize a high cut and color grade. Your customers want to buy a gem that shines, and a decent cut and color grade will make both your gems sparkle.