I always wanted to learn how to prong set gemstones. ( or my glass beads) But to tell you the truth I didn't want run of the mill prongs found on fine jewelry. I became enamored with the work of Studio Luna Verde and even took a class with Ace. Soon I found myself making earrings and rings and loving every minute of my new skill.
I found some beautiful tanzanite cabochons at the Tucson gem and jewelry shows one year and they called out for prong settings.
The story of tanzanite earrings begins with the discovery of the vibrant blue gemstone in Tanzania in 1967. The story goes that a Maasai herder found the stones while tending livestock in the Merelani Hills. The stones were initially mistaken for sapphires, but were later identified as a blue variety of zoisite, a mineral that had been known for centuries. Tiffany & Co. recognized the gem's potential and named it "tanzanite," launching a major advertising campaign that catapulted it to fame. Today, tanzanite earrings are a popular choice for their stunning beauty and unique color, often seen as symbols of transformation and new beginnings.
With brilliant blue, violet, and purple hues, Tanzanite is a worthy rival to blue sapphire, mainly because of the gemstone's exquisite beauty. Tanzanite is extraordinarily rare, a thousand times rarer than a diamond.