D Block Tanzanite: Does it Produce the Best Color?

We're here at Suni's mine.

Suni.

Yep.

The question I often get is or people stating that D-Block produces the finest tanzanite. I've always been of the opinion that D-Block in the beginning produced the finest tanzanite. It was the most famous and the original block. And I just always assumed that all the blocks produced fine tanzanite. But let's get the opinion of a D-Block owner.

Hey.

Hi, Suni.

Hi.

Yeah. So what's your opinion of where do the finest tanzanites come from?

Block D.

Block D.

Block D in a place called Caro. This is a place where I have experience of the mining here for more than 25 years. The first time I found the first production, I was just try to roll the rough. They sound like metal.

Yes. I remember the first time I met you [inaudible 00:01:09].

Yeah, yeah. I think you remember that. And the color and the ways it look rough, they were heavy, different with... It's not look like a glass. It's looked like a crystal, really crystal, when you hold them. And the color was amazing because sometimes friends when they're going to sell the tanzanite blue, they say, "This is too much..."

Too much blue?

Too much blue. They say it's dark. So we don't want this. This is the Block D or Caro tanzanite, crystals, its lookalike.

Yes.

So the truth is that the quality of Block D is different with other mining. Yeah. That's what it-

I hear this all the time, so maybe my opinion is incorrect and Block D does produce the finest because that's what's been said or since it's been produced, Block D has always considered to be the finest tanzanite in Tanzania.

Hey, guys. I'm Jeff Moriarty. I'm here with Steve Moriarty from Moriarty's Gems.

How you doing?

We are live from Arusha, Tanzania, our last day here. We're here to kind of talk about a question a lot of people have when people are buying tanzanites, is I want Block D or do you have Block D tanzanite? I know you've had a lot of history with it, but you talked to a lot of people when we were here today. So what's everybody been telling us?

So my opinion has always been, and you'll see it in the videos, that all the blocks produce some fine color. We got some mixed reviews. First, we started with our friend Suni, who has a mine in Block D. So I'm not sure whether he's a little prejudiced about that.

Yes.

And we-

Before you go into it, like a block, what do you mean when you say that?

There's four blocks in the mining area in Mererani. There's A Block, B Block, C and D. D is the most famous because D is where it all started. So most people have the feeling that D Block is the place to get the finest tanzanite. So that was the question we came with, and we got a little bit of mix, but of course Suni, who we talked to first while we were out at his mine, which is in Block D, and he's adamant that Block D produces the finest colors. He's in Caro, which is a section of Block D. There's a Caro Mountain, which is right at the end of Block D. And he just felt that Block D produced the finest tanzanite. Maybe some bias.

Yeah. A little bit.

But maybe not. But that's his opinion. And then we talked to the other dealers that we dealt with and a few agreed that Block D has produced the finest. Then we also got the opinion of a friend that is probably the biggest importer of tanzanite into the US, and he felt like me that all the blocks produced fine stones because Block C that was owned by Tanzanite 1 was the major producer of tanzanite in the world for many years, and they produce some really great stones. So to say Block D is the only place to get great stones, I don't believe it's true, but there's differing opinions.

And they probably did a lot of marketing, like Block D's the best, and you know.

And there is no real identification of what block things came from.

So no one can tell, like if they're going online and they pick out a tanzanite, you can't say what block it is.

If they said it's Block D, you don't prove it. Unless you follow it from the mine, you're not going to know exactly what block it came from. So if you want to think Block D's the best, great; others will back you. And if you think you can get fine stones from any block, you'll be in agreement with me and our friend that's a huge importer of material who has been at it for 40 years like I have, so.

That explains everything.

Yeah, yeah.

[inaudible 00:05:54].

It doesn't make it definitive but leaves it open, and I think that's where it should be, and it is my opinion.

Yeah. So there we have it. That's kind of the information on Block D. So if you're specifically looking for that Block D, no, I think you kind of explained it, it's kind of you're going to get great saturated stones, all blocks, and you won't be able to tell which block it's from.

Yeah. Except if Suni gets lucky, who is our miner friend, and he had some luck just last night or this week and got Cabochon grade. So if he gets some really fine material, we'll know it's from Block D.

You'll be able to follow it right from the source.

Yeah, you bet. You bet.

Yeah. So wait for that. Anything else you want to mention?

I think that's about it.

All right. Okay. So guys, I'm here with Steve Moriarty. Again, Moriarty's Gem Art is the company that you're the owner of.

Tanzanite Jewelry Designs.

Yes, and if you want tanzanite, tanzanitejewelrydesigns.com is where to find it. If you want some great mineral specimens there, you can find them as well. So again-

Yeah.

... live from Arusha.

Been a great trip.

Yep. And stay tuned for new videos.