I received the initial drawing for this project from a client. She wanted to order a pendant with a stone that had an unusual, baroque shape. No jeweller wanted to make a necklace for which they have to purchase raw crystal and then give it the appropriate cut.
After discussing the concept with the client, I started looking for a suitable mineral. Tanzanite caught my attention. Besides, natural crystals sometimes have cracks.
The optical phenomenon occurring in this mineral, (the so-called Topleochroism plechroism - where blue turns deep blue) gives it the appearance of a shimmering galaxy that can tell the geological history of this African gem.
After a long search and viewing many raw Tanzanites from suppliers around the world, I was able to find the right stone. The crystal had a starting weight of 160 ct. The appropriate shape and cut was given by the renowned Italian gem cutter, Paolo Sacchi. The tanzanite, which weighed 70 ct. after cutting, was decorated with diamonds with a total weight of 1.35 ct., set in yellow 585 gold.
