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Continue ShoppingGemstone Glossary T
Tanzanite – A unique stone with an unusual toned aura, this natural gemstone only occurs in East Africa’s Tanzania, hence the name. Discovered only in 1967, this blue zoisite has become increasingly popular, so much so that it has staked its claim to fame on December’s birthstone list. Tanzanite ranges from a delicate blue (most rare) to a rich blue violet tone with rich purple overtones. The natural raw crystal formations of Tanzanite often display brown and yellow hues.
Tektite – Tektites are a type of glass believed to be grated from fragments of meteoroids or asteroids that have collided with the earth. Some tektites include Libyan desert glass and moldavite.
Tiffany Stone – Tiffany Stone, or Opalite, is a natural opalized fluorite. Generally a Purple and Creamy hue, patches of white, pink, mauve, yellow and black are often marbled throughout its crackled appearance. You might also hear this stone mentioned as “Ice Cream Opalite”. Tiffany Stone is mined in Utah’s Sevier Desert.
Tiger Iron – Also commonly known as Tiger’s Eye, Tiger Iron is silica mineral of the quartz family. With its chatoyant, silky luster, it’s easy to see how this golden brown and sometimes even red toned rock became popular. Most Tiger Iron is found in Western Australia or South Africa.
Topaz – Pure topaz is a clear, orthorhombic crystal with a vitreous luster. Several natural colors of topaz occur when the pure topaz contains impurities. The largest faceted gemstone in the world is a topaz that weighs over 6 kilograms called the “El-Dorado Topaz”.
Tourmalinated Quartz – Quartz crystals with tourmaline inclusions, which are often black, are called tourmalinated quartz.
Tourmaline – A gemstone with an incomparable variety of colors and names; there are also 14 different categories of tourmalines. These crystal structures can be found most commonly in Brazil and Africa, as well as the United States and Afghanistan. Iron rich tourmalines are usually black to brown and are the most readily available variety, and the most common type for carving. The most treasured Tourmalines are Paraiba Tourmalines, a blue to blue-green crystal found in 1987 in Paraiba, Brazil. Red Tourmalines are often called Rubellite.
Trilobite – Quartz crystals with tourmaline inclusions, which are often black, are called tourmalinated quartz.
Turquoise – Turquoise is a semiprecious and typically opaque phosphate mineral which displays a waxy luster and grows in massive nodules. Turquoise can range from robin egg blue to green-blue. Each turquoise mine produces specimens that have their own distinctive characteristics.