Turkizite

[Eclair]

Just like my tanzanite, I bought Turkish Diaspora years ago as I saw it somewhere on the net and loved the color change...it has a lot of trade names like Zultanite, Sultanite, Turkizite...I think they use trademarks to raise the price...now, there may be finer grades, but I bought a fairly nice size Diaspora advertised as natural in sterling surrounded by tiny zircons for around $40.00 a month ago...it was coming from overseas but I trust this shopping site and seller...so I still do not know why it is so expensive at LC IMO...I am not a gemologist...just an amateur gem and jewelry lover, so I can only think LC turkizite is some kind of premium Diaspora? Anyway, just saying you might want to shop around...I do think the montepuez ruby and boyaca emerald and paraiba tourmaline on LC is priced fairly and are beautiful, if you can afford them...I cannot...

[Eclair]

Just saw a Turk with Steve for $1699...differences between mine and his...mine has no diamonds and the depth is shallower(maybe his was real gold)...mine is faceted...and turns the lovely amber...red...and green...in sterling...with zircons not cz's...someone else in forum mentioned how deep they cut their gems which adds to carat weight and price...I be poor so I will settle for $40...getting my tanzanite that got eons ago out tomorrow...I know it has a deep cut...if you want to get a less expensive stone that can mimic an indicolite...check out indigo kyanite...

[WTFarmGirl]

"Turkizite" is the trade name SLC made for the turkish disapore better known as Zultanite. Last I read, it's a single source gem out of ONE MINE and originally owned by two people under one name. The two partners split and one picked up a second trade name for the material. I think they both joined back up again (maybe I'm wrong), but either way the material is STRICTLY controlled, there IS no off name material that's not black market. They ONLY sell highest quality material and ONLY under their own trade name. The legit stuff is HARD TO BUY. Everything else seen is, as I mentioned, black market material. because their quality standards are so high, material that does not meet their criteria is thrown out. But they have a huge issue with thieves, so the "trash" is stolen and re-sold. Many stones operate under trade names, such as Sphene, aka Titanite, or Paraiba Tourmaline, or Rubellite. Tanzanite perhaps the most well-known. originally called "blue zoisite, it was changed as some thought it sounded like "suicide". There IS no yellow tanzanite, golden tanzanite, or anything NON blue/purple. Those are all ZOISITES. Much like ruby is only red/pink.

So, to answer your question, the REAL Zultanite is absolutely stunning, much like a top quality alexandrite. Bright green to bright raspberry. If it's not certified as Zultanite, then it's the black market stuff and lower quality. now it COULD still be higher quality than OTHER black market material, but still not the top stuff. It would be like if Tanzanite were ONLY the "D-block vivid blue" color, and none of the pale stuff.