Tanzanite featured in globally acclaimed Swiss jewelry brand catalogue

Swiss luxury brand Bernhard H Mayer (BHM), which offers high end handcrafted timepieces and precious jewelry has now put Tanzanite in its latest collection of 2021.

A precious stone known for its rarity and brilliance, this blue gem is found solely in Tanzania, the country it was named after.

Described as ‘a geological phenomenon’, Tanzanite is considered a thousand times rarer than diamonds.

The name reflects the gem’s limited geographic origin, as all the mines are located in an area of about eight square miles near the base of Mount Kilimanjaro.

Because Tanzanite mining is under strict control, legitimate marketers such as QNET have stepped in to partner with the Responsible Jewelry Council (RJC) to ensure that all their jewellery products are ethically sourced.

The RJC seeks to reduce unlawful mining practices and improve greater efficiency in the mining supply chain traceability. 

QNET launched the Bernhard H. Mayer Timeless Tanzanite Collection recently featuring two stunning pieces that highlight the Tanzanite gemstone.

 The collection boasts two meticulously handcrafted pieces made using 18K solid gold the Bliss Hoop earrings and the Blue Breeze pendant.

Sporting gleaming gold rings and the ethereal blue of tanzanite gems, the Timeless Tanzanite Collection aims to capture the splendour of the Kilimanjaro, the pride of Tanzania.

 As QNET’s products are marketed to a large global customer base through its e-commerce platform, with this  new jewellery offering,  Tanzania gains in two ways —marketing for the rare gem that is a Tanzanian treasure, as well as marketing for its tourism sector.

According to QNET’s Chief Executive Officer, Ms Malou T Caluza, “Our international customers love the Timeless Tanzanite collection. We are encouraged by the reception it has received and will consider expanding the collection to meet the growing interest in Tanzanite as opportunities present themselves.”

The Timeless Tanzanite collection is slated to be launched in March 2021 in Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda on QNET’s e-commerce platform.

Tanzanite in Tanzania

Since its discovery in 1967 by the Maasai tribe, the gemstone has not only strengthened the Tanzanian economy, and created jobs for local people, but it has also helped fund various community projects, bettering the lives of the Tanzanian people.

Recognising the great value of this extremely rare gem, in 2017, the government of Tanzania built a 24km-long wall around the eight square miles of Mererani on the slopes of the Kilimanjaro. The wall, which will have security cameras and checkpoints, has served to control illegal mining and smuggling of the precious stone.

Marketing Tanzanite

Traders from across Africa and as far as India allegedly bought Tanzanite in bulk and at throwaway prices from small scale Tanzanian miners; these traders then brought the stones back to their home countries, cutting and polishing the rocks and reselling for a mint.

That was how the Tanzanite market operated before stricter regulations came into existence.

 “Tanzanite is a truly unique African gemstone. When our customers buy these elegant pieces of jewelry they not only get to own a piece of exceptional rarity and beauty set with only lawfully mined authentic stones, but they are also helping to support the livelihood of thousands in the local mining community who have relied on the industry for many years,” added Caluza.

Sustainable Mining

Anyone in the mining industry must be conscious of their supply chain to ensure that the precious gems are not fueling child labour or funding terror groups, or any other unethical practice for that matter.

QNET ensures that its operations are transparent and uses ethical value chains by working with suppliers who are certified members of the RJC.

The US$32.8 billion jewelry industry has faced a lot of criticism due to the dangerous nature of mining precious gemstones, and consumers are demanding for more transparency in supply chains and ethical sourcing of raw materials.

RJC is a global leader in standard setting and ethical sustainability in the jewelry and luxury watch industries. RJC ensures that members are compliant with ethical standards through periodic third-party audits along the entire supply chain.

All of QNET’s gold jewelry products are made with recycled gold sourced from members of RJC reducing its environmental impact.