By FRANK S. COSTANZA - National Jeweler

*With the rising cost of Tanzanite, consumers are seeking alternative gemstones. No doubt, "purple" is "in" and Iolite, Spinel, Purple Sapphire and Grape Garnet sales are on the rise however, the debate amongst jeweler's continues...

New York - Walk into any large chain store and ask to see a purple-colored gemstone, and chances are you will be escorted to a display case filled with either amethyst or tanzanite jewelry.





Although both stones are unquestionably attractive, only the best cuts possess that full, rich purplish hue desired by most purple fanatics.

Amethyst quartz origins and the gemstones uncanny ability to lose some of its sparkle in artificial light occasionally turn off buyers. Meanwhile, tanzanites true deep-blue hue and brittle composition (6.5 to 7) hardness pushes away potential purple purchasers.

While amethyst and tanzanite still continue to attract customers, some of their lesser known purple counterparts slowly are drawing more attention...

"Purple is one of those colors that you either love or hate," said Susan Eisen, Susan Eisen Fine Jewelry and Watches, El Paso, Texas. "I think that people who have a true love of colored stones, and are thoroughly educated in the field, are usually the people who use the varieties more."

As a result, certain daring jewelers are ordering up some new purple dishes. Iolite, spinel, purple sapphire and Grape Garnet are examples, with Grape Garnet being a trademarked product from Columbia Gem House, Vancouver, Wash., that soon may start yelling for attention from display cases around the country.

Iolite

Iolite, in particular, may be making its presence known on television shopping networks, according to Bharat Purohit, president of New York-based iolite supplier Far Atlantic.

"Requests have increased within the last month," he said. "There are big orders for iolite. QVC bought 10,000 pieces of iolite squares."

The additional iolite orders, which range from a few hundred to a couple thousand pieces at a time, are primarily heading for smaller jewelers, Purohit said. Designers, among them Steven Lagos, also have been using iolite, amethyst and tanzanite in some recent silver and gold jewelry lines.

Priced between $3 and $12 a carat, iolite is a relatively inexpensive alternative to tanzanite that offers additional durability. Iolite ranges from 7 to 7.5 on the Mohs scale.

"I had one person come in to complain about a [tanzanite] ring," Eisen said. "She had worn it every day for three months and she brought it in with three chips on it. The problem with tanzanite is it is very brittle."

But iolite also has its downfalls...

We've had very little success with iolite because of the inconsistent color," said Bill Underwood, president of Underwood Jewelers, Fayetteville, Ark. "It sometimes comes in a heavy grayish-blue and doesn't have the punch of something like tanzanite. You very rarely see iolite in the dark, deeper colors."

Underwood prefers tanzanite because of its attractive brilliance, but keeps a few purple sapphires in stock for those who don't mind paying extra.

Amethyst

Creig Sterrett, vice president of Sterrett Fine Jewelers, Columbia, Mo., still puts most of his stock in amethyst, although he also likes rose-red rhodolite.

"I like working with amethyst because it is an affordable stone," Sterrett said. "I like the flexibility of it. People can work with it almost without considering a budget."

Tanzanite and purple sapphires often are too expensive to work with for larger pieces. With a Mohs rating of 9, corundum has a distinct advantage over its softer and less expensive counterparts.

High quality tanzanite can cost hundreds of dollars a carat, while top-of-the-line amethyst generally runs about $50 a carat.

Demand for more obscure purple-colored gemstones will always be there so long as people inquire about it.

"Any stone that looks like one of its more expensive counterparts is very popular with people who like that color," Eisen said.