Tanzanite is a new gemstone. Only discovered in the 1960's, there has been little time to establish a market for this beautiful gem. Therefore, the price is still relatively low in the world of jewels and imitations and deceptive practices are essentially non-existent.

However, there are a few things you should be aware of:

1. Remember that tanzanite is trichroic (three-colored,) make sure you can see at least two of them.
2. Looking for a lighter blue in your tanzanite? Iolite ("water sapphire") is another three colored stone that can look a lot like tanzanite, but which costs much less. Iolite is usually bluer than tanzanite and may appear colorless when you look at it from the sides. Make sure your jeweler knows you know the difference.
3. Beware of closed back settings. You probably won't encounter this with tanzanite, but, if you do, just remember that it is the best way to hide flaws that could ruin the value of your stone.