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Issue 00435 |
September 9 - 15, 2006 |
issn 0856 - 9135 |
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Features |
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Foundation explains why Bond is yet to wear the Mererani blue gems By Valentine Marc Nkwame While all other internationally renowned, valuable gems such as diamonds, gold and rubies are enjoying mass publicity through featuring in popular television shows and record-breaking Hollywood films, the rare tanzanite gemstones found only in Northern Tanzania are yet to convince those big studios of California to include the valuable blue stones in their movies and soaps scripts. This is despite the fact that the United States, the origin of almost all internationally successful films, TV soaps and popular music, is the major market of the crystal violet-blue, tanzanite gemstones, mined at the Mererani hills of the vast Simanjiro District, of Manyara region, in the northern Tanzania. The Tanzanite Foundation a non profit making organization founded with a mission to promote the blue gems internationally, is reportedly trying to make tanzanite’s presence felt in Hollywood but so far the Foundation has only managed to get the attention of celebrities. Apparently, the studio bigwigs seem to die-hardly cling to the traditional gems. “It is very expensive to invest money in paraphrasing a movie like it was done with the James Bond’s films ‘Diamonds Are Forever’ and ‘The Man with the Golden Gun!” Said Ms Sarah Cort the Managing Director of Tanzanite Foundation, an international organization which now has offices in the UK, USA , South Africa and has just opened another one in Arusha. “We have however managed to inculcate the tanzanite culture among; Film stars, starlets, pop singers and other distinguished personalities in both Hollywood and around glamorous settings all over Europe,” said Ms Cort, who was recently touring both Arusha town and Mererani Hills of Simanjiro. One of the pop stars is 50 Cent, who is currently adorning a waist belt laden with 200carat tanzanite valued at US$ 1.5 million. The popular hip-hop personality wore the belt during the recent promotion of his movie ‘Get Rich or Die trying!’ Even though the tanzanite belt did not feature in the film. International model Gina Athans on the other hand has been chosen to be this year’s ‘Face of Tanzanite’ after a twelve months long global search. The other top global fashion personality, Elle McPherson is already wearing tanzanite piece designed by UK jeweler, Tom McEwan. According to Sarah Cort, other stars currently adorning the Mererani mined blue gems include; Terri Hatcher of the popular ‘Desperate housewives’ TV show, Su Elise from the pop band ‘Mystique’ But as James Bond is about to make another appearance in the 007's twenty-first instalment; Casino Royale, set for release next November, it will be either gold, ruby or diamonds that will be playing the role of expensive ornaments for either the detective’s many girlfriends or his villain’s treasury. Meanwhile the Tanzanite Foundation is predicting a much higher tanzanite production in Tanzania this year which will reportedly beat the last year’s total production of 7 million carats. On the other hand Bhadresh Pandit of the Arusha- based, Classic Gems Limited, who is also the Tanzania Director of International Colored Gems Association (ICA)in October 2005 saw the production of top color Tanzanite stones. Asked what will happen once the highly speculated reports about tanzanite to become extinct in about a decade from now, the Tanzanite Foundation director said they will continue to honor the game through establishment of museums, running talk shows, compiling facts and history about the gems and networking tanzanite stakeholders. Maybe like diamond, tanzanite will also be forever after all.
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