World’s Largest Cut Tanzanite, world record set in Hillsboro, Oregon

September 24, 2024

Hillsboro, Oregon, United States--New York-based artist Naomi Sarna carved a 703-carat blue tanzanite known as ‘L’Heure Bleu,’ discovered in the foothills of Mt. Kilimanjaro; following an official weigh-in at the Rice Northwest Museum of Rocks and Minerals in Oregon, the gemstone sets the world record for being the World’s Largest Cut Tanzanite, according to the WORLD RECORD ACADEMY.

"It was an exciting day at the Rice Northwest Museum of Rocks & Minerals, Hillsboro, Oregon, when artist Naomi Sarna’s 703-carat L’Heure Bleu tanzanite carving set a GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS title as the world’s largest cut tanzanite.

"Gemstone experts, Jessie English, J.S. English Appraisals and Madeline Saunders, Oregon Estate Jewelry, were the official witnesses for the weighing. Rice Museum board president Gail Spann and museum director, Kim Vagner were also on hand for this historic event," the official press release says.

"“As the Director of the Rice Museum of Rocks & Minerals board, and long-time supporter of this wonderful ‘gem’ in Hillsboro, I couldn’t have been more delighted that we hosted Naomi Sarna on her adventure with Guinness World Records that was enjoyed by many attendees! We are lucky to have such talent grace our Museum’s doorstep,” said Gail Copus Spann, president, board of directors, Rice Museum of Rocks and Minerals."

"Several years ago, artist Naomi Sarna was invited to travel to the Tanzanite mines located in the foothills of Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. She was asked to create a carving for an international competition. The mines are on the ancestral land of the Maasai and it is the only place in the world where this blue-violet gemstone is found.

"While there Sarna was asked to do humanitarian work, so she taught Maasai women how to make wire-wrap jewelry from tanzanite.

"Touched by the community, the poverty and the eye disease she witnessed, Sarna decided that she when she sells her award-winning tanzanite L’Heure Bleu carving, she will donate the profits to the world-renowned Portland-based Casey Eye Institute to provide eyecare to the Maasai. Dr. Andreas Lauer, Chair of the Casey Eye Institute came as its representative and just as the weighing ceremony took place, doctors from the Institute were touching down in Tanzania for a cataract conference!"

“The Casey Eye Institute is in Naomi’s debt. In the future, patients, their families and the Maasai community will feel her passion and love as they express it through their smiles and joy from improved vision,” commented Dr. Andreas K. Lauer, director, Casey Eye Institute," the official press release says.

“The Guinness World Records brings international recognition and attention to my tanzanite carving L'Heure Bleu. This recognition gives great strength to my promise to help the Maasai with their vision difficulties. This is the cornerstone for our future hopes to provide eye care to the Maasai in Tanzania,” stated artist Naomi Sarna."

"While she was in Tanzania, Sarna was presented with several tanzanite crystals eventually selecting the piece that she hand-carved into the 703-carat L’Heure Bleu.

"It won a First-Place Spectrum Award for carving from the American Gem Trade Association. It sits on a Sterling Silver base inspired by the winds of Tanzania’s Great Rift Valley."

"Sarna has been the recipient of 23 Spectrum Awards in both gem carving and jewelry design. She was recently awarded a Silver Medal for her White Jadeite carving, “Winter Bird, Spring Greens” at the 2019 Zi Gang Bei Jade Exhibition in Suzhou, China. Sarna received a Bronze Medal for her unique Nephrite Jade carving, “Mossy River” at the same competition in 2017," the official website says.

"Sarna makes her remarkable and unusual pieces in her New York studio. In this space, she has created pieces that are represented in the Smithsonian’s Permanent Collection of American Gems as well as many private collections.

"Sarna had her first solo show “Stone in Motion” at the Wilensky Mineral Gallery in New York City and she was part of a group show “Gemstone Masterpieces” at the same gallery. She is also the Jewelry Arts Journalist for Unique, the Private Jet Magazine."

"Several years ago, gemstone carver Naomi Sarna visited the tanzanite mines in Tanzania to select a piece of rough to carve for an international competition," The Rice Northwest Museum of Rocks and Minerals says.

"At the time the Tanzanian government did not allow tanzanite larger than one gram to be exported. In fact, to get a large enough piece of rough tanzanite, Sarna had to start carving at the mine, working with a flashlight, in a rubble strewn room, finishing it when she returned to her studio.

"The result was L’Heure Bleu sculpture, which won a First-Place Spectrum Award for carving from the American Gem Trade Association."

"A huge tanzanite that was hand-carved into a 703.4-carat sculpture has been officially recognized by Guinness World Records.
The world's largest cut tanzanite, called L'Heure Bleu, was carved by New York-based artist Naomi Sarna and is mounted on a twisted sterling silver base," the IDEX Online says.

"Profits from sale of the carving will go to the Casey Eye Institute to provide eye care to the Maasai people of Tanzania.

Tanzanite is among the "newest" and rarest of gemstones, far rare than diamonds. Tiffany & Co first marketed the green, red, purple and blue stone in 1968 under the name Tanzanite (its scientific name is blue-violet zoisite). It is only found in one tiny area of the country, a four-mile strip near the Mererani Hills in the foothills of Mt. Kilimanjaro."

"Artist Naomi Sarna carved the 703-carat blue tanzanite in 2013. Following an official weigh-in on 9 March at the Rice Northwest Museum of Rocks and Minerals in Oregon, the gemstone is now the new record holder," the Jeweller Magazine says.

"Known as ‘L’Heure Bleu,’ the gemstone is set on a sterling silver base inspired by the winds of the Great Rift Valley in Tanzania. Tanzanite was first identified in 1967.

"The gemstone was discovered in the foothills of Mt. Kilimanjaro. Sarna was initially asked to create the carving for an international competition in 2013 – the American Gem Trade Association’s annual Spectrum Awards."