Tsavorite
Tsavorite belongs to the garnet family and is one of the more recent gem discoveries, first found in Kenya and Tanzania in the 1970s, in Tsavo National Park.
Tsavorites can be found in a range of shades from bright, radiant greens to gorgeous blue/greens and forest greens, the most similar to an emerald.
Perhaps one of the more desirable features of Tsavorite is its purity; unlike many other gemstones they do not require any further treatment. The exquisite green colour of the cut stone is the natural colour of the natural gem.
They are hard wearing, with a rating of 6.5 – 7.5 on the Moh’s Hardness Scale, and are more resilient than an emerald, making them fantastic for earrings, pendants and dress rings.
Is Tsavorite Rarer than Emerald?
Tsavorite is currently only mined in a particular regions in Kenya, Tanzania and in smaller quantities in Madagascar and Zimbabwe, so there are likely fewer total stones.
Emeralds are more plentiful, yet it can be more difficult to find an emerald without inclusions than a tsavorite without inclusions.
Why are Tsavorites Green?
The majority of deposits contain Tsavorite that has been vanadium-colored. However, chromium can also be found in a deposit near Kuranze. This gives the stones from this deposit a unique colour, with a hint of blue in the green, like many of the highest quality emeralds.
