Image credit: GIA
In honor of where it was found in the 1967, tsavorite was named after the Tsavo National Park, on the border of Tanzania and Kenya. Today, most tsavorite comes from these East African countries – Tanzania, Kenya and Madagascar.
Tsavorite’s irregular rough in potato-like nodules is almost always fractured, yielding only small sizes suitable for calibration under 1 carat. Since large tsavorite rough is extremely rare, there’s a huge price hike between small and large fashioned stones.
A variety of the grossularite mineral species (which hessonite is also a member), tsavorite is today’s most important green garnet.
Tsavorite is highly desirable for its color. The highest values are placed on strongly saturated bluish-green to green gems of medium to medium-dark tone. Yellowish green is less valuable. Lighter tones or lesser saturation do not qualify as tsavorite; they would merely be sold as green grossularites.
A finished tsavorite’s depth of color often depends on its size. All the gems shown in the picture including the 23.23 carat stone (far left) are fashioned from the same piece of rough.
Tsavorite has other appealing properties that make it an attractive and effective less-expensive alternative to emerald. Comparatively, it’s less included. It’s as hard as emerald, thus well-suited to the popular “invisible setting.” It’s rarely treated and owing to its great brilliance, it’s good partner to match the classics: diamond, ruby and sapphire.
All factors equal, carat weight matters. Cut is a consideration in a carat or less. It is, however, of lesser importance in larger stones that have superb color and clarity. Besides, if there are tsavorites that are 2 – 3 carats or more, they would have been sold to informed customers as beautiful gems in their own right. Not just as emerald alternatives.
Jem Boxx 