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Tsavorite – A Very Special Green Garnet
Tsavorite is actually a green grossularite garnet so why does it have a unique name and what does that tell us about this very special gemstone? Part of the answer lies in the naming conventions used in modern mineralogy where gemstones are given a name that ends in 'ite'.
Tsavorite was named in honor of the Tsavo National Park and the Tsavo River that flows through it by the former president of Tiffany & Co. Henry Platt. He had been following the expeditions of British geologist Campbell R. Bridges as he searched for gemstones in Tanzania and Kenya. He was so impressed by Bridges discovery of the beautiful green garnet found amid the arid grassland of the East African bush country that he felt it should be named for the area in which it was discovered.
So what is it about this gemstone that made Platt & Bridges want to give it a unique name, something other than simply green grossularite garnet? First and foremost is its color, a vivid, rich radiant green. The color range of Tsavorite can range from a lighter spring green to a deep forest green - arboreal colors that truly transport you to the African bush.
Tsavorite is also remarkable for its brilliance having a particularly high refractive index (1.734/44) that is similar to many other garnets. An old legend say that garnets are impossible to hide as their sparkling light can even be seen through clothing! Well, like all legends this one may be a bit, shall we say, overstated, but the fact remains that the radiant Tsavorite will catch your eye very quickly indeed.
Unlike many other gemstones, Tsavorite has no known enhancements, never heated, oiled or irradiated it always makes its way to you in its original, natural state. It is also a very rugged gemstone, registering 7.5 on the Mohs scale, very similar to the much more expensive Emerald but much less sensitive to shock. Tsavorite is also less likely to crack or splinter as a result of being struck by a hard surface, a very useful trait when the gemstone is set in a ring or in the popular 'invisible setting' in which the stones are set close to one another (something that should never be done with the more sensitive Emerald).
Unfortunately, Tsavorite is very rarely found in large crystals, in fact, cut stones over 2 carats are considered to be extremely rare and most are under 1 carat. It is another remarkable feature of this gemstone that it can display its richness, depth of color and radiance even in such small size gemstones.
The Tsavorite is a very special gemstone, totally deserving of its "unique" name. With its lovely rich green color, excellent wear characteristics, superb brilliance and reasonable prices (given its rarity), it is, in my opinion, truly the finest gemstone of our age.
For More Information on Tsavorite:
Gem Library - Tsavorite
Gemstone Collection - Tsavorite
Tsavorite was named in honor of the Tsavo National Park and the Tsavo River that flows through it by the former president of Tiffany & Co. Henry Platt. He had been following the expeditions of British geologist Campbell R. Bridges as he searched for gemstones in Tanzania and Kenya. He was so impressed by Bridges discovery of the beautiful green garnet found amid the arid grassland of the East African bush country that he felt it should be named for the area in which it was discovered.
So what is it about this gemstone that made Platt & Bridges want to give it a unique name, something other than simply green grossularite garnet? First and foremost is its color, a vivid, rich radiant green. The color range of Tsavorite can range from a lighter spring green to a deep forest green - arboreal colors that truly transport you to the African bush.
Tsavorite is also remarkable for its brilliance having a particularly high refractive index (1.734/44) that is similar to many other garnets. An old legend say that garnets are impossible to hide as their sparkling light can even be seen through clothing! Well, like all legends this one may be a bit, shall we say, overstated, but the fact remains that the radiant Tsavorite will catch your eye very quickly indeed.
Unlike many other gemstones, Tsavorite has no known enhancements, never heated, oiled or irradiated it always makes its way to you in its original, natural state. It is also a very rugged gemstone, registering 7.5 on the Mohs scale, very similar to the much more expensive Emerald but much less sensitive to shock. Tsavorite is also less likely to crack or splinter as a result of being struck by a hard surface, a very useful trait when the gemstone is set in a ring or in the popular 'invisible setting' in which the stones are set close to one another (something that should never be done with the more sensitive Emerald).
Unfortunately, Tsavorite is very rarely found in large crystals, in fact, cut stones over 2 carats are considered to be extremely rare and most are under 1 carat. It is another remarkable feature of this gemstone that it can display its richness, depth of color and radiance even in such small size gemstones.
The Tsavorite is a very special gemstone, totally deserving of its "unique" name. With its lovely rich green color, excellent wear characteristics, superb brilliance and reasonable prices (given its rarity), it is, in my opinion, truly the finest gemstone of our age.
For More Information on Tsavorite:
Gem Library - Tsavorite
Gemstone Collection - Tsavorite
Submitted on: May 13, 2009 @ 5:02am
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