Tsavorite Garnet:
Tsavorite Garnet
Basic facts:
Month stone: January
Origin: India, Kenya, Madagascar, Mali, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Russia, Sri Lanka & Tanzania
Colors: Various
Family: Garnet
Hardness: 7
Refractive Index: 1.69 – 1.73
Specific Gravity: 3.49
Treatment: Not treated
Garnet has a history that spans over 5,000 years. The name comes from the Latin word for seed, granatus, because the stone has a similar color to the seeds from the pomegranate fruit.
Garnets are a group of related mineral species with essentially the same crystal structure, but varying in chemical composition.
Tanzania has a wealth of beautiful colored garnets, among them a brilliant green grossular garnet, Tsavorite. Tsavorite is East Africa's most beautiful green gemstone, rightful heir to the title "the king of garnets. Tsavorite has established itself as one of the world's most beautiful and sought-after gemstones. Tsavorite garnet is extremely rare. In fact, it is so rare that mining may be completely exhausted within a couple of years.
First discovered in 1967 by the now legendary Scottish geologist, Campbell R. Bridges, Tsavorite has quickly become a favorite among gemstone and jewelry lovers. Bridges discovered Tsavorite in Tanzania, but at the time it was impossible to get an export permit to bring the gems out. Bridges, with the help of the local Masai and Kikuyu tribesmen, continued his search, but this time in neighboring Kenya. In 1971, Bridges discovered Tsavorite for the second time in Kenya's Tsavo region. Life in the African bush is dangerous and the Tsavo region is known as the area of man-eating lions and poachers. To protect himself from predators and bandits, Bridges had to live in a tree house. And because he didn't want his newfound treasure to be stolen, he cunningly used the local people's fear of snakes by placing a python in among his Tsavorit stones.
Tsavorite eventually found its way to America where Henry Platt of Tiffany & Co named the stone based on the famous Tsavo National Park in Kenya.
While Tsavorite was once mined in 40 different areas across Tanzania and Kenya, only four mines are still producing commercial quantities.
Tsavorite's intense green color, similar to that of fine emeralds, is due to the presence of vanadium in the bedrock. Like all garnets, Tsavorite has few inclusions and its high refractive index results in superb brilliance.
Tsavorite Garnet
Basic facts:
Month stone: January
Origin: India, Kenya, Madagascar, Mali, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Russia, Sri Lanka & Tanzania
Colors: Various
Family: Garnet
Hardness: 7
Refractive Index: 1.69 – 1.73
Specific Gravity: 3.49
Treatment: Not treated
Garnet has a history that spans over 5,000 years. The name comes from the Latin word for seed, granatus, because the stone has a similar color to the seeds from the pomegranate fruit.
Garnets are a group of related mineral species with essentially the same crystal structure, but varying in chemical composition.
Tanzania has a wealth of beautiful colored garnets, among them a brilliant green grossular garnet, Tsavorite. Tsavorite is East Africa's most beautiful green gemstone, rightful heir to the title "the king of garnets. Tsavorite has established itself as one of the world's most beautiful and sought-after gemstones. Tsavorite garnet is extremely rare. In fact, it is so rare that mining may be completely exhausted within a couple of years.
First discovered in 1967 by the now legendary Scottish geologist, Campbell R. Bridges, Tsavorite has quickly become a favorite among gemstone and jewelry lovers. Bridges discovered Tsavorite in Tanzania, but at the time it was impossible to get an export permit to bring the gems out. Bridges, with the help of the local Masai and Kikuyu tribesmen, continued his search, but this time in neighboring Kenya. In 1971, Bridges discovered Tsavorite for the second time in Kenya's Tsavo region. Life in the African bush is dangerous and the Tsavo region is known as the area of man-eating lions and poachers. To protect himself from predators and bandits, Bridges had to live in a tree house. And because he didn't want his newfound treasure to be stolen, he cunningly used the local people's fear of snakes by placing a python in among his Tsavorit stones.
Tsavorite eventually found its way to America where Henry Platt of Tiffany & Co named the stone based on the famous Tsavo National Park in Kenya.
While Tsavorite was once mined in 40 different areas across Tanzania and Kenya, only four mines are still producing commercial quantities.
Tsavorite's intense green color, similar to that of fine emeralds, is due to the presence of vanadium in the bedrock. Like all garnets, Tsavorite has few inclusions and its high refractive index results in superb brilliance.