Tsavorite - everything you need to know

Tsavorite is a green garnet that can easily compete with an emerald in colour. 

Tsavorites are strong, shiny, versatile and endowed with incredible energy. It is also one of the oldest minerals on Earth, but the youngest among them since its discovery just half a century ago. Nevertheless, over this time, precious green stones have become favourites of global brands and belong to an exclusive segment.

The history of tsavorites

In 1967, the British gemstone prospector and geologist Campbell Bridges discovered a deposit of green garnet in the mountains of northeastern Tanzania. The specimens he found immediately attracted the interest of gem merchants. But at the time, the Tanzanian government did not allow the gems to be exported from the country.

Later, Peter Morgan, the founder of Eltons Mining Ltd. discovered the gem near the West Tsavo National Park in Kenya and presented the find to Harry Platt, then vice president of Tiffany & Co. It was at the suggestion of the Tiffany & Co. executive that the name "tsavorite" (from the name of the Tsavo Park) appeared.

And in the mid-70s, the tsavorite became an absolute favourite of Tiffany & Co. and confidently won the sympathy of jewellers around the world.

General characteristics of tsavorites

Today, the largest supplier of tsavorites is Kenya, which is why the gem is sometimes called the Kenyan emerald.

It takes a lot of effort to get to the mineral, as it is quite deep. Modern technologies are hardly used in mining, and the whole process is based on almost manual labour.

Most tsavorite crystals have a large number of inclusions formed due to the ancient formation of the mineral. These inclusions are identifying features of the stone.

How to choose the right tsavorite?

Three parameters influence the value of a stone: colour, clarity (purity) and weight in carats.

The best colour is bright green. Yellowish-green and very dark tsavorites are considered less valuable.

The stone can be transparent or translucent.

Well-formed crystals of tsavorite are extremely rare. Most stones are obtained from round or ellipsoidal minerals without crystal faces. These stones are often large, and because of their appearance, they are called "potatoes". They usually contain large cracks and are only suitable for producing small stones up to 1 carat.

Here are some rules that will help you choose a tsavorite:

— small stones are most often found in nature. A stone over 2 carats is rare, and its price easily competes with an emerald
— the colour of the mineral is not uniform
— tsavorite can "glow" if you look at the stone in sunlight
— Tsavorite is not grown in the laboratory. If you are offered synthetic tsavorite, it is a fake

Properties of tsavorites

Tsavorite is credited with remarkable magical and healing properties. The stone has gained fame as a real absorber of negative energy. It is believed that it is able to form a special aura around the wearer, which wards off bad thoughts and glances of ill-wishers.

Traditional healers claim that tsavorite has a positive effect on the eyes, nervous system, metabolism, relieves headaches, and helps with excessive tension. In addition, gems enhance intuition, harmonise the inner world, and help to establish friendly and loving relationships.

Caring for the tsavorite

Although tsavorite is far from being a fragile gem, this does not mean that it does not require careful treatment. If you follow simple rules, you are guaranteed to preserve the beauty of your stone:

· Avoid hitting the stone against hard surfaces;
· Remove the jewellery before washing dishes and any active activities (in the gym, for example) that may damage the product;
· If you store your jewellery in a jewellery box, arrange it so that the stones do not touch each other;
· avoid leaving tsavorite in direct sunlight for a long time. This can adversely affect the colour of the stone.

Tsavorit and global brands

Thanks to Tiffany & Co. the bright green garnet has become known almost all over the world. The famous Van Cleef & Arpels brand used tsavorites in combination with diamonds to create one of its most recognisable symbols.

You can see the tsars in the jewellery of such global brands:
Tiffany & Со.
Chopard
Chaumet
De Grisogono
Boucheron
and Kochut ;)