Tsavorite: Wow! Look Out, Emerald

Tsavorite is a 100% natural gemstone (not enhanced in any way at all). It takes a special gemstone to overtake a long-cherished, valuable gemstone and, from the looks of things, tsavorite is poised to make its move on the emerald. Tsavorite has the color, brilliance, durability, and price that will challenge any emerald.

 

A persistent, clever geologist and gem collector named Campbell R. Bridges made the discovery of transparent green stones in 1967, northeast of Tanzania. Unable to obtain a permit from the Tanzanian government allowing him to mine and export the green stones, Mr. Bridges used his geological knowledge to lead himself to Kenya where, in 1971, he discovered more of these fascinating stones.

 

Living in a tree-house in Kenya in order to protect himself from wild animals, Mr. Bridges worked at extracting these precious stones. Many of the workers that were helping him were afraid of the many snakes that were around. Mr. Bridges, in an effort to foil theft of the gemstones that had been found, kept a python near the gemstones.

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In 1974, Tiffany and Company’s president, Henry Platt (a noted gem collector himself), suggested tsavorite as the name for the green stones, honoring Kenya’s Tsavo National Park. Tsavorite is a green grossularite from the garnet family of stones. Vanadium or chromium gives tsavorite its color. The color of tsavorite can range from light green to deep, dark green. With the refraction (fire) the tsavorite emits, this is definitely one of the most breathtaking green gemstones in existence. This gemstone has also been called tsavolite.

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Campbell and Judith Bridges have offices in Nairobi, Kenya. Judith runs a company, Tsavorite USA, Inc., which is based in Virginia, in the United States. Her company markets tsavorites and other East African gemstones.

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Currently, only a few mines in Tanzania and Kenya are producing tsavorite. With only a few locations producing tsavorite, it is considered to be much, much rarer than an emerald. Usually, the tsavorite stone is less than 2 carats. Any tsavorite stone over 3 carats is rare. The largest known tsavorite (325 carats) was found near Arusha, Tanzania. The value of that stone is over two million dollars.

 

Tsavorite is durable (7-7.5 on Mohs scale). The brilliance (fire) and color of the tsavorite stone makes it an excellent stone to accent with diamonds in jewelry. At sometimes less than half the price of an emerald, any gem collector or jewelry enthusiast should be excited about tsavorite. As the public becomes aware of this fantastic gemstone, values will surely rise. This is a gemstone that is going places. Take tsavorite with you wherever you go.

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