Tsavorite is the green, chromium- and vanadium-colored variety of grossular garnet, first found in 1967 near the Tsavo National Park on the Kenya-Tanzania border. Tsavorite is the variety; the species is grossular garnet, and a laboratory report prints both. The color is green, and the tone and depth of that green vary from stone to stone, so every listing shows the stone itself. The AGTA Gemstone Information Manual assigns tsavorite the enhancement code N, defined as "Natural: No modification (or currently has no known modification process)." On that basis, and on our own examination, we assess a tsavorite as untreated unless its listing says otherwise — that is our assessment, not a laboratory finding. Clarity enhancement is used on a minority of stones, and we disclose it stone by stone.
Why tsavorite
Tsavorite's green comes from chromium and vanadium. Gem grossular has a refractive index of 1.730 to 1.760 and a specific gravity that has not been observed to exceed 3.66 (Stockton and Manson, Gems & Gemology 21(4), 1985); GIA's own tsavorite specimen measured 1.741 and 3.61. GIA gives garnet a Mohs hardness of 7 to 7.5 and describes its toughness as "fair to good", adding that garnet "should not be subjected to any hard blows or rough wear". Mohs is scratch hardness only and says nothing about chipping, which is a question of toughness.
How to choose a tsavorite
Color. A laboratory identification report records the color as green and issues no color grade, so anything beyond that word is our own description. In our description, the tsavorites we prefer are neither so dark that they read black under low light nor so light that the color falls away.
Size. Tsavorite rough occurs in small crystals, and most cut tsavorite reaches the market in smaller sizes. Seven of the eight stones in this collection weigh between 1 and 2 carats. We do not publish a size-versus-price rule, because no price data we can cite supports one.
Shape and cutting style. Oval, cushion, round and octagon are outline shapes, not cutting styles. The cutting style is what the crown and the pavilion facets do, and a report prints the two separately — a brilliant crown over a step-cut pavilion, for example. Each listing gives the shape, and the crown and pavilion cutting styles where the report states them.
Treatment. The AGTA Gemstone Information Manual assigns tsavorite the code N, defined as "Natural: No modification (or currently has no known modification process)." AGTA's wording is hedged and we quote it as it stands. Clarity enhancement is used on a minority of stones; we state the treatment status on every listing, and this collection includes a clarity-enhanced stone that is labelled as such.
Learn about tsavorite and green gemstones
Tsavorite buying guides
Engagement rings
Comparisons
Treatment and laboratory reports
Origin and sourcing
Related collections
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