Tsavorite garnet, the new emerald?
Emerald has been considered one of the most precious stones in the world for several decades. However, for around fifty years, tsavorite garnet has come into serious competition with traditional emerald. Here are some points of comparison between these two magnificent stones.
Origins
Discovered in East Africa in 1967, tsavorite garnet owes its name to the Tsavo National Park in Kenya where it was discovered. Gemologists often say of this stone that it is "new" compared to emerald, which was discovered around 330 BC A few thousand years separate the discovery of these two sublime green stones.
Different sizes of tsavorite garnet
Properties
Tsavorite garnet
Coming from the very beautiful family of grossular garnets, tsavorite is intense green due to the presence of vanadium and chromium in its composition. Thanks to its high refractive index and the absence of large inclusions, tsavorite garnet is an excellent durable alternative in jewelry. It is possible to find tsavorite garnets of exceptional color and completely clear to the naked eye for a fraction of the price of emeralds . Furthermore, these stones never undergo any beautification treatment by man other than for cutting and polishing.
Emerald
For its part, emerald is a stone known to be more fragile. Contrary to popular belief, it's not his toughness that's his problem. Emerald is often very included, which means there are lots of little white frosts inside the stone. These inclusions greatly weaken the stone. It is possible to find emeralds with very little frost but the cost is higher. In addition, it is common for emeralds to be dipped in a specialized oil in order to reduce this frosting effect and bring out their beautiful color.
Your choice?
Nothing will replace emerald because it is a stone that will always remain mythical. On the other hand, tsavorite garnet will continue to carve out a place of choice in the world of jewelry. The choice therefore remains very personal between these two stones. Please note that we personalize each of our models of rings, necklaces or earrings and create a unique piece with the stone of your choice.
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