Tsavorite garnet, the new emerald?

For many decades, the emerald has been considered one of the most precious stones in the world. However, in the last fifty years, the tsavorite garnet has been gaining popularity amongst the desirable green stones. Here are some points of comparison between these two magnificent gemstones.

Origins

Discovered in East Africa in 1967, tsavorite garnet is named after the Tsavo National Park in Kenya where it was found. Gemologists often say that this stone is "new" compared to the emerald, which was discovered in the 16th century. A few hundred years separate the appearance of these two sublime green stones!

See our jewels decorated with tsavorite garnets

Properties

Tsavorite garnet

A member of the beautiful grossular garnet family, tsavorite is an intense green colour 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 and durable alternative for jewellery. It is possible to find tsavorite garnets of exceptional colour and completely clear to the naked eye for a fraction of the price of emeralds. Furthermore, these stones never undergo any human embellishment treatment other than cutting and polishing.

Emerald

The Emerald, on the other hand, is a stone known to be more fragile. Contrary to popular belief, it is not its hardness that is its problem. Emeralds are often very included, which means that there are a lot of inclusions inside the stone. These inclusions make the stone very fragile. It is possible to find emeralds with very little inclusions but that will be reflected in the cost. In addition, it is common for emeralds to be soaked in a specialized oil to reduce the inclusion effect and bring out their beautiful colour even more.

Your choice?

Nothing will replace the emerald as it is a stone that will always remain mythical. On the other hand, the tsavorite garnet will continue to carve out a place of choice in the world of jewellery. The choice between these two stones remains very personal. Please note that we personalise each of our models of rings, necklaces or earrings and create a unique piece with the stone of your choice.