Learn about Tsavorite
- 7 - 7.5 on the Mohs scale of hardness
- A beautiful and stiking green version of garnet.
- Named after the national park it was discovered in.
- First mined in Tanzania.
General Information on Tsavorite
Tsavorite is a bright green stone mined in Tanzania. It is part of the garnet family and has the chemical formula Ca3Al2SI3O12.
It is small amounts of the element chomium that give tsavorite its spectacular green colour
The discovery of this green stone in 1967 in Tanzania allowed more opportunity for green garnet to come on the market and it was actually Tiffany's that invented the name based on the location that it was found in Tansania.
Tsavorite has also been found in other African countries and is a rare stone and treated in similar ways to Alexandrite in the sense that, although it is not as popular as ruby or sapphire, it is equally as lovely and prized. Tsavorites over around 6mm are particuarly rare and would be considered to be a museum piece.
Tsavorite has a Moh's hardness value of 7 - 7.5 (10 being diamond, the hardest stone) which makes it feasable for use in an engagement ring, however care should be taken when wearing a tsavorite engagement ring and damage could easily occur. It is not therefore recommended to cut tsavorite into shapes with points, like squares, as these points are particularly brittle.
Tsavorite is found in what are strangly called 'potatoes' which are coated with quartz and the rock has to have a granite base.
Tsavorite would make a wonderful choice for you engagement ring if you are looking for a bold green stone as the centre piece.
Please contact us if you have any questions or would like to arrange a design consultation.
Related Blog articles
- Read Kerrie's blog article on tsavorite.