So I mentioned in a previous post that I’m not typically a huge fan of garnets, but I think that there are a few colors that garnets do better than other gemstone varieties. The top color on that particular list for me is orange, as in spessartite, but this post is about tsavorite, a green variety. You can find tourmaline in a similar color, but the refractive index is so much higher in tsavorite, that for me, garnets win by a landslide. Green is one of my favorite colors, so I have owned a few.
This is a 1.23ct tsavorite cut by Barry Bridgestock. The setting the stone is in is an estate ring with baguettes:
Pictured with the tsavorite is an almost 2 carat tsavorite from Gary Braun, as well as two slightly windowed 5mm tsavorites that were a gift.
Same stone, but in a custom antique style setting that I designed. I happen to prefer medium green tsavorites. This one, depending on the light can look more grassy green. The trade ideal seems to lean darker in tone, and potentially more blue than my stone.
While not typically a picture I’d consider “good” because dark gems are do not make pretty pictures, I love the way the needle inclusions are reflected around the stone. It only looks like this from one angle, and it is typically not visible without magnification. It reminds me of confetti.
A better view of the needles from a different angle. These aren’t immediately visible when looking at the stone unless you have eagle eyes and the light hits the stone at the right angle.
The most accurate representation of the color, clarity and cut of the stone.
The layout of the stones before the setting was made.
I love green stones and diamonds. There isn’t another color combination that quite gets to me the way green and the white of diamonds look together.
Tsavorite is definitely not the only green garnet, so this won’t be the last green garnet post from me!
The Gemstone Project 