Stone Guide
Tsavorite Garnet
Origin: Kenya, Tanzania
What Makes It Special
Tsavorite is simply one of the finest green gemstones on Earth—period. Discovered in 1967 by Campbell Bridges in Kenya's Tsavo National Park, this vivid green garnet possesses an incredibly high refractive index, meaning it sparkles infinitely better than an emerald. The real kicker? It's almost never treated or enhanced. When you look at an outstanding Tsavorite, you are looking at pure, untreated natural beauty running deep with color.
Required Documentation
Unlike emeralds, which almost uniformly require condition and treatment disclosures, Tsavorites are naturally beautiful straight from the ground. While a GIA or AGL report is genuinely helpful for significant stones to confirm identity, it's not a dealbreaker on smaller or mounted goods.
Price Guide 2026
⚠️ Since Tsavorite is rarely treated in any way, buyers pay for pure, natural, unenhanced color.
Notable Auction Records
Exceptional Tsavorite over 5ct
High-end estate auction
Variable
High Premium/ct
Dealer's Notes
Tsavorite is an outstanding alternative to Colombian emerald—you're getting an arguably livelier, untreated green stone for less money.
Size matters significantly. Because Tsavorite forms in geologically violent environments, large crystals simply don't survive. Anything clean over 3 carats commands an extreme premium.
Expect to pay $1,000 to $8,000 per carat for beautiful material, but if you want a clean stone over 3 or 4 carats, prepare for prices to leap substantially higher.
Focus on color saturation: the very best Tsavorites hit a sweet spot of vivid, saturated green that isn't too dark or overly olive.
Always ask to see the stone in daylight; the high refractive index really pops when you take it outside.
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