Are Tsavorite Stone Rings Durable?

Origin & Mining of Tsavorite

Tsavorite was discovered by British geologist Campbell R. Bridges in Tanzania in 1967 and later in Kenya in 1971. However, the stone was unknown to the world until it was brought into the limelight by Tiffany and Co. in 1974. The stone was named “Tsavorite” after Tsavo East National Park located in Kenya.

Tsavorite is the rarest variety of garnet and this is evident from the fact that gem-quality tsavorite is found only in select locations around the world, that is, in parts of Kenya, Tanzania and Madagascar along with small deposits found in Antarctica and Pakistan.

Physical & Chemical Properties of Tsavorite Stone Rings

Tsavorite is regarded as one of the most sought-after as well as costly variants of garnet. Known as a green color variant of grossular garnet, tsavorite gets its enchanting hues from the presence of trace minerals chromium and vanadium. The green shades differ in intensity and are often combined with undertones of yellow but the most desirable is the rich green hue in medium to dark tone and strong to vivid saturation.

Read more: A Variety of Tsavorite Garnet Jewelry

Though it’s common to have tiny inclusions in tsavorites, the ones with no visible defects on the surface are highly coveted. Since tsavorites have a high refractive index value, their inner beauty is best reflected in trillion, cushion, oval, and emerald cuts. Guess what, if you are a January born, then wearing tsavorites is a blessing in disguise since garnets are the official birthstone of the first month of the calendar.

Is Tsavorite Durable?

Tsavorite scores between 7 and 7.5 on the Mohs hardness scale but this does not make tsavorite rings less popular. Tsavorite makes considerably durable pieces of jewelry that can be worn every day when dealt with with the utmost care, i.e. protected from scratches and frequent knocks.

But keeping their low hardness score in mind, it is advised to clean Tsavorite rings and jewelry in warm water with mild liquid soap and a soft brush. Refrain from using electronic cleaning gadgets that might expose the gemstones to extreme heat that may damage stones with inclusions.

Tsavorite Stone Rings Vs. Emeralds: A Better Choice

The most prominent difference between emeralds and tsavorites is that the former scores 8 on the Mohs hardness scale which is higher than the latter’s. However, when it comes to inclusions, emeralds have way too many which makes them brittle. On the other hand, though tsavorites have a lower hardness score, they have far fewer inclusions than emeralds. It means finding a tsavorite with better clarity is easier than an emerald

Another distinction can be that natural emeralds are mostly treated with heat and oil for color and clarity enhancements but the same is not the case with tsavorites. They are not subjected to artificial enhancements or treatments since most of the tsavorites are clean enough and vibrant in color to be simply cut and polished into desirable shapes. You can find synthetic emeralds but not lab-made tsavorites because the latter have not been synthesized yet.

The most prominent point is that emeralds, in general, cost much more than tsavorite which makes the latter an affordable alternative to emeralds. Though nothing can outshine the beauty of a natural emerald gemstone, there’s no doubt tsavorite makes a good catch in terms of clarity, price and even rarity for tsavorites are much rarer than emeralds in terms of natural production.

Parting Thoughts

If emeralds are too costly to become a part of your jewelry box then you can find your vibrant green enchantment in affordable and classy tsavorites. Shop for wonderful tsavorite engagement rings or get your hands on tsavorite earrings from GemsNY. Guess what, it’s not just tsavorite, you can curate any gemstone rings featuring multi-colored garnets only from www.gemsny.com, your ultimate destination for precious and semi-precious gemstone jewelry.

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