With so many various shades of greens of Tsavorites available in the market, how does one tell which colour is more valuable than others? Key factors to look out for when buying gemstones are colour, brilliance (fire) and cutting. Assuming a gemstone has good brilliance and a good cut, colour is the most important factor.

For Tsavorites, the best/optimum colours are those ranging from glass green to medium green to a deep, intense green. But not overly dark or too green to a point where the stone appears black. Colours lighter than glass green are also not the most ideal. Below (3.35ct) is a fine example of a good glass green colour, with good brilliance and good cut.

3.35ct – Glass Green Tsavorite

An example of deep, intense green (but not overly dark) with good cut but slightly lacking in brilliance is the 2.86ct below.

2.86ct: Deep intense green Tsavorite

If you are getting confused, look below for yet another example (1.77ct) of a deep, intense green Tsavorite that has moderate brilliance and moderate quality cut, but good colour.

1.65ct: Deep intense green Tsavorite (good colour), with moderate brilliance and moderate quality cut.

The “poorest” example is as shown below (2.2ct) which has a green colour that is bordering on “too dark”, somewhat lacking in brilliance and poor- moderate quality cut. However, make no mistake, even this “poor quality” specimen is considered above average quality compared to most seen in-stores or available in the mass market.

2.2ct: Dark green Tsavorite with moderate brilliance and poor-moderate quality cut.