On the tsavorite hunt

[sylki]

Hello everyone! I have been on the hunt for a tsavorite for over a year ever since I saw a beautiful emerald cut 4+carat one at Tiffany's. I have had the most difficult time finding a beautiful stone that I like and would really appreciate any help, advice, or direction the experts here can lend me.

I went on lapigems.com and found a few interesting stones.

https://www.lapigems.com/gemstonedetails.asp?id=6974
https://www.lapigems.com/gemstonedetails.asp?id=6863

I am hoping someone can tell me if there are any glaring faults in either. I also notice there is a huge price jump above 3 carat at least on this website. Is that normal? Is it better to stay below the 3 carat range?

I am looking for a clear and lively beautifully cut emerald cut stone for under 8kusd and around 3 carats. Am I looking at the wrong site? Is my budget unrealistic? I checked other sites and I can't find anything in the cut I want in the size I want.

Thank you so much!

 

[qubitasaurus]

They're simply rare in that size. I would personally consider 2 ct stones as well to widen my options (so I could end up with a blue modifier if at all possible). But they exist

https://www.etsy.com/sg-en/listing/...reen-grossular-garnet?ref=shop_home_active_68

https://www.litnon.com/index.php?page=viewgem&id=10868

There is a beautiful one on jewels by graces site too, but I seem to remember it had a sky high pricetag.

There are quite a few on roger derry's site as well. You would just have to ask about prices directly.

https://rogerdery.com/gems/

 

[LemonMoonLex]

Heres a ready made ring in 18k yellow Gold with a 2.65ct tsavorite thats barion cut but has that emerald like shape for only $2,550.00 and the whole piece is a sturdy 10.1 grams.

https://loupetroop.com/listings/rin...-ring-price-was-3250-dollars-now-2550-dollars

 

[T L]

Primagemsusa.com has a huge selection of tsavorite

 

[pwsg07]

I would suggest going to Tsavorite USA since your budget is high. They have a lot of clean stones in medium green which are hard to find in the market. I would go down on the clarity to get a bigger stone. To me eye clean is good enough. They grade the colour of the stones. For a larger stone, I suggest to go for a medium tone not a medium dark tone. Now I wish my tsavorite have a lighter tone. Don’t forget to bargain.

 

[suzanne2]

3.34 cts from Multicolour for $4800.
http://www.multicolour.com/detail/?1671220494

Another

http://www.multicolour.com/detail/?-778279449

$6300

 

[Sungura]

Here is a 3+ carat emerald cut tsavorite at pearlmans. The price is just under $8000 USD

https://www.pearlmansjewelers.com/gemstones/?sku=G810775



I think the reason we dont see more step cuts/ emerald cuts in tsavorite a is because of inclusions. Other cuts will hide inclusions and the seller can get a better price for a cushion or oval. What do others think?

 

[T L]

Wow, did tsavorite go up exponentially in price recently as well?

 

[T L]

Crazy huge windows, poor cutting.

3.34 cts from Multicolour for $4800.
http://www.multicolour.com/detail/?1671220494

Another

http://www.multicolour.com/detail/?-778279449

$6300

 

[Sungura]

I would suggest going to Tsavorite USA since your budget is high. They have a lot of clean stones in medium green which are hard to find in the market. I would go down on the clarity to get a bigger stone. To me eye clean is good enough. They grade the colour of the stones. For a larger stone, I suggest to go for a medium tone not a medium dark tone. Now I wish my tsavorite have a lighter tone. Don’t forget to bargain.

I agree with @pwsg07 that you should contact Tsavorite USA. Www.tsavorite.com. And I also second @qubitasaurus suggestion to contact Roger Dery. He has some beautiful emerald cut and step cut tsavs currently on his website. He has been spending a lot of time in Kenya so he may have inventory not on his site (common) or he may have some in the works.

 

[T L]

I also wanted to mention that some tsavorite are more of a yellowish green, and some are more bluish green. The most valuable ones are more bluish. Here’s such an example. It’s a great example of tone, hue and saturation.

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/finally-my-tsavorite-ring.145921/

 

[T L]

I think both lapigems stones are a bit too dark and pine green for me, and the shorter one is cut so deep, you’re losing tons of face up size, and you’ll almost definitely need a custom setting to accommodate that depth.

I prefer medium tone, and rich very slightly bluish green hue. Dark tone often blacks out in certain lighting.

 

[AV_]

Five carats is a small miracle in this stone. Three carats - a smaller miracle (but still!).

I would consider a stone that is 'too deep' - of course there is less spread, but the brilliance can be marvelous and colour literally adds up. Diamodns get away with being shallower cut than any colored stone beacuse of the higher RI & absence of meaningful colour in most cases...

Step cuts are not common for the same reason they are not common in anything (Drat!)

2c

 

[T L]

If the stone is already dark in tone, and then cut too deep, it will almost definitely black out. You don’t want a shallow cut either, but something just right. I suppose a deeper cut stone would be fine with a medium to medium light toned gem, but I would prefer more of that depth to be in the crown, not the pavilion.

Five carats is a small miracle in this stone. Three carats - a smaller miracle (but still!).

I would consider a stone that is 'too deep' - of course there is less spread, but the brilliance can be marvelous and colour literally adds up. Diamodns get away with being shallower cut than any colored stone beacuse of the higher RI & absence of meaningful colour in most cases...

Step cuts are not common for the same reason they are not common in anything (Drat!)

2c

 

[Nick_G]

Thanks to @Sungura for that link to www.tsavorite.com. Fascinating. I'd not realised that the guy who discovered this gem actually originally found it in Zimbabwe. Has any more material come out of Zimbabwe since?

 

[T L]

You can get larger sizes, 4+ carats, in tsavorite, but eye clean ones will be rare and expensive. A more affordable option is a cabochon, where inclusions are more generally accepted. This is my four carat cab, not my optimal color for a tsavorite, but it’s just a suggestion.

 

[AV_]

@Nick_G I recall trouble at the original mine; not sure what came of it or if anyone knows to what extent the geological deposit has been poked into.

 

[Nick_G]

Thanks AV_. I wonder if it's near the Novello Claims area if he was prospecting for beryllium, as both emerald and alexandrite are found there. More green gems!

 

[Sungura]

I also wanted to mention that some tsavorite are more of a yellowish green, and some are more bluish green. The most valuable ones are more bluish. Here’s such an example. It’s a great example of tone, hue and saturation.

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/finally-my-tsavorite-ring.145921/

@TL - I agree with you regarding the value of the different colors. Even the tsav I posted looks to yellow to me, somewhat like my emerald cut chrome tourmaline. But I doubt it is as yellow IRL

OP / @sylki - if the color that makes your heart sing is not the trade ideal then you should make sure to pay a lower per carat price

 

[T L]

@Sungura, tsavorite can be yellowish green to my eyes, but I’m really sensitive to gray and yellow in green. The color/tone of tsavorite I dislike the most is represented by the bottle below. However, people should buy what they like. I just wouldn’t overpay for this color. If you have a good budget, it’s important to get the best color you can afford, no matter the size, but some people prefer size over color.

 

[sylki]

Here is a 3+ carat emerald cut tsavorite at pearlmans. The price is just under $8000 USD

https://www.pearlmansjewelers.com/gemstones/?sku=G810775



I think the reason we dont see more step cuts/ emerald cuts in tsavorite a is because of inclusions. Other cuts will hide inclusions and the seller can get a better price for a cushion or oval. What do others think?

This is gorgeous! I've contacted them asking for more pictures and also tsavorite.com and Roger Dery, so hopefully they have some nice step cut stones in stock.

 

[sylki]

I also wanted to mention that some tsavorite are more of a yellowish green, and some are more bluish green. The most valuable ones are more bluish. Here’s such an example. It’s a great example of tone, hue and saturation.

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/finally-my-tsavorite-ring.145921/

This is a beautiful stone! Would this be considered the industry standard of what is a good colour in a tsavorite?

 

[T L]

This is a beautiful stone! Would this be considered the industry standard of what is a good colour in a tsavorite?

According to a tsavorite dealer I know who is pretty well known for tsavorite, yes, this is considered really fine quality.

 

[Atwater]

I also wanted to mention that some tsavorite are more of a yellowish green, and some are more bluish green. The most valuable ones are more bluish. Here’s such an example. It’s a great example of tone, hue and saturation.

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/finally-my-tsavorite-ring.145921/

I always remember Yingh''s Tsavorite; it is the ideal color for Tsavorite to me. (That was also why I regret I did not buy one from Gene back then.) I have tried to find a tsavorite this year before I started looking into emeralds. I did see several stones in person but none of them is close despite the fact that I sent vendors the above link and its pictures.

 

[sylki]

Hi everyone,

Thank you for your advice so far. Roger Dery replied to tell me they only sell through retail so that's out but I did receive this picture from Bruce Bridges along with the following info on the stone:
Tsavorite, Emerald Cut, 3.54 carats, 11.1 x 6.9 mm, Medium (vibrant grass green) colour tone, VVS clarity, priced at $12,950 total.

I've asked for more pictures, but while waiting, what do you all think?

 

[pwsg07]

Hi everyone,

Thank you for your advice so far. Roger Dery replied to tell me they only sell through retail so that's out but I did receive this picture from Bruce Bridges along with the following info on the stone:
Tsavorite, Emerald Cut, 3.54 carats, 11.1 x 6.9 mm, Medium (vibrant grass green) colour tone, VVS clarity, priced at $12,950 total.

I've asked for more pictures, but while waiting, what do you all think?

The price of the tsavorite has been up a lot. The stone probably has a window or what I would called borderline to a window like what my stone has. It will close up when set. Maybe you can ask for a video to see how the light return of the stone. His VVS is almost loupe clean. Do you like the length to width ratio of the stone? What is the thickness? The colour may go slightly darker in real life but it is an excellent colour.

 

[T L]

I’m in shock over the price. These guys are close to the source, very little middle men, and it’s around $3,700/carat.

I like the tone, but it’s hard to tell the secondary hue from one photo. You don’t want to be paying all that money for a yellowish stone.

Did you inquire with primagemsusa.com to see if they have something similar?

 

[sylki]

Me too, I was very surprised. It's more expensive than lapigems, but maybe it's much superior? I don't know. I have just emailed primagemsusa, thanks for the tip!

I’m in shock over the price. These guys are close to the source, very little middle men, and it’s around $3,700/carat.

I like the tone, but it’s hard to tell the secondary hue from one photo. You don’t want to be paying all that money for a yellowish stone.

Did you inquire with primagemsusa.com to see if they have something similar?