Shopping for a tsavorite

[Harriet]

please give me some sources, as well as prices to expect. Thanks!

 

[Kismet]

Depending on color, cut and clarity (especially color though) you could get a nice 1 carat tsavorite anywhere from $500 to $1,500. AC Stones has some nice tsavorites in the 1 carat range. AJS Gems also has some nice 1 carat-ish stones. If you''re looking for something a lot larger you might want to contact Richard Wise (http://rwwise.com) or Wink Jones (http://winkjones.com) or CherryPicked and have them search for you.

 

[movie zombie]

this is a good time to let a vendor know you are looking for a particular stone and what charactieristics you''re willing to pay for: tucson gem show looms on the horizon!

movie zombie

 

[Moosejaw]

Hi Harriet,

I did ALOT of research before I purchased the tsavorite and spessertite for gifts this christmas. I am unsure of your budget or what is most important to you...but here is my opinion.

I ALWAYS choose quality over size. That being said, color/cut/clarity are the most important for a tsavorite, ESPECIALLY color, as was already said in a previous post.

I personally loved Richard Homer''s stones, since the cut is so amazing, and the quality of the color was second to none.

His website is www.concavegems.com

I have another post on this site with the photos of the stones I purchased...please try to find them and take a look. an

I also have another recommendation but let me know what you think first.

 

[widget]

Date: 1/10/2007 12:08:59 AM
Author: movie zombie
this is a good time to let a vendor know you are looking for a particular stone and what charactieristics you''re willing to pay for: tucson gem show looms on the horizon!

Great point, MZ! Now is the perfect time to let a vendor know you''re looking for a gemstone...

widget

 

[Pandora II]

Wink Jones is looking for a tsavorite for me at the moment for my e-ring.

Cost depends on what you want - but good stones are not cheap. In one of Pokey's posts he says he spent around $5k for his tsavorite.

I want the best stone that can be found. I looked at loads on multicolor and ajsgems, but without having them sent out it is hard to really know from 1 photo. I am after top colour and an excellent cut and I'd rather trust an expert and pay the going rate than end up with an $800 online 'bargain' that isn't what I want.

I asked Wink to look for stones between 1.2 and 1.90 ct as I knew I couldn't afford the big jump at 2ct. He's given me details of 2 stones around the 1.4ct mark so far and I have had to completely rethink my spending and will need to double my budget for that kind of size alone.

I am fast going down the route of feeling that I would rather buy the absolute best I can afford for my tsavorite and not have the Leon setting rather than go with a less than gem quality rock and a pricey home for it!

Hope this helps....

 

[decodelighted]

Richard Wise has an emerald cut Tsvorite over six carats that is AMAZING!!! I can''t link the pix & there isn''t a price listed but WOW ... go to his site & check it out!!!

 

[decodelighted]

Holy Green Giant!

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

Whoa Deco, that baby is pretty sweet.....

cheers--Sharon

 

[Moosejaw]

Yah that 6 ct stone is a beauty, but I think its running 25k+...or it maybe 35k. I called on it a while back.


-G

 

[Harriet]

Thanks, everyone. I'm looking for an emerald-cut, emerald-coloured (deep green?) stone. I'd like it to be a good size to balance with my e-ring. How does a tsavorite's density compare with a diamond's?

 

[movie zombie]

i thought it was $38K when i checked a year or two ago..............

richard''s stone are absolutely fabulous.....and he charges accordingly. it really is amazing how much difference there can be between one stone and the next.

movie zombie

 

[Pandora II]

http://www.secretsofthegemtrade.com/articles_12.htm

http://www.lapigems.com/tsavorite_buying_guide.asp

http://www.palagems.com/tsavorite_bancroft.htm#buying_guide

Here are a few links that you might find useful and that have all the tech info. Warning: These sites will lead to a very long wish list of gems you didn''t even know existed. Can I interest anyone in a nice Indicolite?

www.multicolour.com and www.ajsgems.com have quite a lot of stone and will give you an idea of ''internet'' prices. If you are after a top quality gem it appears that you need to revise all those figures up by around 40-60%.

Palagems also has some gorgeous rocks but you''ll have to get someone in the trade to enquire for you.

Have you looked at green tourmaline? I''ve seen a lot more emerald cut in that than tsavorites. Most of the tsavorites I''ve seen are either oval or cushion cut. Emerald cut doesn''t really make the most of tsavorite''s sparkliness either IMO.

 

[Moosejaw]

Harriet,

What do you mean by density?

On a hardness scale a tsavorite is 7.5 in comparison to a diamond at 10.

 

[Pandora II]

Some numbers for comparisons:

Specific Gravity for Tsavorite - 3.60 – 3.68

Specific Gravity for Sapphire - 3.90 - 4.10

Specific Gravity for Diamond - 3.52

These figures represent the density in gms/cm3. The lower the number the more bling/mm

Diamond is lighter so a Tsavorite will face up smaller assuming all other things being equal eg. depth of pavillion etc A Sapphire will be even smaller as it is denser than both Diamond and Tsavorite.

Refractive index for Tsavorite - 1.740 Singly refractive Dispersion - 0.028

Refractive index for Sapphire - 1.76 - 1.77 Dispersion - 0.018

Refractive Index for Diamond - 2.42 Dispersion - 0.044

Refractive index is the ratio of light's velocity through air to the light's velocity through the media. The higher the refractive index is, the smaller the reflective angle is, and the more the light is reflected - better luster.

Dispersion is a gem's ability to bend white light into the color of spectrum - "fire", "sparkle". The higher the number the better!

Therefore Tsavorite is heavier than diamond, but more sparkly than sapphire.