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Tsavorite Garnet

Last updated: April 2026

The green, chromium or vanadium-rich variety of grossular garnet.

Tsavorite Garnet has a specific gravity of 3.61 and a refractive index of 1.730–1.760, with a Mohs hardness of 7.0–7.5. It is singly refractive.

Physical & Optical Properties

RI Range1.730–1.760
SG Range3.59–3.65
SG Typical3.61
Hardness (Mohs)7–7.5
Crystal SystemCubic
Optic CharacterSR (Singly Refractive)
Dispersion0.028
Fluorescence LWInert
Fluorescence SWInert
Chelsea FilterRed
PleochroismNone
ColorsGreen
SpeciesGarnet
VarietyTsavorite
Green

Measured with a polariscope, a refractometer, a hydrostatic balance, a Chelsea filter, a UV torch, a loupe, a darkfield loupe and a spectroscope — step-by-step for each.

Through the refractometer

Tsavorite Garnet varies 1.730 – 1.760 1.40 1.45 1.50 1.55 1.60 1.65 1.70 1.75 1.80 REFRACTIVE INDEX DORotate the stone through a full 360°, watching the boundary. SEEOne boundary that does not move as you rotate. Where it sitsis not fixed for this species, though: published at 1.730 –1.760, and the stone drawn here reads 1.745, between thedashed marks. MEANSSingly refractive — a stationary single edge through thewhole rotation says so. The value itself is only anarrowing: this species spans 3 printed divisions, so areading places your stone inside the range rather thannaming it. Computed from gems.json — edge positions are arithmetic, not drawn. RI increases upward; the field above the boundary is the dark one.

Drawn from the refractive index above, on a 1.40–1.81 scale. How to take this reading.

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Key Differentiators

Common Simulants

Commonly Confused With

Commonly confused with: Emerald, Demantoid Garnet, Tourmaline, Glass, Chrome Diopside.

Measurement Guides

How to Identify a GemstoneHow to Measure Specific GravityHow to Use a RefractometerUV Fluorescence Testing

Identifying a tsavorite garnet? Loupewise walks through these tests in order — RI, SG, fluorescence, and more.

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Studying for the GIA, FGA, or FEEG practical? Tsavorite Garnet is one of the 132 species in Loupewise’s drill and exam pool — practice identifying it from its measured properties under timed exam conditions.

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