A 325.13 carat tsavorite from Michael Couch, Des Moines, Iowa.
Tsavorite, a green grossular garnet, was discovered in 1967 in Tanzania. Later it was also found in Kenya. The name tsavorite was suggested by Sir Henry Platt, the former president of Tiffany and Co, in honor of Kenya's Tsavo National Park.
In late 2006 a 925 carat tsavorite crystal was found in the Karo area in Block D at Merelani,Tanzania. The crystal yielded an oval mixed-cut 325 carat stone. It measures 42.11 x 36.46 x 28.34 mm and is exceptionally clean. This stone is probably the largest gem quality tsavorite in the world. The asking price on the 325 carat gem? A cool $2.2 million.
