The Lion of Merelani is a gemstone being revealed this Thursday, April 20, at the National Museum of Natural History. Tsavorite is a gemstone only found in regions between Kenya and Tanzania. In 2017 Merelani, an area populated with mines in northern Tanzania, this gem was first found weighing 283 carats.
In 2018, this Gem was cut by world-famous gem cutter Victor Tuzlukov bringing the total Carat weight to 116.76 carats. This takes the record of the world’s largest square cushion cut tsavorite gem, with a gleaming 177 facets.
This Tsavorite is Gifted by Somewhere in the Rainbow, a privately owned gem and jewelry collection that strives “ to bring education and enjoyment of fine colored gems to museums, galleries, and facilities dedicated to preserving the rarity and beauty of these minerals, gems, and articles of jewelry,” according to their website.
Bruce Bridges, the CEO of Tsavorite Mining company, mines this particular Gemstone throughout eastern Africa and also provided this gift. This Gem honors his father, who discovered this Gorgeous Gemstone in 1967 in Tanzania.
Record-breaking and the largest Tsavorite to ever enter the Smithsonian, this unveiling will soon become the most popular Gemstone to look at.
If you think this gemstone looks beautiful, check out our handcrafted Tsavorite Ring at Adeler Jewelers.