tsavorite

Mr. B.idges was retained as a consultant by Henry B. Platt, president of Tiffany, which bought quantities of tsavorite as well as another gemstone Mr. B.idges specialized in, blue-purple tanzanite.

Drawn to Adventure in Africa, He Brought New Gem to Light 2009

"What Campbell did, single-handedly, for colored gemstones and the African species of tanzanite and tsavorite can not be overstated," says Peter Schneirla, Tiffany's chief gemologist.

Drawn to Adventure in Africa, He Brought New Gem to Light 2009

Bridges Family Campbell Bridges, pictured in 2006, lived in a tree house near his mine to avoid the local wildlife, from scorpions to lions Soon after bringing tsavorite to the attention of gemologists in the U.S. in the early 1970s, Mr. Bridges became the stone's foremost pitchman.

Drawn to Adventure in Africa, He Brought New Gem to Light 2009

In 1967, Mr. Bridges discovered another deposit of tsavorite in northern Tanzania, and commenced mining operations.

Drawn to Adventure in Africa, He Brought New Gem to Light 2009

Before Mr. Bridges discovered the mineral, which was named for the Tsavo national parks near where his mine was located, "only giraffes and other African animals knew about tsavorite," the ads claimed.

Drawn to Adventure in Africa, He Brought New Gem to Light 2009

It was while searching for beryllium, an element of emeralds used to shield nuclear reactors of the day, that Mr. Bridges had his run-in with the cape buffalo, resulting in the discovery of tsavorite.

Drawn to Adventure in Africa, He Brought New Gem to Light 2009

Mr. Bridges went on to become the leading miner of tsavorite, the gemstone he first sighted in 1961 in Zimbabwe.

Drawn to Adventure in Africa, He Brought New Gem to Light 2009

Mr. Bridges remained convinced that tsavorite was underpriced at a fraction of the cost of emeralds, and attributed this to the fact that consumers didn't attach to it the same romance that emeralds held.

Drawn to Adventure in Africa, He Brought New Gem to Light 2009

In the Cyclops ring, the vivid green of a tsavorite is juxtaposed with the carved head and enamelled eye of a Cyclops emerging from the white gold.

Archive 2008-01-01 Thatsnews 2008

The guard, who wore the uniform of Rampart External Security, looked over the expensive car and Mimo's Izod sportswear and glowing green tsavorite pinkie ring.

Perseus Spur May, Julian, 1931- 1998