New gem at the Smithsonian

 

A 116-carat gem is now on display at the Smithsonian, in the same room with the Hope Diamond.

It's a tsavorite -- a green garnet.

A stunning gem, to honor a slain geologist, unveiled at Smithsonian
Discoverer of a beautiful green mineral was slain in Kenya by robbers 14 years ago

The name of this lovely stone is the Lion of Merelani.

The discoverer of the mineral was murdered in Kenya by illegal prospectors (says the article) in 2009.

I expect that very few people had the change to hold it like this.