This is a variety of green Garnet called Tsavorite. It has a very unique and bright green colour that is only found in this type of Garnet. The colour can rival the green of Emerald and is a great alternative.
The name “garnet” may come from either the Middle English word ‘gernet’ meaning ‘dark red’, or the Latin word ‘granatus’(“grain”), possibly a reference to the ‘Punica granatum’ (“pomegranate”), a plant with red seeds similar in shape, size, and colour to some garnet crystals. Garnet species are found in many colors including red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, brown, black, pink and colourless. The rarest of these is the blue Garnet.