Spinel is a truly fascinating gemstone. Occurring in a range of colors - from rose pink and rich red to deep violet, bright orange and cobalt blue - this stone is not usually treated, hence its color is almost always natural. Most desirable colors are however vivid ruby-like red, followed by cobalt blue and bright pink.
HISTORIC SPINELS:
Gem’s beauty of spinel has caused it to be mistaken for ruby and sapphire in the past. Hence, since early days Kings and Queens were decorating their crowns with this magnificent stone: England's state crown is set with the legendary “Black Prince’s Ruby” spinel (which was thought to be a ruby). Russian Imperial Crown is adorned with a stunningly huge red 398.72ct spinel, mounted on a central arch, accompanied by 9,936 diamonds and 74 pearls:
"Timur Ruby” (named after the Turko-Mongol ruler, Timur), which is now part of the Crown Jewels of England, was believed to be the largest ruby until 1851, is in fact a spinel.
Only recently spinels have been properly identifies and recognized as a gemstone, that is worthy of appreciation in its own right. Nowadays, this magnificent gem is being favoured by the high jewelry designers like Tiffany & Co and Harry Winston.
COLOURS:
Spinel of certain colors are rarer and more valuable than others. Violet, purple, lavender stones or gems with grayish hue tend to be less in demand than other, rarer colors. The most desirable color is in fact ruby red (red spinels are rarer than rubies) and strong pink. The rarest ones are blue.
Star spinels are rare and very much sought after these days. They exhibit stars created by natural light reflection within the gem.
Spinels are not usually treated, which means they are generally free of any modifications by men, unlike many other gems, including rubies & sapphires.
The higher iron content gemstone has, the darker the color is. Natural spinels tend to have slight to moderate iron content, unlike synthetic stones.
ORIGIN:
Significant deposits have been found in Cambodia, Myanmar (Burma), Sri Lanka and Thailand. Other locations include Afghanistan, Australia, Brazil, Madagascar, Nepal, Nigeria, Tadzhikistan, Tanzania and the USA.
HARDNESS: Spinel’s hardness on the Mohs scale is 8, which makes it incredibly versatile, durable and not scratchable. Perfect choice for any type of jewelry.
MEANING:
Considered as a perfect stone for workaholics, this stone re-energizes you and reduces your stress level. Furthermore, spinel is a stone that helps you to get rid of body’s toxins, both in physical and energetic sense.
Some gemstones look as great as good quality ruby for just a fraction of the cost, which makes them a great choice from the investment point of view.
