For centuries spinel, the great imposter, masqueraded as ruby in Europe’s crown jewels. It wasn’t until in 1783 that mineralist Jean Baptiste Louis Rome De Lisle identified Spinel as a different material to Ruby. This act is said to be the birth of the science of gemology.
Spinel is a rare and often flawless gemstone which is generally all-natural and receives no enhancing treatment. It has a durable hardness rating of 8 which is only just behind sapphire, ruby and diamond making it excellent for wear in jewellery.
Spinel, like garnet and diamond, is singly refractive, with the same physical properties in all crystal directions. It belongs to the cubic crystal system, and its characteristic crystal shape is an octahedron, which looks like two back-to-back pyramids. Well-formed spinel crystals are fairly common in nature.
Spinel offers a range of hues, from orange to intense “stoplight” red, vibrant pink, and all shades of purple, blue, and violet through bluish green. The most valued spinel colours are bright red, cobalt blue, and vivid pink and orange. As with other gems, such as fancy colour diamonds, the value of the stone is determined by the deep richness of the colour. The deeper the colour, the more valuable the stone. Spinel are mostly found in Afghanistan, Myanmar and Sri Lanka.
Curious Fact: Spinel crystals are so perfect, in Burma they are said to be nat thwe or “polished by the spirits
We have a small but stunning range of Spinels in store ranging in colour from pink through to lavender, purple and blue. Call us today on 1300 15 24 90 or contact us online to arrange a viewing.
