SPINEL: History's Most Underappreciated Gemstone - September 2006

The Great Impersonator. Although the wonderful red of spinel was known to jewelers for a long time, it was not recognized as a separate gemstone until 1587. Up until that time spinels were classified as rubies, in fact many fine examples of the stone reside in crown jewel collections as rubies. Both the Timor Ruby, now owned by Queen Elizabeth, and the Black Prince's Ruby, part of British crown jewels, are in fact spinels. While red is commonly associated to the stone, spinels are also available in several colors from vibrant pinks to dazzling blues.

A Tremendous Value. At times rareness in the gemstone world is actually a detriment and the spinel is no exception. Spinels are in fact rarer than the stone they often imitate, the ruby. Because spinels are a lesser known gemstone, their price is actually lower than the more commonly available rubies. That said, spinels are still one of the most expensive red gemstones along with rubies as well as red diamonds.

Everyday Wear Ability. Rubies and spinels have very similar chemical make-ups, hence the fantastic reds that can be found in both gemstones. Spinels rank just below rubies on the Mohs scale, a measure of stone hardness. The hardness makes them a fine gemstone for any jewelry application from rings to earrings.

Gemstone of the World. In addition to Burma, now known as Myanmar, spinels are also mined in Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Russia as well as several other countries around the world.

In reference to the fiery red color, spinels get their name from the Greek word for spark.