Pink & Black Spinel:

Hardness: 8 Mohs

Enhancement Code: Natural

Quality Information:

Pink: Medium reddish pink; eye clean; good cut; good polish

Care: Rated “excellent” for everyday wear. To clean, gently scrub with a soft toothbrush and a solution of mild dish soap and warm water.

Major Sources: Cambodia, Myanmar, Russia, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, Vietnam

Pretty, feminine pink gems are becoming evermore popular. Often taken for pink sapphires, pink spinels are a more affordable alternative even though they are surprisingly rarer. Because most people associate spinel with the synthetic variety often found in mass-market jewelry, the savvy consumer can enjoy the beauty of this pretty feminine gemstone at a bargain.

Although rare, spinels are an affordable gemstone. Not widely known to consumers, black spinel is a fantastic choice for those seeking the drama of black-stone jewelry. Without the price tag of black diamonds and tougher than onyx, its naturally profound colour makes the unusual black spinel a marvelous choice for bold jewelry designs.

Red Spinel:

Hardness: 8 Mohs

Enhancement Code: Oil Filling, Heat Treatment

Quality Information: 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.

Care: Rated “good” for everyday wear. Avoid contact with chemicals. To clean, gently scrub with a soft toothbrush and a solution of mild dish soap and warm water.

Major Sources: Burma

Spinel has long been mistaken for ruby by emperors and monarchs. Many of the famous “rubies” of history were actually spinels. One of the most famous examples is the ‘Black Prince’s Ruby’, this historic gem is now set in England’s Imperial State Crown along with the infamous ‘Koh-i-Noor’ diamond and displayed in the Tower of London. The ‘Black Prince’ received it in 1367 as payment for a battle victory. Spinel was only found to be a different stone from ruby in 1783 by mineralogist Jean Baptiste Louis Rome de Lisle. The rarest and highly prized colour of Spinel is the vibrant ruby red. Spinel has been lab grown in a range of colours which has given the stone a slightly bad reputation as it has been used as imitations in costume jewellery.

Blue Spinel:

Hardness: 8 Mohs

Enhancement Code:

Quality Information: 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.

Care: Rated “good” for everyday wear. Avoid contact with chemicals. To clean, gently scrub with a soft toothbrush and a solution of mild dish soap and warm water.

Major Sources: Burma, Sri Lanka, Tanzania

Blue spinel is quite special as it is possibly the rarest form of the stone. It can have a purplish tinge and be found in lavender and greyish colours but the most prized is the purer mid blue colour. Spinel is singly refractive like diamonds which means it also displays great dispersion of fire. It is a stunning choice and alternative to sapphire and ruby which often have the highest price tags.