Spinel

Gemstones

Spinel

Spinel is a favorite of gem dealers and collectors on account of its brilliance, hardness and wide range of spectacular colors. In addition to beautiful rich reds, spinel can be found in a range of gorgeous pastel shades of pink and purple. Spinel is a durable gemstone that is perfect for all jewelry uses. Spinel has only been recognized as such since around 1850. Before that, spinels--like most red stones--were considered rubies, because early gemology classified stones only by color.

Colors:	Spinel occurs naturally colorless as well as in every color, including reds, pinks, oranges, yellows, blues, violets, greens, black, and brown.
Shapes:	It is most often faceted in oval, round, or cushion shapes.
Origin:	Spinel is mined in Burma, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, and Tadzhikistan (part of the former Soviet Union).
Care:	Easy-going spinel can usually be safely cleaned in ultrasonic or steam cleaners, or with simple warm soapy water. Light-colored spinel may fade if exposed to extreme heat, but otherwise, its hardness and toughness makes spinel an ideal stone for jewelry.
Notes:	Many of the world's historically famous "rubies" are actually ruby-red spinels, including the 170-carat Black Prince's Ruby and the Timur Ruby, part of the British Crown Jewels.