What color is spinel stone?

It is often compared to a ruby, which is not at all surprising, since it is almost impossible to distinguish them from each other without special training. Its rarity, hardness, magnificent shine and excellent glow after cutting leave neither jewelers nor ordinary people indifferent. We are talking about spinel – a precious mineral that will never lose value.

History of spinel stone

The name of the mineral goes back to the Latin word “spinella”, which means “thorn” or “thorn” and indicates the pointed appearance of the crystals. In the old days, spinel was called “carbuncles”, and the designation “lal” was also popular. Spinel was first mentioned in documents from the 9th century, which mentioned the mining of this stone in Palmyra. The following trace was found in the notes of Marcus Polo, 18th century. Spinel adorns a number of royal regalia. For example, the legendary Great Imperial Crown, which was worn by all Russian monarchs from 1762 to 1917. Spinel also shines on the crown of English monarchs, which you will learn about in our article below.

Physical and chemical properties

• ruby spinel – ruby ​​red color;
• rubicella – has an orange-red tint;
• ruby-bale – rare pink color;
• oriental amethyst – bright purple hue;
• sapphire-spinel – painted sapphire blue.

Sapphire spinel can have the so-called “Alexandrite effect”, in which changing natural light to artificial light changes the perception of the color of the stone: from blue it turns into purple-violet.

Ruby spinel

It is worth mentioning separately about ruby ​​spinel, which is the most expensive on the jewelry market: its cost varies from $20 to $000 per carat. The first information about a stone similar to a ruby ​​is found in documents of the 50th century, but since then the trace of the red mineral has been lost: there is no mention of it either in the Bible, or in the Koran (the most important historical sources), or in the works of philosophers. Until the mid-000th century, the red variety of spinel was not distinguished from ruby. It was then that it became known that the “Black Prince” (“ruby” in the crown of the British Empire) was a different mineral.

The “Black Prince” belonged to Prince Edward of Wales, who credited the stone for all his battles. That is why Henry V, who received the pseudoruby after the death of Edward, considered it his talisman. And this was not a simple superstition; the stone really saved the owner’s life. The fact is that Henry turned the spinel into a decoration for his helmet, and in one of the battles, when a sword fell on the king’s head, the red gem took the entire blow. The stone was eventually placed in the center of the ruler’s crown.

Where is spinel mined?

Only a few deposits give the world gem-quality spinel. It is noteworthy that spinel deposits are accompanied by rubies, which previously created even greater confusion in establishing the differences between these two stones.

The best specimens of red spinel are mined in Myanmar and Tanzania, while Tanzania is the absolute leader in the extraction of this unique stone – the largest and brightest nuggets are found here.

Spinel from Myanmar

Myanmar brings to the world not only rubies of the highest quality, but also spinel, which occurs here in the form of excellent octahedra. Miners find not only bright red, but also orange, pink, blue and purple specimens in local lands.

Ring “Joy of Dreams”

Spinel (Burma) 2,30 carats

By choosing a discreet style as an axiom of elegance for the “Joy of Dreams” ring, the designers were able to create a piece of jewelry “without weak points.” A stylish owner who understands refined minimalism as the quintessence of taste will be able to enjoy the beauty of a precious creation during the day and fully feel its magical power at night, plunging into colorful dreams.

The purest spinel weighing 2,30 carats, mined in Burma, helped the jewelers combine such a mass of advantages into one piece of jewelry. An elite gemstone that meets the high standards adopted by the Maxim Demidov jewelry house, is distinguished by a deep purple hue, bestowed by nature on a few of its creations.

The depth of the central gem is perfectly emphasized by a duo of sparkling diamonds. They subtly contrast with the Burmese crystal and further reveal its noble beauty, which will be appreciated by both lovers of exclusivity and those who understand the investment value of precious stones.

Earrings “Voices of Angels”

Spinel (Burma) (2) 4,44 carats

The designer earrings “Voices of Angels”, which leave a particularly impressive impression in combination with the ring of the same name, impress with a truly beautiful baroque “façade” and the inner, deep magic of delightful precious stones.

This harmony of external and spiritual content is reminiscent of the moment when, under the arches of a majestic cathedral, you feel the invisible presence of angels blessing the fulfillment of your deepest desires. The phenomenal beauty and energetic power of the designer earrings with complex openwork frames made of white gold are contained in the culmination of two purest spinels with a total weight of 4,44 carats.

The vibrant brilliance of the Burmese minerals, whose rich purple color reveals soft pink notes that embody the femininity of the large crystals, contrasts perfectly with the transparent clarity of the numerous diamonds. This visualization of the attraction of opposites looks very impressive, which will enable the owner of a jewelry masterpiece to further emphasize her delicate taste.

Ring “Voices of Angels”

Spinel (Burma) 2,98 carats

The deep, precious sound of each element of the luxurious “Voice of Angels” ring creates that indescribable atmosphere of decoration, which is characteristic only of truly outstanding masterpieces, such as, for example, in the world of architecture such baroque cathedrals as Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence or the Duomo in Milan .

Composed of white gold, the creation of jewelers literally and figuratively demonstrates in the best light the unique main accent – the purest spinel, whose complex color, formed by rich violet and light pink, is reminiscent of a beautiful sunset over the golden domes, when it seems that along with the last sunny The voices of angels are heard like rays above the earth.

The colorful brilliance of the 2,98-carat central mineral contrasts spectacularly with the sparkling diamonds surrounding it. They are like grains of happiness that complement the bright picture of a cloudless life that the exclusive “Voices of Angels” ring with a collectible spinel as its quintessence promises the owner.

Spinel is a rare and often flawless gemstone that comes in a variety of colors and has a strong hardness of 8, second only to sapphire, ruby ​​and diamond. With all these qualities, you wonder how he can be so underestimated and underestimated!

Part of the problem is synthetic spinel, created in a laboratory and used in costume jewelry, which has given the rare natural gemstone spinel a bad reputation. Additionally, there is a history of spinels being mistaken for or being replaced by rubies and sapphires, which for some reason tarnished spinel’s reputation when in fact such a thing should have only enhanced its prestige.

In any case, this beautiful gemstone is usually completely natural and has not undergone any enhancement treatments. It is one of the few gemstones that is naturally blue in color, has a rich past in famous jewelry, and is beginning to gain popularity.

By the way, there are many stories about how spinel featured in many crown jewels from noble houses from India to Russia to Britain, and everyone thought they were rubies, until, shock, horror, someone pointed out that they were all. still spinels. .

These are probably mythical stories, as spinel was a well-known gemstone among jewelers and royalty as early as the 11th century, and the criteria for gemstones included in the crowns of kings, queens and emperors was mainly the words “big and red”. Being a spinel or a ruby ​​had little meaning until the 18th century, when rubies became more valuable.

Spinel colors

A rich, almost ruby ​​red (sometimes called traffic light red) is the most popular spinel color, but cobalt blue spinel is perhaps even more sought after and is certainly less common. Natural blue gemstones are not very common, and sapphires, tanzanites and aquamarines, unlike spinels, usually get their color from heat treatment.

The almost neon pink spinels from Mahenge in Tanzania have made the spinel name famous over the last decade or so and are a stunning and desirable gemstone.

As with most high-quality gemstones, the color of spinel is caused by impurities or minute traces of minerals that mix with the pure state of the gemstone as it forms. Spinel is an oxide of magnesium and aluminum and would be colorless if it had no impurities, but this almost never happens in nature, and transparent spinel is extremely rare.

Trace elements chromium can produce red, pink and orange spinels, while iron produces deep red colors very similar to rubies. Manganese and cobalt are also found in spinel, and sometimes two or three of these elements can combine to create the blues, purples, violet and grays that can also be seen in this colorful gemstone.

Green and yellow spinels are almost never found in nature, but they can be created in the laboratory, so be a little wary if you see them for sale. Pink, purple and orange varieties are also very popular, and gray spinel is becoming increasingly fashionable these days, especially as wedding rings or men’s jewelry.

One type of spinel is known to have color changing properties: in daylight it turns bluish-gray, and in artificial light it turns light purple.

When choosing a Spinel gemstone by color, consider the tone of the stone. It is graded on a scale from very light to very dark, with mid-tone spinels being the most valuable.

Then saturation occurs. Some red spinels may turn brown, and blue, violet, and violet gemstones may appear a little gray. A gemstone with strong saturation will have a beautiful deep true color. The uniform color of the gemstone is also a very important factor.

Types of spinel

Typically, spinel gemstones come in one type or variety, with any differences being only in color: red spinel, blue spinel, gray spinel, and so on. However, over time, several more names were used, many of which were simply fancy for marketing reasons, and others a little misleading for dubious reasons.

Some of them include:

• Almandine spinel is purple.
• Balas Ruby is an ancient name for a pink to pale red gemstone.
• Fire spinel is orange or reddish-orange in color.
• Picotite is a brown spinel.
• Alexandrite-like spinel is a spinel that usually changes color from gray to purple.

Spinel clarity and cut

Gemstones can be clear, translucent or opaque, and in some cases all three in one stone. Their clarity can be varied, and in the case of most high quality faceted gemstones, the clearer the better.

Transparency can be a double-edged sword, as a clear gemstone will allow any internal imperfections or inclusions to be seen.

Typically, even all-natural and untreated spinels are very clear and often flawless gemstones, at least to the naked eye. Spinel sometimes appears with characteristic inclusions that resemble fingerprints, but these swirling patterns actually add to the charm of the gemstone.

Spinel is a strong and durable gemstone that can be cut into almost any shape. Special care should be taken with this gemstone so that its brilliance or brilliance is enhanced and its shimmer or sparkle is maximized.

Spiritual meaning of spinel

Spinel is a rejuvenating gemstone that energizes and inspires you to do bigger and better things. He will lead you forward and upward, will not allow anything to stand in your way and will give you optimism and determination to overcome all obstacles.

If you are feeling a little negative or unsure of your abilities, then Spinel should be your favorite gemstone.

Spinel will not only help in your work life but also in your personal life. The revitalizing power of this gemstone will help relationships by allowing you to appreciate the people in your life and how important they are to you.

Spinel can also help you move on from negative relationships, giving you the confidence and strength to move on from toxic people and overcome or forget past attachments.

Spinel and chakras

Chakra is an old Sanskrit word meaning wheel or circle and refers to seven energy centers located in your body, each of which affects a different physical, emotional or mental state.

These are the Crown, Third Eye, Throat, Heart, Solar Plexus, Sacrum and Root. Each chakra is associated with a color of influence, and a gemstone that has a particularly dominant color is often associated with a chakra point of that color.

Sometimes in life our chakras become blocked or misaligned and need to be realigned or cleared. One way to do this is by using chakra healing stones. The colors of these gemstones or crystals correspond to the individual chakras: red for the root chakra, orange for the sacral chakra, yellow for the solar plexus, green for the heart, blue for the throat, indigo for the third eye, and violet for the crown chakra. .

Spinel is a special gemstone because it comes in almost every color on the spectrum and has connections to all chakras. Different colors of spinel stimulate individual chakras and resonate with the entire chakra spectrum.

Because spinel comes in a variety of colors, it is said to be particularly powerful in awakening Kundalini, or the divine energy that resides within our bodies, waiting to be released.

Let’s look at this a little more closely.

• Red Spinel – Increases physical vitality and strength, activates Kundalini energy, cleanses and aligns the base chakra.
• Blue Spinel – stimulates clear communication, clears and aligns the throat chakra.
• Orange Spinel – stimulates creativity, intuition, balances emotions, cleanses and aligns the root chakra.
• Violet or violet spinel – stimulates spiritual development, cleanses and aligns the crown chakra.
• Pink Spinel – Protects and soothes, cleanses and aligns the root and heart chakras.
• Yellow Spinel – increases intelligence and personal power, cleanses and aligns the solar plexus*
• Green Spinel – stimulates love, compassion, kindness, cleanses and aligns the heart chakra*

*Green and yellow spinel are very rare in their natural form, but can be found as synthetic gemstones. GemSelect does not sell synthetic gemstones. I believe that although synthetic gemstones contain the same minerals and crystal structure as natural gemstones, they do not have the same geological history that took place over millions of years of formation deep in the earth’s crust. It is this story of absorbing the energy of Mother Nature that gives the gemstone its spiritual power.

Health Benefits of Spinel

Spinel, the “Stone of Immortality”, is a symbol of youth, vitality and health and can bring these feelings back to even the oldest of us. This will increase your stamina, reduce fatigue, allow you to quickly recover from illness and activity, and return your energy levels to previous levels.

Spinel can relieve muscle, joint and bone pain, and strengthen teeth, gums, bones, muscles and skin. It may even improve your metabolic system, which can help you shed a few pounds!

We are certainly not great experts on this subject, but we have gained some experience and knowledge from selling gemstones for almost 20 years, so when we are asked how to use gemstones for spiritual or health benefits, we have there are some tips.

The easiest way to influence your body is to wear a gemstone as jewelry or put it in your purse or pocket where it can be used as a touchstone.

Place the gemstone in your palm or place it next to you during meditation. If you don’t meditate, lie down with the crystals on your body, aligning them with your chakra points if possible. Take a bath with the gemstone in water or on the edge of the bathtub (make sure the stone is waterproof – spinel is fine).

Spinel is a positive, uplifting gemstone, so placing it on your desk is a great idea.

To clean a spinel gemstone, hold it under running water, a spring or stream, but a tap will suffice, then let it dry in the sun for half an hour or so.