Spinel Gemstone
What is the Spinel?
Red Spinel is a cheeky cheater! This gem is found in the same deposits as Ruby, although it is an entirely different mineral.
Spinel is a splendid gem and is the variety Torrini is interested in for its beautiful brilliance. There are many other varieties of this gem whose value is low due to easy excavation and abundant deposits.
Spinel, of an intense fiery red, is rare and historically considered beautiful as a Ruby until it has been mistaken for it since ancient times.
Spinel Mineral
Spinel, in its red variety, has a vitreous luster and is found in metamorphic rocks. This gem is a mineral composed of magnesium aluminate. It is part of a very varied group of Spinels, among which Alexandrite and Chrysoberyl stand out.
The Spinel we are talking about is red with visual characteristics, similar to the Corundum of which the Ruby and Sapphire varieties belong. Hence the ancient definition of "cheater" is a beautiful gem-like Ruby but less rare. Spinel has a hardness of 7.5 / 8 on the Mohs scale, therefore much lower.
The raw crystal of this gem is octahedral similar to the diamond crystal. Spinel shares the same extraction sites (Burma, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Vietnam, Tanzania, and Brazil) as Ruby but retains profound differences.
The Spinel is not birefringent like the Ruby that shows color variations by observing it from different positions. Instead, this gem is isotropic, monorefractive, capable of delivering excellent uniformity of color and extraordinary brilliance.
What is the Spinel?
Red Spinel is a cheeky cheater! This gem is found in the same deposits as Ruby, although it is an entirely different mineral.
Spinel is a splendid gem and is the variety Torrini is interested in for its beautiful brilliance. There are many other varieties of this gem whose value is low due to easy excavation and abundant deposits.
Spinel, of an intense fiery red, is rare and historically considered beautiful as a Ruby until it has been mistaken for it since ancient times.
Spinel Birthstone & Anniversary
Spinel is the gemstone of the month of August.
Spinel is traditionally given as a gift for the 22th anniversaries.
Spinel Quality Factor
Discover the quality factor of the Spinel
The beauty of Spinel depends on the quality of the raw mineral highlighted by the master cutter.
We can summarize in 3 points a good quality Spinel:
Spinel has a very intense fiery red color; considered a precious gem.
This gem is mono-refractive, capable of showing excellent uniformity of color and extraordinary brilliance.
The Spinel is a trendy gemstone because it is as beautiful as the ruby but with a much more accessible cost.
The Brief History of Spinel
The Spinels have always been part of history and the rulers of Europe and were often incorporated into important court jewels.
These gems were called Rubies because the difference between the two gems was not known and also because perhaps they did not want to let people know the true identity of the Spinel.
It is reported that before 1366 a 170-carat Spinel was owned by Abu Said, Emir of Granada in Spain. When Peter I of Castile, known as "the cruel," killed the Emir, he took possession of the gem, which began to wander up to the court of England. The gemstone was inserted in the center, together with the great Diamond called Cullinan, of the magnificent Imperial State Crown arranged for the coronation of George VI in 1936.
Until then, this beautiful Spinel had been believed to be a Ruby. Today it is kept in the Tower of London.
Why we love Spinel
Spinel Jewelry
The origin of the term Spinel is uncertain; in Italy, it has been used since the 16th century.
Around the eighteenth century, mineralogy made progress by attributing the title of Ruby only to the red gems of the Corundum family. This fact gave rise to particular attention for high jewelry towards the Rubies, which composed magnificent jewels of high economic value.
The admiration for Spinel is dictated by its similarity to the Ruby. Spinel, of the same size or weight, has a much lower cost than Ruby, even if its intense color creates phantasmagoric developments in jewelry.
Our reference is reserved only for Noble Spinel of red color, with brilliant transparency. We have already talked about various types of Spinel of multiple colors that adorn jewels of low value, both geological and economical.
