For so long, the apple green color of Peridot and the stripes of Sardonxy have been the birthstone for August, but a few years ago, there was a new addition! The jewelry world welcomed Spinel to fold giving August babies a wide variety of colors to choose from. Are you looking for something different to add to your birthstone mix? Read on!
Spinel is a gemstone in its own mineral class. As you might have read in my past blog, www.angelacisneros.com/post/who-are-you , gemstones fall into different classes of minerals based on its chemical make up and its crystal structure. Spinel is made up of MgAl2O4 and has an octahedral crystal structure. Spinel is mined from a variety of locations, including Sri Lanka, Thailand, Myanmar, Madagascar, Tanzania, and Afghanistan.
Spinel comes in deep reds that rival Ruby and vibrant pinks! There are mysterious greys and blacks, and it comes in all shades of purple, blue, and violet through greenish blue, and each one owes its color to various trace elements. Along with the enchanting colors, Spinel is an 8 on the Moh’s Hardness scale and a Good on the toughness scale which means this is a gemstone that is very durable to wear! To read more on what hardness and toughness means, go to www.angelacisneros.com/post/how-durable-are-you The colors of Spinel give beautiful options for everyone!
The red in Spinel can be so intense that it has often been mistaken for Ruby! In fact, the Black Prince’s Ruby in the England’s Imperial State Crown is actually a Spinel. The crown jewels also include a 350ct Spinel called the “Timur Ruby.” This Spinel has Persian inscriptions carved on the face of the gemstone which gives us a look into how old this gemstone is. Interestingly, the process of distinguishing Spinel from Ruby gave birth to the modern science of gemology. Prior to that, color was the main way that gemstones were differentiated from each other.
I would love to help you explore the colors of Spinel with your special purchase or custom design! Angela Cisneros Jewelry Concierge brings back the joy and confidence of jewelry shopping, so that you can celebrate with ease! My by-appointment approach means:
One-on-one appointments (personal attention and no crowds!)
Discretion and privacy (surprises remain surprises!)
Expert help from a Graduate Gemologist with 24 years of experience (yep, that’s me!)
Book your FREE appointment with me today! www.angelacisneros.com/book-appointment
Photo Credit: @omiprive