While spinel is typically associated with red, the mineral actually occurs in a wide range of colors including red to green, blue, brown, and black. The most popular colors are a ruby-like red and Spinel-like pink.
Color
Spinel exhibits a wide range of colors including red, pink, orange, yellow, brown, blue, violet, purple, green and black.
Hardness and Durability
At a Mohs’ hardness of 8, Spinel is only slightly softer than rubies. Still it is considered one of the hardest minerals in nature.
History
For most of history, spinel has been misnamed as balas ruby. This name comes from Balascia, the ancient name for Badakhshan—the place where the best stones came from. Because spinel was considered a “balas ruby” its history is intertwined with the history of the ruby.
Several famous “balas rubies” adorned the royal treasures. The Empress Catherine II of Russia had a spinel set in the apex of her crown weighing more than 400 carats. The most famous of all British State Regalia, the Imperial State Crown of 1937, features the Black Prince’s Ruby, which is really a red spinel. This natural water-worn crystal is about 170 carats and dates all the way back to 1367. Don Pedro the Cruel, King of Castille, gave it to the Black Prince, son of Edward III, for his service in battle. According to legend, the stone was mounted to the helmet of Henry V, and it saved his life by deflecting a stone in battle which would surely have been a fatal blow.
Spinel is commonly found with ruby and Spinel deposits in Burma, Sri Lanka, and Cambodia. Other deposits include Afghanistan, Australia, Brazil, Madagascar, Nepal, Nigeria, Tadzhikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, and the United States (New Jersey).
Spinels are rare and beautiful stone and worthwhile investments. They combine all the traits of a good stone: beauty, rarity and durability. Because they have lived in the shadow of rubies, spinels often sell for a fraction of the price of rubies.
Heat Treatments
Spinels are one of the few gems rarely treated to enhance their looks.
Preserving the beauty of gemstones is usually a matter of common sense and simple precaution. Maintenance most often involves properly cleaning jewelry pieces or keeping them out of harm’s way.
Periodically take time to clean your jewelry.
Gems, particularly those in rings, will collect soap film, oil and dirt between the prongs of the mounting and the gem. By cleaning your gemstones with warm water, a soft toothbrush and a gentle dishwashing liquid, you can restore lost luster and brilliance to gems and keep them looking like new. Jewelry Television offers a few cleaning products that may be helpful. (Note: Normal care for pearls includes rinsing and gently patting dry with a soft clean cloth after wear). For specific gemstone details, see our Gemstone Enhancement Chart.
Avoid wearing gems during strenuous exercise
A random blow can damage the beauty of a gem. To prevent breakage, store gemstone jewelry in a safe place while engaging in activities where there's a possibility of hitting the stone.
Handle your jewelry by the mounting not the stone.
Grasping jewelry by the gem can loosen a stone in its setting and create a risk of eventual loss.
Store gemstones separately.
Gems that are harder than others will scratch softer stones if they come into contact with each other.
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