Spinel
Spinel is
the great imposter of gemstone history: many famous rubies in crown
jewels around the world are actually spinel. The most famous is the
Black Prince's Ruby, a magnificent 170-carat red spinel that currently
adorns the Imperial State Crown in the British Crown Jewels after a long
history: Henry V even wore it on his battle helmet! The Timur Ruby, a
352-carat red spinel now owned by Queen Elizabeth, has the names of some
of the Mughal emperors who previously owned it engraved on its face, an
undeniable pedigree!
Spinel is misunderstood by most people. The simple reason
for this is that some years ago, synthetic white spinel was used in
cheap jewellery, usually eternity rings as a diamond substitute.Spinel
is not a synthetic stone.It is a real, natural, attractive and rare
gemstone in its own right.In Centuries ago, in Sanskrit
writings,Spinel was called the daughter of Ruby, adored, yet
somehow different. Spinel also grace the Crown Jewels of Great Britain
as the "Black Prince Ruby" and have resided in the regalia of kingdoms
throughout history.
Spinel occurs in many
different and attractive colours. Red, rose, orange, brown, pink,
yellow, blue, violet, purple, mauve, green, and black are all possible
colours for spinel. Completely colourless (white) spinel is a rarity,
but would only be appreciated by collectors.It is not known for certain
where and how the word spinel originates. It has been suggested that it
may come from the Latin spina meaning a thorn, or from the Greek word
meaning a spark, alluding to its fiery colour.All colors of Spinel are
highly valued collectors Gemstones.
Sources for
this gemstone
Sri Lanka (formely Ceylon),
Myanmar,Thailand, Afghanistan,Russia and Tanzania.
Treatments
Typically Spinel is not HEAT
treated.
Healing
Powers
Spinel is thought to protect
the owner from harm, to reconcile differences, and to soothe away
sadness.
Care
It is usually safe to clean
Spinel in an Ultrasonic cleaner, but risky to use a steamer. We
recommend ionic cleaners and/or warm, soapy water and a soft brush as
the best way to clean Spinel jewelry.
