Spinel - Rare and Spectacular

Exclusive Summary About Spinel Gemstones By Nigel Makin

The Spinel Gemstone is the forgotten jewel of the Gemstone world, it is not a birthstone and it has no association as an anniversary gem. Spinel Gemstones are available in just about all colors but it is the Ruby-like red variety that is the most coveted and sought after. Synthetic Spinel has been made for nearly a hundred years; they imitate not just Spinel but Ruby also.

Types of Spinel.

Balas Spinel...This is a pale red variety of the Gemstone that has wrongly been called Balas Ruby in the past.

Hercynite...Is also a dark green to black member of the Spinel group,and again iron is its coloring agent.

Gahnite...Sometimes called Zinc Spinel, this variety comes in blue, violet or dark green to black.

Picotite...Also called Chrome Spinel this is the yellowish brown, dark green or black variety.

Many famous Gemstones that were thought to be Rubies, are actually Spinels. The "Black Prince's Ruby" in the English Crown and the "Timur Ruby" in a necklace in the English Crown Jewels are both Spinels.

The Wide World of Gemstones

Exclusive Summary About Spinel Gemstones By Ron Nash

Most people know the world of gemstones as comprised of precious gems and semi-precious gems. The precious gems include diamond, ruby, sapphire and emerald; and semi-precious gems includes the more common stones such as amethyst, topaz and garnet.

What's behind the growing interest in rare and exotic gems? Many of the lesser-known gems are relatively inexpensive. That makes them economically attractive for jewelry designers. The precious gems can always be found, but many semi-precious stones, such as demantoid garnet and alexandrite, are actually rarer than diamond or ruby.

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