I’m intrigued by the gemstone Spinel.  I was surprised how many colors and the
history of the gemstone. Here is what I
found.
Before the advent of modern gemological techniques, red
Spinels and Rubies were confused for hundreds of years. In fact, many famous
rubies in crown jewels around the world are actually spinels. The Black
Prince's Ruby on the British Imperial State Crown is a 170-carat red Spinel.
The Timor Ruby that has the engraved names of the Mogul emperors on its face
was once thought to be a Ruby as well. This magnificent 352-carat stone is in
fact a red Spinel and is now owned by Queen Elizabeth.
Spinel
is a magnesium aluminum oxide that crystallizes in the cubic system while ruby
is an aluminum oxide that crystallizes hexagonally. In ancient times, red
spinel was often known under the name "Balas Ruby", a name devised
most probably from Balascia or Badakhshan in Northen India where the earliest
gemstones came from.
Vivid red and cobalt blue are considered to be the most
expensive colors for spinel and faceted stones over 3 carat in weight are
always a rarity. The best red spinels are from Tanzania or Burma but almost all
of the large stones are from Tanzania. The finest spinels are actually a highly
saturated pinkish or orangey red and very few stones are pure red. The colors
of the top Tanzanian stones are so vivid that they appear to glow even in
ordinary daylight. Pure colorless natural spinel is very
rare and natural white spinels always show a trace of pink. Star spinels are
found occasionally and they may display either four or six rays depending on
their orientation. While Spinels with a strong color change are extremely rare,
stones that display a blue to violet color shift are more available.
Because of its hardness, high brilliance, and wide range of
spectacular colors, spinel is a
favorite among collectors and connoisseurs. Spinel is also popular
because it is not known to be treated in any way. With a hardness of 8 and no
cleavage planes, spinel is a tough and durable gemstone suitable for any kind
of jewelry.
Spinels are associated with love and help the wearer to put
their ego aside and become devoted to another person. Spinel also encourages
passion and is said to increase the duration of one's life.
Black Spinel in particular is said to be a protective stone
and helps re-establish relationships and resolve issues. It is also believed to
relieve sadness.
Spinel is relatively unheard of to the common consumer and
has not been marketed by any major gem companies. Black Spinel is only found in
a few locations in the world, and because of its rarity, if the demand were to
rise, supply would not be abundant enough to keep up with it.
Spinel occurs in granites and metamorphic rocks, and is
quite often found in conjunction with corundum. One of the ways to
differentiate spinel from other stones is that spinel possesses no electrical
properties when subjected to heat, yet the ruby and garnet do. Spinel has an
amazingly high melting point of 2135 Celsius.
There are two different theories on how the name Spinel came
about. It may have derived from the Latin
word 'spina' meaning a thorn, possibly referring to its fiery color or the
sharp pointed crystals that are found within some Spinels. Or spinel is derived
from the Greek spinther, which means sparkling. It was valued as a gemstone and
protective stone by the Greeks and Romans due to it's sparkling colors.
Spinel also is thought to have some healing properties. It is a high energy stone, used to lend the
body energy and to heal physical energy blockages. The beautiful gemstone has a
calming effect on all kinds of inflammations. It will speed the recovery of all
diseases associated with movement, including issues with joints, bones and
muscles. Spinel will actually grant strength to the wearer and increase her
powers of self healing, this makes it possible for one to protect oneself from
the troublesome influences of others.
Spinal also has mystical properties that differ by color. In general, Spinel is said to be able to clarify thoughts and creative ideas,
as well as attracting the help that is required for any given situation.
I recently got some Black Spinel and made a couple of great
pieces. Enjoy!
Shannon
Sources:
http://www.gemtradenet.com/education/black_spinel.aspx
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spinel
http://www.shimmerlings.com/gemstones/spinel.htm
