Gemstones - Precious Gems
Spinel
A terrible name for abeautiful gem. And those gem lovers
who look rather than listen are rewarded by what are often exquisite
gemstones at affordable prices.
Gem spinel has a history of being confused with ruby. The Black Prince's Ruby among the English crown jewels is actually spinel.
Spinel occurs in the cubic crystal system (same as diamond) and a great variety of colors. Chrome red spinel from Burma can be as rich appearing as ruby.
And while spinel, being single refractive, will not have the same color complexities as ruby, a vividly saturated spinel actually has a purer red color.
Note - There are no heat treatment issues with spinel.
At a hardness of "8" on the mohs scale, spinel will resist abrasion and makes excellent everyday jewelry. What make the gemstone even more attractive is the price about 20% (or less) of ruby.
Spinel will generally show better brilliance as well. The gemstone's natural crystal system is better suited for round brilliants cut to ideal depth/width ratios. Additionally, spinel tends to have fewer inclusions.
Properties of Spinel
- Crystal System - Isometric(cubic)
- Hardness - 8
- Specific Gravity - 3.58 to 3.61
- Refraction -Single
- Refractive Index - 1.72 to 1.74
- Dispersion - none
- Birefringence - .02
- Wearability - Good/Excellent
- Special Care - None