Spectacular Spinel

Gem Culture, Gem Journal

Possibly the most underappreciated gem since the beginning of time, Spinel has been like a back-up actor who only gets called in when the main actor gets sick. Spinel is a versatile actor with an uncanny ability to mimic many other gems. In the past few years Spinel has come into the limelight and has received accolades for its own brilliant performances, such as being added as an August birthstone!

“Spinel” comes from the Latin word “spina,” meaning “arrow,” which refers to the many points on Spinel’s octahedral shaped crystal.

Tanzanian 2.70 ct Purple Spinel Emerald Cut

Before the birth of modern gemology, gems were classified by colors: all red gems were called Ruby, all blue gems Sapphire. Because of this, many of the famous crown jewels from around the world have Spinels that were originally believed to be Rubies or Sapphires.

 

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