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Article: Spinel: The Gemstone Once Mistaken for Ruby

Spinel: The Gemstone Once Mistaken for Ruby

For centuries,
spinel lived in ruby's shadow.

Some of history's most famous "rubies" —
in royal crowns, in legend —
were spinel all along.

The Great Mistaken Identity

Both colored by chromium.
Both born of similar ground.

Before modern gemology,
they were simply
"red stones."

The Black Prince's Ruby.
The Timur Ruby.
Both spinel.

A Color Range of Its Own

Pink. Cobalt blue — rare, prized.
Lavender. Flame orange-red.

High brilliance.
A gem stepping out
from history's shadow.

Untreated, By Nature

Spinel resists heat.
It does not change easily.

What you buy
is almost always
exactly what was found.

Where Fine Spinel Is Found

Myanmar's Mogok —
the same soil as ruby.

Tajikistan's Pamir —
"Jedi spinel,"
pink-red, glowing.

Sri Lanka. Vietnam —
cobalt blue,
rarest of all.

How to Evaluate

Saturation. Purity of hue.

Clean by nature,
spinel lets you focus
on color alone.

Read more

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