Spinel
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For centuries many of the world's most celebrated rubies were in fact red spinel, including the Black Prince's Ruby set in the British Imperial State Crown—a confusion that reflects spinel's ability to rival the finest rubies and sapphires. Spinel is an aluminum oxide mineral occurring in virtually every color, with vivid red, pink, and blue stones the most prized. The Pamir Mountains of Tajikistan and the Mogok Valley of Myanmar produce the most sought red and pink material, while vibrant blue spinels come from Sri Lanka and Tanzania. A Mohs hardness of 8 and excellent toughness make spinel highly suitable for daily wear, and it is recognized as a modern birthstone for August.
Physical & Optical Properties
Category
Semi-Precious Gems
Mohs Hardness
8.0
Specific Gravity
3.54 – 3.7
Refractive Index
1.71 – 1.735
Crystal System
Isometric
Luster
Vitreous
Cleavage
Indistinct
Fracture
Conchoidal
Color
various
Dispersion
0.02
Pleochroism
Absent
Mohs Hardness
Mohs Hardness: 8.0
1 Soft10 Hard
Crystal System
Value & Market
Price Tier
Fine ($500-5,000/ct)
Where to Buy Spinel
Blue Nile
Fine jewelry retailer
James Allen
Gemstone jewelry
Brilliant Earth
Ethically sourced gems
Amazon
Wide selection
Links may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Cultural Significance
Birthstone Month
8 (traditional)
Treatments
8Herve Nicolas Lazzarelli, Blue Chart Gem Identification (2010) More from other references
3.54 to 3.70Herve Nicolas Lazzarelli, Blue Chart Gem Identification (2010) More from other references
IndistinctWalter Schumann, Gemstones of the world (2001) More from other references
ConchoidalArthur Thomas, Gemstones (2009)
1.710 to 1.735+Herve Nicolas Lazzarelli, Blue Chart Gem Identification (2010) More from other references
IsotropicHerve Nicolas Lazzarelli, Blue Chart Gem Identification (2010) Anomalous double refractionMore from other references
AbsentWalter Schumann, Gemstones of the world (2001)
0.020Arthur Thomas, Gemstones (2009)
Rare star 4/6Herve Nicolas Lazzarelli, Blue Chart Gem Identification (2010) More from other references
Red, pink, orange, blue, violet, blue-greenUlrich Henn and Claudio C. Milisenda, Gemmological Tables (2004) More from other references
Pink to red: inert to fluorescent red. Rare cobalt blue: reddish.Herve Nicolas Lazzarelli, Blue Chart Gem Identification (2010)
Violet to purple, Cr3+ in octahedral coordination and Fe2+ in tetrahedral coordination. Cobalt blue, Co2+ and Fe2+ in tetrahedral coordination. Bluish green Fe3+ and Fe2+ in tetrahedral coordination. Green (synthetic spinel), Cr3+ in octahedral coordination. Pink to red, Cr3+ in octahedral coordinationW. William Hanneman, Pragmatic Spectroscopy For Gemologists (2011)
TransparentUlrich Henn and Claudio C. Milisenda, Gemmological Tables (2004) More from other references
VitreousArthur Thomas, Gemstones (2009)
Red spinel: strong - red; blue spinel: weak - reddish, green.Walter Schumann, Gemstones of the world (2001)
Pink to red: inert to reddish. Blue: inert. Rare cobalt blue: normally inert.Herve Nicolas Lazzarelli, Blue Chart Gem Identification (2010) More from other references
Pink to red: inert to red-(orangy). Blue: greenish. Rare cobalt blue: weak to moderate red. Colorless and light green: inert to moderate orangy-red.Herve Nicolas Lazzarelli, Blue Chart Gem Identification (2010) More from other references
There is a moderate glow of crimson colour for red and pink spinels. Some purple to mauve specimens glow plum-colour to lilac. Other specimens respond green.Michael O?Donoghue, Gems, Sixth Edition (2006)
IsometricHerve Nicolas Lazzarelli, Blue Chart Gem Identification (2010) More from other references
Octahedra though some specimens may show dodecahedron or cube faces.Michael O?Donoghue, Gems, Sixth Edition (2006) More from other references
Spinel is formed at high temperatures as an accessory in igneous rocks, in regionally and contact metamorphosed limestones and in other contexts.Michael O?Donoghue, Gems, Sixth Edition (2006)
Spinel information at mindat.org
Afghanistan
Hughes (1994)
Cambodia
Hughes (1994)
China
Madagascar
[var: Pleonaste] Pezzotta (1999)
Milisenda et al. (2001)
Myanmar
Smith and Bosshart (2001)
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Hughes (1997)
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok
Pakistan
Hammer (2004)
Russia
Evseev (1994)
Sri Lanka
G. Zoysa (2009)
Dissanayake et al. (2000)
Dissanayake et al. (2000)
Dissanayake et al. (2000)
[var: Gahnospinel]
Milisenda and Henn (1999)
Tajikistan
Bowersox and Chamberlin (1995)
Tanzania
Hyrsl (2001)
Hyrsl (2001)
Hyrsl (2001)
Quinn and Laurs (2004)
Pardieu (2007)
Thailand
USA
Kunz, George Frederick (1883), American gems and precious stones: Mineral Resources U.S., 1882: 486; Kunz, George Frederick (1905a), Gems, jewelers’ materials, and ornamental stones of California: California Division Mines Bulletin 37, 171 pp.: 47; Murdoch, Joseph & Robert W. Webb (1966), Minerals of California, Centennial Volume (1866-1966): California Division Mines & Geology Bulletin 189: 346.
Vietnam
Pardieu and Senoble (2005)
Pardieu and Senoble (2005)
Gemexplorer.org
About Spinel
스피넬은 마그네슘 알루미늄 산화물 광물로, 진홍색·핑크색·파란색·보라색·주황색·무색 등 다양한 색상을 나타내며, 역사적으로 루비와 혼동되어 '블랙 프린스 루비'와 '티무르 루비' 등 유명 왕관 보석들이 실제로는 스피넬이었음이 밝혀졌습니다. 미얀마·스리랑카·탄자니아·베트남이 주요 산지이며, 최근 독립 보석으로 재평가받아 수요가 급증하고 있습니다.
Origins
Jewelry Use
Durability
9/10
Suitable for daily wear
Science FYI Family
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Spinel?
스피넬은 마그네슘 알루미늄 산화물 광물로, 진홍색·핑크색·파란색·보라색·주황색·무색 등 다양한 색상을 나타내며, 역사적으로 루비와 혼동되어 '블랙 프린스 루비'와 '티무르 루비' 등 유명 왕관 보석들이 실제로는 스피넬이었음이 밝혀졌습니다. 미얀마·스리랑카·탄자니아·베트남이 주요 산지이며, 최근 독립 보석으로 재평가받아 수요가 급증하고 있습니다.
What is the hardness of Spinel?
Spinel has a Mohs hardness of 8.0, making it excellent for use in jewelry.
What color is Spinel?
Spinel is primarily Various.
Where is Spinel found?
Spinel is found in Mogok (Myanmar), Sri Lanka (Ceylon) (Sri Lanka), Ratnapura (Sri Lanka), Mahenge (Tanzania), Luc Yen (Vietnam).
How much does Spinel cost?
Spinel falls into the Fine ($500-5,000/ct) price range. Prices vary based on color, clarity, cut, and origin.