There are many fine gemstones that we use primarily to make jewellery and one such precious stone that hardly gets a mention is spinel. This unique gemstone is found in metamorphosed limestone and igneous rocks and while mainly colourless, the precious stone can be blue, red, yellow, lavender, green brown and even black.
Here are a few things about spinel that you probably didn’t know.
- Spinel Gemstones Are Best Untreated – While most precious stones are treated to enhance the colour, spinel is not included in that, as the stone has a rich, deep colour naturally and therefore, requires no heat treatment. Whatever your favourite colour, the chances are it can be found in spinel and the custom jeweller has access to quality loose stones at wholesale prices.
- Spinel Is So Rare, Most People Have Never Heard Of It – Natural spinel is very rare. A fancy red spinel gemstone would be priceless, such is the rarity, yet there are suppliers of spinel gemstone engagement rings that are handcrafted by experts. Why not design a customised spinel engagement ring and surprise your bride to be? If, for example, she loves pink or red, the custom jeweller can source the perfect spinel gemstone and handcrafted by a skilled jeweller.
- Spinel Is A Type 2 Gemstone – The spinel is a type 2 gemstone and as Michael Caine would say, ‘not a lot of people know that’, which means the stones do have minor inclusions. Much like diamonds, spinel stones can have internal inclusions and surface flaws and for the best deal when sourcing spinel stones, make contact with a custom jeweller, as they can acquire natural spinel at wholesale prices. One special aspect of this gemstone is the rich colour you can find with natural spinel; reds, pinks, green and yellow are all available in loose form from the custom jeweller and you get to choose the cut.
- Spinel Has A Hardness Of 8.0 – Spinel is a stone that has a hardness of 8.0 on the Mohs scale; the only gemstones with a higher score are diamonds, rubies and sapphires. This makes spinel perfect for including in jewellery and with such stunning colours, it makes for a perfect engagement or wedding ring.
- August Birthstone – In 2016, the Gem Institute of America announced that spinel is the official birthstone for August and if your partner was born in August, a spinel piece of jewellery would make for a perfect birthday gift. Most people are pleasantly surprised when they discover that custom jewellery is no more costly than purchasing an existing item. Next time you are struggling to find the ideal gift for your loved one, think about commissioning a custom piece of jewellery made with spinel.
Most people have never heard of spinel, let alone seen this amazing gemstone. If you are interested in creating a unique piece of jewellery, talk to a leading custom jeweller about designs and when you do find a suitable blueprint, the jeweller would be happy to quote for the project.