Spinel

Spinel is the new birthstone for August, together with Peridot.

For centuries Spinels were confused with Rubies and Sapphires, especially since they are found in many of the same sources.

One of the most famous gemstones in the world, the ‘Black Princes Ruby’ in the Crown Jewels of England is actually a Red Spinel!

Notable sources of Spinel include Burma, Tanzania, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan and Vietnam.

Under long wave UV light (365nm), Spinels from almost all localities fluoresce in shades of red, orange, or pink.

Fluorescence is the ability of a material to emit visible light when exposed to ultraviolet (UV) light.

Rarely, some Spinels exhibit green fluorescence under long wave UV light. This is a very unusual response for Spinel, and is attributed to trace elements like Manganese.

Under UV light they reveal a green glow that ranges from very bright to weak. This unexpected optical phenomena adds an extra dimension to these gems, making them highly collectible.

Spinel is a durable gemstone with a hardness of 8 on the Mohs Scale and can easily be used in all types of jewelry.

Spinel also celebrates the 22nd anniversary and comes in a wide variety of colors, giving lots of options for August!

We have many more colors, shapes and sizes available in Spinel – please contact us if you don’t find what you are looking for in our online inventory.

Here is a link to GIA’s Buyer’s Guide on Spinels:
https://www.gia.edu/spinel#buyers-guide