Spinel

A member of a great family of minerals of the same name, the spinel takes its name from the Latin word spina (point, spike), because of the sharp-edged rock in which it is found. The spinel can be found in many different colors: blue, known as sapphire spinel, dark green, known as chlorospinel, orange, known as rubicelle, brown, and black. The most famous is of course the red spinel, very similar to a ruby. In the past years it has been difficult to make a clear distinction between rubies and spinels, since the latter’s color and hardness made it easy to be mistaken as a ruby. The quality “ruby Balas” from Badakhstan, known – and sold- worldly as a ruby is actually a spinel. It is also a fact that some sellers are prone to vagueness when making a distinction between these two stones. This confusion is also due to the importance of rubies as a precious gem along centuries, while the spinel, a rare, beautiful and expensive gem, still remains quite unknown. Many famous spinels decorate famous crowns, like the one on the Tsar Crown, with its deep red color (298,7 carats), which can be admired at the Diamond Institute of Moscow. The Imperial State Crown of England, a a most impressive piece of the British Jewels of the Crown collection, boasts two large spinels. The first is known as the Black Prince’s Ruby, and weights about 170 carats. The second is the “ruby” Timur, of about 361 carats, belonging to the collection of the queen Elisabeth, with the name of the two Mongol emperors who previously owned it engraved on it. Numerous spinels decorate the crown of St. Wenceslas in Prague (45 in total), while the Natural History Museum of London collection includes two impressive stones of 355 and 520 carats. In Greece, spinels have been discovered in emery mines in Naxos and Samos (in the area of Mikro-lakka). Healing Properties The stone is believed to help the blood circulation. It was used in the older times for curing anemia and mental depression. It discharges from its properties rather slowly, especially when left under the running water of a source, and recharges easily under sun exposure. Care It is best to avoid heating the stones since it affects its color and shine. Spinels are quite easy to clean as long as the stone does not have any inclusions. {gallery}material_spinel{/gallery}