Gemstones - Spinel

Note: Magnification and bright lighting is required to photograph gemstones.  Some inclusions may be visible under these circumstances. You are viewing photographs as if you were using a loupe - not your naked eye.  Under normal conditions, these inclusions may not be visible.

Not responsible for mismatches of prices, photos, stocknumbers, etc.



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Information on Spinels: Depending on the lights that are available, they may look different from one light source to another. This can be a plus as they can look like two different stones at times. Many of the reds or pinks will be less vibrant under fluorescent and more vivid in daylight and incandescent lights. Many may mistake spinel to be sapphire, ruby or even other stones. This has been true of even well-known, famous gemstones such as the Black Prince's Ruby - it was actually a red spinel. Though synthetic spinel is used in high school and college rings, the naturals have been under rated by the public.

We have always been bullish on spinel. Here are some reasons why
It is not overpriced for what it is - for most colors and sizes they are VERY affordable.

Spinel takes a wonderful polish.

It is available in numerous colors.

Spinel is harder than most commonly seen gemstones in rings as it is has a hardness of 8 on the Mohs scale, so it is just slightly softer than sapphire or ruby but harder than garnet.

Note that we have had many of these gems stashed away in our vaults for decades. These were priced at that time, so the pricing is also decades old. Prices may change in the future. Now is the time to add to your gemstone collection or create a piece of jewelry with a gemstone which should be one of the most popular gemstones with the public.

A  really nice 2.48ct Cushion Cut Burmese Spinel of a reddish orange or orangy red color.  Color depends on the lights available and can be more intense under certain lights.  Clean and nicely brilliant, fine spinel is more difficult to find each year, not to mention the price per carat continues to climb every year.  (kjcl-11-25)   $1,860

2.42ct Red Burmese Spinel -  Photo color is not accurate, as it shows a reddish orange.  The color in person is a deep Ruby Red and it is even better under the right lights (incandescent).  It is not overly dark as some of this material can be.  This super gem originates from Burma, and it took a day to negotiate the price so we could put it into our inventory.  It was purchased in Mae Sot, Thailand on the Burma border and was found in Burma.  This Burmese Red Spinal is a beauty.   (kjcl-11-21)  $2,420 (IPO)  <  View Cert  >

Red Spinel from Burma (Mogok).  Similar to Ruby in that  under indirect outdoor lighting or fluorescent light, the color is saturated with sort of a reddish to smokey red color.  Under incandescent light, the red is more evident as it flashes and dances.  The color under incandescent is very much a ruby color.  The photos above were shot in daylight. This piece is unusual in that it is a round and weighs 1.42ct and measures 6.5mm. (dungem-10-01)   $178

Red Spinel from Burma (Mogok).  Similar to Ruby in that  under indirect outdoor lighting or fluorescent light, the color is saturated with sort of a reddish to smokey red color.  Under incandescent light, the red is more evident as it flashes and dances.  The color under incandescent is very much a ruby color. 1.41ct Oval:  $176  algmst-10-02 1.64ct Square Cushion:  $205   algmst-10-03  SOLD! 2.64ct Square Cushion:  $330   algmst-10-06

A	B
A -  0.71ct Flame Spinel, great vivid glowing color  ( scrp-08-04)  $497
B -  0.92ct Oval Reddish Orange Spinel  (scrp-08-05)  $345

A	B
A -  Matched Red Burmese Spinel (minco-07-03pa ) - Approx 4.75x4.0mm cushiony squares, slightly more cushion shape, weighing 1.03cts  - $670 for the pair.  Could be confused as Ruby!  (The natural  inexpensive alternative  for Fine Ruby)
B -  Matched Red Burmese Spinel (minco-07-03pb) - Approx 5.3x4.7mm  shapes similar to the above, weighing 1.81cts  -  $1,177 for the pair .  Could be confused as Ruby!  (The natural  inexpensive alternative  for Fine Ruby)

Burmese Red Spinel, 0.75ct Square  (minco-07-01p)  $450  (Part of a parcel - call or email to insure availability) Approx 4.6x5.0x3.8mm  Could be confused as Ruby!  (The natural  inexpensive alternative  for Fine Ruby)

A	B
A -  1.13ct Spinel Approx 6mm Round - Bright Orange, Burma  (evgem-06a-01)  $339
B -  1.40ct Spinel  Approx 7.5x5.1mm Pear - Smoky Orange, Burma  (evgem-06a-02)  $420
Purchased at the Burmese Rough Auction years ago.  We have never really seen this color in all of our 25+ years in this business!

3.87ct Spinel

From Burma, known for their spinels and corundum, the color of this piece is reminiscent of Rhodolite Garnet! (gag-06-01)  $1,065

A	B
A -  2.26ct Natural Roval Clear Spinel   Some color is evident in the gemstone due to the  background and lighting.  (minco-04-01)   approx 8.1x7.6x5mm    $791
B -  3.47ct Natural Oval Clear Spinel  (minco-04-02)   approx 8.4x7.8x6.1mm    $1215
Note -  With clear/white spinel, the spinel crystal cannot contain any impurities within the crystal lattice.  If there are any impurities, which is usually the case in 100% of the crystals as they grow, there will be some color.  In this case, we have a pure spinel with no other elements or impurties - which is quite rare.  These are the only other clear spinels that we have had in inventory since we obtained one stone just over 2cts about 10 years ago!  (In the oval Spinel above, the beige/salmon color seen is the reflection of the photographers fingers...)

A	B	C
A -   1.50ct Trilliant Spinel  (ksn-95a-03)  $338
B -   1.62ct Oval Spinel  (agl-92c-01)  $365
C -   1.26ct Oval Spinel  (pgml-92b-01a)  $378

A	B	C	D
A -  1.24ct Oval Spinel  (pgml-92b-01b)  $341
B -   1.30ct Oval Spinel  (pgml-92b-01c)  $358
C -  3.21 ct Oval Spinel  (rma-92-02a)  $963
D - 1.33ct  Emerald Cut Spinel  (rma-92-01)  $399 (preliminary tests indicate  Cobalt  present)

A	B
A -  2.70ct Roundish Oval Spinel  (pgml-92b-01d)  $742
B -  0.90ct Marquise Shaped Spinel  (minco-92a-01a)  $150

A	B
A -  1.33ct Pear Shaped Spinel  (minco-92a-02a)  $259
B -   0.87ct Pear Shaped Spinel  (minco-92a-02c)  $168

A	B	C
A -  2.76ct Pear Shaped Spinel  A unique color...   (minco-92a-01b)  $552
B -  1.03ct Oval Spinel  (minco-92a-02b)  $142
C -  1.13ct Oval Spinel  (minco-92a-02d)  $219
Note:  The above stones have some inclusions.  The steel blue one has a feather deep in the stone and the two red ones have small inclusions.  The reds look like rubies under incandescent lights and with the inclusions, if one can see them, it is also remininscent of rubies.

A	B	C
A -  1.18ct Marquise Shaped Spinel, Bright Pink, (fi-93a-03)  $292
B -   0.40ct Oval Spinel, unusual blue, (ksn-93-07b)  $240 (preliminary tests indicate  Cobalt  present)
C -  1.95ct Oval Spinel, unsual Purple Blue, color shifting, some inclusions deep, but not eye visible (ksn-93-06e)  $975 (preliminary tests indicate  Cobalt  present)

A	B	C
A -  1.06ct Oval Spinel, nice blue purple color, color shifting, (ksn-93-07a)  $530 (preliminary tests indicate  Cobalt  present)
B -  0.90ct Oval Spinel, Tourmaline Pink or Rhodolite Color, (qcgm-90-01)  $258
C -  1.82ct Oval Purple Spinel, color shifting, two small inclusions visible in the right light or with loupe - they are visible in the photo because of the angle, lighting and magnification.  Note that they are not readily visible with the naked eye and they are really interesting under a microscope, proving the stone is natural. (ksn-93-06a)   $910  (Refaceted in the US by one of our cutters to make an even better looking stone in polish, brilliance, etc!)  Preliminary tests indicate  Cobalt  present!

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For purchases using another form of payment, please use our Purchase Form.
You may also telephone or send an email.