Magenta Spinel & Diamond Ring

Okay – what exactly is a spinel?

Spinels are 100 times rarer than Rubies and Sapphires, yet less expensive (because most of the world still doesn't know about these rare beauties.). The minerals that comprise Spinel are very similar to Rubies and Sapphires (corundum), in fact, Spinels are always found in the mines with Rubies and Sapphires. Spinels are hard, and make fantastic gemstones in jewelry with a lot of fire. Spinels have been mistaken for Rubies and Sapphires for centuries; case in point they are in the Crown Jewels of England, i.e., The Black Prince's Ruby which is a large red Spinel that previously was thought to be a Ruby. They are also singly refractive, which gives them their intense colors.  They come in a wide range of beautiful colors much like Sapphires.