Spinel Rings and Gemstone Properties: The Handy Guide Before You Buy

Spinel Rings
and
About the Spinel Gemstone

Spinel rings hold one of the most best kept secrets in the gemstone world: the spinel gemstone. This dazzling gemstone can stand up to daily wear, has a high degree of brilliance and fire and comes in an array of colors including pinks, purples, light to dark blues, black, ruby reds, and red-orange.

The abundance of spinel, and the gemstone's natural beauty which does not require enhancements or treatments, has contributed to spinel's affordability. If you are looking for a quality gemstone ring for a great price, take a close look at spinel.

Spinel Gemstone
Fast Fun Facts!

Birthstone Month? None, but blue spinel is associated with Sagittarius.

Durability: Excellent

Meaning: Protection and clarity

Flash Factor: Good

Special Care: None

Price $$: Affordable

Availability: Medium to High

Below you find properties of spinel, special meaning, price guides and essential shopping tips. And if you have any questions about this colorful gemstone, just use the handy comment box at the end of the page to send in your questions or comments!

Properties of the Spinel Gemstone

The blue and red spinel gemstones were once believed to be a form of sapphire and ruby, but today we know that the spinel gem has its own unique chemical make-up. Unlike rubies and sapphires, spinel is found naturally in abundance without cracks, blemishes, and inclusions in consistent eye-clean forms.

Durability = Excellent
Hardness = 8.0
Refractive Index = 1.718
Specific Gravity = 3.60

The Meaning of Spinel

Due to spinel's obscurity and confusion with rubies and sapphires, there is no one meaning that is defined for this gemstone. However, it is believed by some wearers that spinel protects them from tension and worries and promotes a clear state of mind.

Gemstone Enhancements

Spinel is not enhanced or treated in anyway.

Special Care

Due to this gemstone's high degree of durability and hardness, spinel requires no special care and spinel engagement rings can withstand plenty of daily wear. Like most gemstone rings though, care should be taken to avoid hard knocks or blows directly to the stone.

Spinel is currently mined in Afghanistan, Australia, Brazil, Burma, India, Kenya, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, U.S., and Vietnam (*Note: Until ethical mining standards have improved in Burma and Sri Lanka, consumers should avoid purchasing gemstones from these areas).

Price Guide for Spinel Gemstones

The prices of spinel rings can vary widely depending first and foremost on the gemstone's color, then cut, carat, and clarity.

On average, a quality natural spinel gemstone is valued at $150.00 per carat. However, a spinel with premium color, cut and clarity characteristics that is greater than 3 carats in size can be valued at as much as $1,000 per carat.

The most valuable colors of spinel are the ruby red spinel followed by the rare red-orange flame spinel. The next spinel colors that are highly valued are the sapphire blue spinel and spinel gemstones with enchanting purple hues.

Find Beautiful Spinel Rings on Overstock!

Spinel gemstones that have an intense (saturated) color are also valued much higher than spinel with gray or washed out color tones.

Rings which feature a superb, custom cut, spinel gemstone are valued higher than those with commercial cuts; faceted cuts which display the gemstone's intense colors to a maximum degree of brilliance are the most desirable.

As abundant eye clean spinel is found in nature, clarity does not have a huge impact on price. However, spinel which has an optimum clarity grade (even when viewed under magnification) is valued higher than eye clean spinel.

Carat size does not have a huge impact on the price of spinel until the gemstone starts to reach sizes of around 3 carats or higher. Once these larger carat sizes occur the value of the stone will significantly increase.

Shopping Tips for Spinel Rings

If you're looking for a quality spinel ring, or affordable wedding rings or engagement rings, then you're in luck! There are plenty of high grade spinel gemstones crafted into rings available on the market today, but gemstone shoppers should still be on the lookout for low quality spinel, gemstones with enhancements or treatments, and synthetics (unless you are searching for synthetic spinel).

Where to Buy Spinel Rings?

A few fantastic resources for quality spinel stones include:

EBay: An excellent resource for spinel rings and loose spinel gemstones - but use caution here. Stick with reputable sellers who offer a return/refund policy and have the gemstone checked by a local gemologist just to be 100% sure that you have an authentic spinel ring.

Adin Fine Antique Jewelry: If you are searching for antique or vintage spinel rings, Adin is the best place to go, they usually have a small selection of spinel jewelry including rings (these are heirloom pieces that are usually priced above $2,000 dollars) and Adin offers ring sizing too. As a special offer to our visitors, a 5% discount can be applied to any Adin purchase with the code=Everything-Wedding-Rings at online checkout or mention this special when ordering over the phone!

Etsy: At Etsy, you can find a small selection of handmade rings made with a wide variety of colorful spinel gems.

As there is a good amount of clean spinel with a high grade of clarity on the market, shoppers should not settle for anything less. Always ensure that your spinel has a good clarity rating and is free of visual blemishes or inclusions.

There is no reason to enhance or treat spinel in anyway, so beware retailers trying to market enhanced, dyed, or treated spinel; chances are they aren't even selling you authentic spinel.

Synthetic spinel is more widely available today than in recent years, and if you are looking for larger carat spinel rings than synthetics can offer a great price - particularly for the higher valued spinel ruby colors, sapphire blue spinel and dark purple spinel. Just make sure that you are really purchasing a synthetic lab grown spinel gemstone - which should have the same exact properties as the natural spinel.

Stick with retailers that sell spinel rings with a refund policy, and buy from experienced reputable jewelers, to make sure your purchase is a quality authentic spinel ring. If you have fallen in love with a certain stone or ring style from a retailer without an established history (but which comes with a verifiable refund policy), have the gemstone assessed by a local certified gemologist to confirm its authenticity.

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