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Among jewelers, the spinel is also sometimes known as the great imposter as large raspberry and cherry colored specimens have often been mistaken for the more durable and precious ruby. One of the most fantastic examples of a spinel that was mistaken for a ruby is set in the Imperial State Crown of England. Called the Black Prince’s Ruby, after Henry V, this 170 carat stone was owned by many Persian moguls before it who have their names inscribed on its face. Yet another famous “ruby” is the Timur Ruby, which is really a 361 carat raspberry hued ruby.

The spinel has been officially recognized as a semi-precious gemstone, as opposed to being a ruby, since 1587. Since then it has been valued for its own sake and it is a favorite of jewelry designers, gem collectors and fahionistas. Although most spinels are red, they can also be found in pastel shades of purple and pink. The rarest of spinels are cobalt spinels, which have a bit of a blue hue to them. However most spinels are as red as a drop of blood. A very rare spinel is mined only in Burma and is bright pink with a hint of orange.

Ironically very fine spinels are become as rare and valuable as the rubies that they used to impersonate. This is because they are becoming rarer and harder to find to mine. Large loose or set stones are becoming more precious to collectors every day. Over the past few years, spinel has become recognized by modern designers for its brilliance, hardness, and endurance.
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