Spinel (unusual color)

Item Description

I have always been a big admirer of gem quality Spinels. For whatever reason, they don't get enough attention for what they are, as they are incredibly diverse in their colors, and they are hard and durable, so they're well suited for jewelry. Throw in the fact that there are really only a few places on Earth that produce fine gem material with any consistency. GIA's website has an article about Spinel where they say, "Spinel is a good candidate for the title of “History’s Most Underappreciated Gem.” Some ancient mines that supplied gems for royal courts from Rome to China produced spinel, but it was usually confused with better-known stones like ruby and sapphire" With that said, this stone has an unusual color for Spinel, as it almost looks like Smoky Quartz. The color is what I would call a metallic, silvery-grey hue with a slight mauve overtone. The gem is virtually eye-clean with a standard "Step Oval" cut. A very interesting and odd Spinel gem that would make a great addition to any gem collection, showing off the many colors of this wonderful stone.