What is cobalt Spinel?

Although cobalt blue spinels do owe their vivid color to traces of cobalt, it's the color that makes them valuable, not the presence of that coloring agent. If your spinel has a rich saturated blue color, it is rare and valuable whether or not it contains traces of cobalt.

Is cobalt spinel rare?

Cobalt Blue Spinel from Luc Yen mine in Vietnam is the rarest and most desirable fine stone, and the biggest hype in the modern gem industry.

How do you check a cobalt spinel?

Cobalt shows slightly different absorption features on a spectrometer graph than does iron. High cobalt content also causes Spinel to appear bright pink under a Chelsea filter, or even bright red when the concentration of cobalt is high enough. Cobalt Spinels also fluoresce pink or red under long wave UV light.

What is the most valuable color in spinel?

Red, pink, lilac, and blue are commercially important spinel colors. Some spinel colors are more rare and valuable than others. In general, red spinel is the most desirable, followed by fine cobalt-blue spinel, then by vibrant hot pink and vivid orange stones.

What gem is cobalt blue?

The traditional gemological technique for distinguishing natural from synthetic blue spinel has involved the use of refractive index and absorption spectra.

BLUE SPINEL: the BIGGEST MOST VALUED GEMSTONE by Yavorskyy

Where is cobalt blue spinel found?

Blue spinels are mined in Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Myanmar, Pakistan, and Vietnam (Shigley and Stockton, 1984; Delaunay, 2008; Pardieu and Hughes, 2008). Vietnam's two major spinel deposits, Luc Yen and Quy Chau, were discovered at the end of the 1980s.

How much is spinel worth?

Top Spinels in the 2 to 5 carat size will often sell for $3,000 to $5,000 a carat. For the very rare stones over 5 carats, prices in the range of $8,000 to $10,000 per carat are not unusual for the top colors.

Are spinels good investment?

Red Burmese spinels and the neon pink-red spinels from Mahenge, Tanzania have the best investment potential. Spinel is completely untreated and prices on fine pieces have risen significantly in the last 5 years.

How can you tell a fake spinel?

The proper way to analyze whether Spinel is real is to put it under a UV Radiation Light. Set it to long-wave and look for any stones that are particularly glowy. If the stones are glowy, that means it's synthetic and not natural.

Why is spinel so expensive?

Interestingly, red spinel is much rarer than rubies, but due to its extreme rarity there is little demand for it and therefore it is not as valuable. As with any gemstone, spinel with even saturation and intense hue are the most valuable.

Can spinel change colors?

Red spinel has often been mistaken for ruby. Some spinel exhibits asterism (a star-shaped pattern of reflections), chatoyancy (a “cat's-eye” effect seen in reflected light) or a color change when viewed alternately under incandescent and fluorescent lighting.

Is synthetic spinel valuable?

Furthermore, synthetic spinel is inexpensive and common. It has frequently been used as a simulant for other gems in class rings and birthstone jewelry, which has affected its public perception. Natural spinel, however, has always been a rare and beautiful gem.

Where is Spinel found?

Spinel can be found on several continents, from Brazil in South America, Kenya in Africa, and especially across the southern portion of Asia, stretching from Afghanistan to Vietnam. It has been commonly found in gravel beds in Sri Lanka, Tanzania, and Madagascar, and marble deposits in Vietnam.

Is cobalt a gem?

The rare Cobalt Spinel has low iron, and contains the highest levels of cobalt of any natural gemstone.

Is blue spinel the same as aquamarine?

This chameleon quality means you'll love the way it looks with almost everything in your closet. Unlike aquamarine, the gem it most resembles, aqua blue spinel doesn't need to be over five or ten carats in size to have a lovely color.

What is GREY spinel?

The story is remarkable in that the colored stone market has accepted a gemstone that by definition has an unsaturated color—a gray color, no less. Most gray spinel has a minor blue or violet secondary color component. It is relatively rare to find a spinel with a perfectly neutral gray color.

Does spinel scratch easily?

Spinel is also very hard - only a few materials can scratch it. Spinel is tough - it does not break easily. Those two qualities make spinel one of the most durable gems. The most durable gems are both hard and tough.

Does spinel fade in sunlight?

High heat can cause some spinel colors to fade, but spinel is stable when exposed to light and chemicals.

Are spinels fake diamonds?

Spinel. Spinel is a natural mineral that occurs in colors such as red, green, brown, blue, black, and white. White spinels are colorless, and this is why they are sometimes used as fake diamonds. This mineral is moderately hard at 7.5-8.0 on the Mohs scale.

Is spinel a precious stone?

Every other gemstone that isn't one of those four is considered to be semi precious. The list goes on and on, but some of the more common ones are: alexandrite, agate, amethyst, aquamarine, garnet, lapis lazuli, moonstone, opal, pearl, peridot, rose quartz, spinel, tanzanite, tourmaline, turquoise and zircon.

Is spinel a rare gem?

Ironically, fine spinel is rarer than the ruby it "imitates" but is usually less expensive. And because spinel is so rare, it has hardly had a chance to become popular.

Where does the best spinel come from?

The best red, pink and orange spinels originate from the rich gem gravels of Burma's Mogok Stone Tract. The best blue and violet spinels are found in Sri Lanka (Ceylon). Gem spinel is also found in Vietnam, the Pamir mountains of Tajikistan, Tanzania and Madagascar.

Is spinel a semi precious stone?

Spinel, traditionally considered as 'semi-precious', is a fine gem that is rapidly growing in popularity. Spinel has a bright vitreous lustre and can be found in a wide array of colours including red, blue, violet, and pink.

What is the rarest gemstone?

Painite : Not just the rarest gemstone, but also the rarest mineral on earth, Painite holds the Guinness World Record for it. After its discovery in the year 1951, there existed only 2 specimens of Painite for the next many decades. By the year 2004, there were less than 2 dozens known gemstones.

How do you wash spinel?

To clean spinel jewelry at home, let the piece soak in a solution of warm water and a gentle dish detergent, scrubbing with a soft brush to remove dirt and dust. As with all fine jewelry, spinel should be removed before sleeping.