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Spinel · MgAl₂O₄ · 8

Spinel

Spinel is magnesium aluminium oxide, a hard, bright gem in red, pink, blue, purple and grey. For centuries red spinel was mistaken for ruby, which is why some of the most famous "rubies" in royal crowns are spinels. Lab spinel is cheap and grown in a flame, and is often used to imitate other gems. Fine mined red or cobalt-blue spinel is rare and expensive.

From the ground to your hand

The same stone at four moments. Tap a photo of a listing to see it on Amazon.

  1. 01 In the ground (step 1 of 4)

    A red spinel octahedron on white marble, Mogok, Myanmar. Spinel grows in the same marble as ruby, which is how the two got confused.

    A red spinel octahedron on white marble, Mogok, Myanmar. Spinel grows in the same marble as ruby, which is how the two got confused.

    Real specimen. Photo: Robert M. Lavinsky, CC BY-SA 3.0.

  2. 02 Rough (step 2 of 4)

    A large pink spinel crystal from Mahenge, Tanzania, where a famous find of bright pink spinel was made in 2007.

    A large pink spinel crystal from Mahenge, Tanzania, where a famous find of bright pink spinel was made in 2007.

    Real specimen. Photo: Robert M. Lavinsky, CC BY-SA 3.0.

  3. 03 Out of the lab (step 3 of 4)

    Lab cobalt-blue spinel, cut. Most lab spinel is grown in a flame like lab sapphire; some is flux-grown and has more natural-looking inclusions.

    Lab cobalt-blue spinel, cut. Most lab spinel is grown in a flame like lab sapphire; some is flux-grown and has more natural-looking .

    Amazon listing photo. See it on Amazon

  4. 04 Set (step 4 of 4)

    A lab blue spinel ring in sterling silver, 12 mm stone.

    A lab blue spinel ring in sterling silver, 12 mm stone.

    Amazon listing photo. See it on Amazon

Mineral
Spinel (magnesium aluminium oxide)
Colours from
Chromium (red, pink), cobalt or iron (blue)
Hardness
8 on the Mohs scale
Grown in labs since
Early 1900s (flame fusion)
Famous sources
Myanmar, Tanzania, Tajikistan, Vietnam, Sri Lanka
Red and pink spinel rough from the Mogok area, Myanmar.
Red and pink spinel rough from the Mogok area, Myanmar. Photo: James St. John, CC BY 2.0.
Red spinel in marble, Mogok: the same rock that holds ruby.
Red spinel in marble, Mogok: the same rock that holds ruby. Photo: Robert M. Lavinsky, CC BY-SA 3.0.

Famous spinel in museums

What the finest natural stones look like: real pieces in public collections. The whole gem museum.

The Imperial State Crown and the Black Prince’s Ruby: The British crown made in 1937 and altered in 1953. At the front sits the Black Prince’s Ruby, a red spinel of about 170 carats, above the Cullinan II diamond.
The Imperial State Crown and the Black Prince’s RubyThe British crown made in 1937 and altered in 1953. At the front sits the Black Prince’s Ruby, a red spinel of about 170 carats, above the Cullinan II diamond.Jewel House, Tower of LondonThe stone has been called a ruby for over 600 years. According to tradition it was given to Edward the Black Prince in 1367. Only in modern times was it identified as spinel.Photo: Wikimedia Commons, Public domain.

Own a lab version, or a natural one

Lab-grownLab cobalt-blue spinel, oval, 9 x 7 mmabout $65on Amazon →NaturalNatural red spinel rough, 25 ct lotabout $25on Amazon →

Spinel to own: a cut lab stone, or small natural rough.

The spinel on Catherine the Great’s crown: A red spinel of about 398 carats, set on top of the Great Imperial Crown made for Catherine the Great’s coronation in 1762. Drawing from the 1925 Fersman catalogue.
The spinel on Catherine the Great’s crownA red spinel of about 398 carats, set on top of the Great Imperial Crown made for Catherine the Great’s coronation in 1762. Drawing from the 1925 Fersman catalogue.Diamond Fund, Moscow KremlinEvery Russian emperor after Catherine was crowned under this spinel. It came to Russia from China in the 1600s.Photo: Fersman catalogue, 1925, Public domain.

Own a natural piece

NaturalNatural red spinel rough, 25 ct lotabout $25on Amazon →

Small natural spinel rough: the same mineral as the crown stone, at the other end of the price scale.

The Timur Ruby (a spinel): A spinel of about 352 carats, engraved with the names of earlier owners, here worn by Maharaja Sher Singh of the Sikh Empire in a painting by August Schoefft.
The Timur Ruby (a spinel)A spinel of about 352 carats, engraved with the names of earlier owners, here worn by Maharaja Sher Singh of the Sikh Empire in a painting by August Schoefft.Royal Collection, United Kingdom (since the 1800s)It passed between Persian, Mughal, Afghan and Sikh rulers, several of whom had their names cut into it. Like the Black Prince’s Ruby, it was a spinel all along.Photo: August Schoefft (painting), Public domain.

Own a natural piece

NaturalNatural red spinel rough, 25 ct lotabout $25on Amazon →

Small natural spinel rough: the same mineral as the crown stone, at the other end of the price scale.

The Crown of Stephen Bocskai: A gold crown set with rubies, spinels, emeralds, turquoises and pearls, given by the Ottoman sultan to Stephen Bocskai, Prince of Transylvania, in 1605.
The Crown of Stephen BocskaiA gold crown set with rubies, spinels, emeralds, turquoises and pearls, given by the Ottoman sultan to Stephen Bocskai, Prince of Transylvania, in 1605.Imperial Treasury (Kaiserliche Schatzkammer), ViennaA Muslim sultan crowned a Protestant prince, and the crown ended up in the treasury of the Catholic Habsburgs he had fought.Photo: Dennis G. Jarvis, CC BY-SA 2.0.

Mined vs lab-grown spinel

Mined and lab-grown spinel are the same mineral; this is what differs
MinedLab-grown
How it formedIn marble and gem gravels, often beside rubyIn a flame in hours, or slowly in a flux
InsideTiny octahedral crystals, often lined upClean flame-fusion stones; gas bubbles; flux veils in flux stones
TreatmentUsually none: spinel is rarely heatedNone
PriceFine red or cobalt blue: thousands of dollars a carat. Grey and lavender: affordableA few dollars to tens of dollars a stone
ResaleFine red and cobalt stones hold valueVery little

Be careful with cheap "natural" spinel on Amazon. Fine cobalt-blue and vivid red spinel cost thousands of dollars a carat; a "15 ct flawless natural cobalt spinel" for $30 is not one. Honest options: lab spinel sold as lab or synthetic, small natural rough, and black spinel, which is natural and genuinely cheap.

Treatments. Natural spinel is one of the few gems that is almost never treated, which is part of why collectors love it. The risk on Amazon is mislabelling: glass and lab material sold as natural. All gem treatments explained.

Where natural spinel comes from

Pins mark mining districts, not exact mines. Drag to move, pinch or scroll to zoom, tap a pin to read about it. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

List of every place on the map (5)
  • Spinel: Mogok and Namya, Myanmar. The classic source of red and pink spinel, in the same marble as Burmese ruby.
  • Spinel: Kuh-i-Lal, Pamir mountains, Tajikistan. The old source of "balas rubies", pink-red spinels prized by Persian, Mughal and Russian rulers.
  • Spinel: Mahenge, Tanzania. Famous for vivid hot-pink spinel since a large find in 2007.
  • Spinel: Luc Yen, Vietnam. Marble-hosted spinel, including rare cobalt-blue stones.
  • Spinel: Ratnapura and gem gravels, Sri Lanka. Spinel in many colours, including blue, from the island’s gem gravels.

How it is cut

Lab spinel is mostly machine-cut in calibrated sizes, which is why a cut lab stone costs little more than its rough. Fine mined stones are often native-cut to keep weight, then recut by precision cutters. See cuts from easiest to hardest and whether cutting your own is cheaper than buying cut.

What to buy

Checked in stock on October 10, 2026. Photos are the listings' own; prices are rounded.

The gem museum: the spinels in the crown jewelsRubyWhich gems can be lab-grown

Every colour of spinel, lab and natural

Lab spinel is grown mostly in blues and greens (the trade colour numbers are shown); natural spinel brings the reds, pinks, purples and greys. Every listing here was checked in stock on October 11, 2026; natural stones come from sellers who name the stone and, where noted, the lab report.

Red

The colour of the crown spinels, and the most valuable.

Natural StarRuby.in natural red spinel, 1.03 ct, unheated, Burma, IGI reportabout $280 on Amazon → Natural red spinel, 1.05 ct, VVS, Sri Lankaabout $980 on Amazon →
Red-pink

Burmese "neon" spinel glows under daylight.

Natural Sakura Jewelry untreated Burma spinel halo ring, 0.85 ct, 14K goldabout $1,330 on Amazon → StarRuby.in natural spinel, 0.94 ct, unheated, Burma, IGI reportabout $470 on Amazon →
Pink

Hot pinks made Mahenge, Tanzania, famous.

Natural PUHARGEMS natural pink spinel, 2.15 ct, oval, Ceylonabout $185 on Amazon →
Orange-pink

A sunset colour that is rarely found in other gems.

Natural Natural orange-pink spinel, 2.91 ct, unheatedabout $145 on Amazon →
Purple

Sri Lanka is the classic source.

Natural PUHARGEMS natural purple spinel, 2.19 ct, octagon, Ceylonabout $190 on Amazon → PUHARGEMS natural purple spinel, 1.66 ct, oval, Ceylonabout $145 on Amazon →
Grey

Steel and silver greys are affordable natural spinel, and in fashion.

Natural NNJ natural grey spinel and diamond ring, 1.43 ct, 14K rose goldabout $1,090 on Amazon → Natural grey spinel ring, 14K rose goldabout $685 on Amazon →
Light aqua (#106)

The usual stand-in for aquamarine.

Lab-grown Instagem lab spinel, aquamarine colour, 5.5 mmabout $10 on Amazon → Instagem lab spinel, aquamarine colour, 9 x 7 mmabout $20 on Amazon →
Ocean blue (#120)

A deep teal-blue.

Lab-grown Lab spinel, #120 blue, pear, 10 x 12 mm, 25 stonesabout $45 on Amazon → Instagem lab spinel, London blue topaz colour, 4 mmabout $8 on Amazon →
Sapphire blue (#112, #113)

Lab spinel was long used in place of blue sapphire.

Lab-grown Lab spinel, #112 blue, round, 4 mm, 20 stonesabout $11 on Amazon → Lab spinel, #113 blue, pear, 10 x 12 mm, 25 stonesabout $45 on Amazon → Synthetic blue spinel, round, 12 mmabout $9 on Amazon →
Deep blue (#114)

The darkest of the lab blues.

Lab-grown Lab spinel, #114 blue, round, 10 mm, 15 stonesabout $27 on Amazon →
Cobalt blue

The rarest natural spinel colour; this is the lab version.

Lab-grown Tianzuan lab cobalt spinel, round, 5 mmabout $30 on Amazon → Tianzuan lab cobalt spinel, oval, 9 x 7 mmabout $65 on Amazon →
Green (#149, #152)

Lab greens imitate tourmaline and emerald.

Lab-grown Instagem lab spinel, Brazilian green, round, 8 mmabout $25 on Amazon → Instagem lab spinel, green tourmaline colour, 9 x 7 mmabout $40 on Amazon →
Paraiba

A neon blue-green, after the rare Paraiba tourmaline.

Lab-grown Instagem lab spinel, Paraiba colour, cushion, 10 mmabout $40 on Amazon →
Black

Natural black spinel is common and genuinely cheap.

Lab-grown Calvas synthetic black spinel, round, 1 to 10 mmabout $13 on Amazon →
Natural Ross-Simons natural black spinel pave ring, 3.70 ctabout $160 on Amazon →

The spinel shop: 14 more pieces we trust

Every piece names the real stone and comes from a seller with a record, checked in stock on October 11, 2026. Photos are the listings' own; prices are rounded.

Loose stonesInstagem lab spinel, aquamarine colour, round, 5.5 mmLab spinel is the usual stand-in for aquamarine: here it is sold honestly.about $10on Amazon →Loose stonesInstagem lab spinel, aquamarine colour, emerald cut, 9 x 7 mmA step cut shows off spinel's clean, bright body.about $20on Amazon →Loose stonesInstagem lab spinel, green, round, 8 mmSold as synthetic: lab-grown, not mined.about $25on Amazon →Loose stonesTianzuan lab cobalt-blue spinel, round, 5 mmCobalt blue is the rarest natural spinel colour; this is the lab version, with some inclusions.about $30on Amazon →Loose stonesTianzuan lab cobalt-blue spinel, oval, 9 x 7 mmShips on a lead time.about $65on Amazon →Loose stonesSynthetic blue spinel, round, 12 x 12 mmA big lab stone for very little: the price of lab spinel is mostly the cut.about $9on Amazon →Women2.58 ctGem's Beauty lab blue spinel studs, 8 mm, 2.58 ct total, sterling silverShips on a lead time.about $60on Amazon →WomenSonia Jewels synthetic blue spinel eternity band, sterling silverA full circle of lab blue spinel.about $130on Amazon →WomenSynthetic spinel and lab sapphire earrings, sterling silverTwo lab stones, both named honestly.about $55on Amazon →WomenJewelryWeb lab spinel pendant, aquamarine colour, 16 inListed as "lab created spinel, aquamarine colour": the honest way to sell it.about $190on Amazon →WomenShop LC natural black spinel huggie hoops, sterling silverBlack spinel is natural and genuinely cheap.about $35on Amazon →WomenArt deco black spinel and marcasite ring, sterling silverNatural black spinel in a vintage style.about $70on Amazon →

Your kit for spinel

Five tools that let you check what you bought (a loupe, a UV torch, locking tweezers, a gem box and a pocket scale), plus a turntable that spins your stone under the light the way jewellers show one. The full collector's kit.

LookGemOro 10x triplet loupeunder $20LookDARKBEAM filtered 365 nm UV flashlightabout $10HandleHonoson locking tweezers, 3 packabout $10StoreTeensery gem display boxes with clear lids, 10 packabout $9ShowComXim motorized turntable, adjustable speed and directionabout $15MeasureGemOro Platinum XP500 pocket scale, 0.01 gabout $40

In short

Spinel grows over millions of years in the earth, or in hours to months in a lab. Both are real spinel; the mined stone is rare and priced for rarity, the lab stone is priced for the cost of growing it. Buy lab to wear and enjoy, check the listing names the mineral, and test it when it arrives.

See our first pick: Instagem lab spinel, Paraiba colour, cushion, 10 mm

Frequently Asked Questions

Is spinel a ruby?

No. Ruby is and spinel is a different mineral, but red spinel grows in the same marble and looks very like ruby. They were not told apart until the late 1700s, so famous "rubies" like the Black Prince’s Ruby are spinels.

Is lab spinel worth buying?

Yes, as long as it is sold as lab or synthetic. It is hard enough for rings (8 on the Mohs scale) and cheap. Lab spinel is also used to imitate aquamarine, blue zircon and other gems, so check what a "lab aquamarine" really is.

Why is natural spinel so cheap on Amazon?

It usually is not natural spinel. Fine red, pink and cobalt-blue spinel is expensive. Black spinel is the exception: it is natural, common and genuinely cheap.

Is spinel a birthstone?

Yes. In 2016 the American Gem Trade Association and Jewelers of America added spinel as a birthstone for August, alongside peridot.

Photo credits

  • spinel-octahedron-mogok.webp: Robert M. Lavinsky, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
  • spinel-pink-mahenge.webp: Robert M. Lavinsky, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
  • spinel-rough-mogok.webp: James St. John, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
  • spinel-in-calcite.webp: Robert M. Lavinsky, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
  • Product photos: Amazon listings, via the Amazon Product Advertising (Creators) API.

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