Spinel gemstone (often misspelled as “spinal”) is a natural gemstone prized for its brilliance, durability, and wide range of colors.

Spinel is composed of magnesium aluminum oxide and crystallizes in the cubic system, which gives it excellent sparkle and clarity. It occurs in colors such as deep red, pink, blue, violet, orange, gray, black, and colorless. Red spinel is especially famous and was historically mistaken for ruby—some of the world’s “legendary rubies” in royal crowns are actually spinels.

With a Mohs hardness of about 8, spinel is tough enough for everyday jewelry. It typically has high transparency, vitreous (glassy) luster, and fewer inclusions than many other gemstones, making it attractive without heavy treatment. Most spinel on the market is untreated, which adds to its value.

Spinel is found in places such as Myanmar (Burma), Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Tanzania, and Afghanistan, and it is admired both for fine jewelry and as a collector’s gemstone.