Spinel for many years has gone unnoticed as a gemstone of great durability and intense color. In recent years the famous red and vivid pink Spinels from Mahenge, Tanzania, and Burma have had all of the glory of the beauty of Spinel. Now people are starting to notice the more pastel colors including the beautiful blue Spinel. The blue Spinel is colored from the impurity of Cobalt in the crystal lattice. These stones are commonly referred to as Cobalt Blue Spinel.

In many locations such as Sri Lanka, the Spinel will have a high iron content which tends to make the stones darker. This makes the stones look blue-gray to violet-blue instead of just pure blue. If the blue Spinel has a high iron content and looks dark in color, it is best viewed in daylight (Specifically skylight where the sun comes from over your shoulder and you cast a shadow over the stone). This will bring out the bright sparkles of blue color in the blue Spinel. Like all Spinel, these stones should be eye-clean and free from inclusions.

If the stone has visible flaws it will reduce the price. The more vibrant the color the higher the price will be. High saturation in color with a medium tone is the most expensive type of blue Spinel. These are always colored by Cobalt and are extremely rare to find.

• Treatment None