Natural Spinel Stone in Pakistan

Coming soon

Spinel is not listed yet. We are sourcing natural stones and will add each one separately, with its own photographs, after it passes our checks. Message us on WhatsApp with the colour, size or shape you want, or email hello@authenticgems.pk, and we will let you know when a suitable stone arrives. Our contact page has the other ways to reach us.

The mineral

Spinel is a magnesium aluminium oxide that forms in marble and also gets washed into gem gravels. It rates 8 on the Mohs scale, has no cleavage and takes a lively polish, which makes it one of the better choices for a ring worn daily. It is singly refractive, so its colour looks the same from every direction, whereas ruby and sapphire can show two slightly different shades as you turn them.

The name Laal, or Laal-e-Badakhshan, comes from the historic mines of Badakhshan in the Pamirs. Many famous "rubies" in royal treasuries later turned out to be spinel, the best known being the Black Prince's Ruby in the British crown. Nearer home, the same Hunza marble that gives ruby also yields spinel, often as small pink to red crystals. See Hunza ruby and the gemstone mines of Pakistan.

Colours

• Red: the classic Laal, from pure red to pinkish or slightly brownish red.
• Pink and hot pink: bright, saturated pinks are in strong demand.
• Purple and lavender: soft to deep violet, often with a hint of grey.
• Blue: usually greyish blue; a pure, intense cobalt blue is rare.
• Black: opaque and inexpensive, used for beads and men's rings.

Spinel or ruby?

A red spinel and a ruby can look almost identical to the eye. A gemmologist tells them apart with a refractometer (spinel gives one reading, ruby two) and a dichroscope (ruby shows two shades of red, spinel only one). The inclusions differ as well: spinel often carries tiny octahedral crystals, sometimes lined up in rows, while ruby shows fine silk and angular colour zoning. Spinel is a valuable gem in its own right, but it should never be sold as Yaqoot, and a red stone offered cheaply as "ruby" may well be spinel or garnet. If ruby is what you are after, see our ruby (Yaqoot) collection and how to identify original ruby.

Synthetic spinel and other copies

Synthetic spinel has been made cheaply for over a century and is one of the commonest imitation materials in the bazaar. Since it can be grown in almost any colour, it is used to imitate aquamarine, blue sapphire, peridot and "white sapphire" as well as red Laal. Be careful with:

• a colour natural spinel rarely shows, such as pale sky blue or strong aqua green;
• a large, flawless stone at a low price;
• gas bubbles or curved growth lines under a 10x loupe.

Red glass and glued doublets are also sold as Laal. Separating natural from synthetic spinel needs instruments, so an independent lab report is the safest basis for buying any spinel of value. Our article on natural vs synthetic gemstones explains more.

Treatments

Most natural spinel reaches the market untreated, which is a big part of its appeal to collectors. Some stones are heated, and a lab can often detect the traces heat leaves. Lower grades are occasionally fracture-filled with oil or resin. When we list spinel, we will state any treatment we know of.

What makes one stone worth more

Colour comes first. A pure, bright red or an intense hot pink with no brown or grey sits at the top, with cobalt blue close behind. Clarity follows, as eye-clean stones are expected in red and pink. Size has a strong effect, because fine spinel over a few carats is scarce. The cut decides how much brightness you actually see, and a known origin such as Burma, Badakhshan or Hunza adds interest for collectors. Untreated status confirmed by a lab adds confidence.

Bazaars in Pakistan often quote spinel per ratti. The gemstone ratti is 0.91 carat, and our carat to ratti converter makes it easy to compare quotes given in different units. For the bigger picture, see gemstone prices in Pakistan.

Care

Spinel is hard and tough, so it is well suited to rings. Clean it with warm soapy water and a soft brush. Ultrasonic cleaning is generally fine for untreated stones but should be avoided for anything with fillings. Store it away from diamonds and sapphires, which are harder and can scratch it.

Spinel in tradition

Laal has a long place in Persian and Mughal history, where large red spinels were engraved with rulers' names and passed down as heirlooms. In some South Asian practice, red spinel is offered as a substitute stone (uparatna) for ruby and linked with the Sun, traditionally set in gold on the ring finger. These are beliefs and customs, not promised outcomes. If they matter to you, speak to an astrologer or scholar you trust.

Red and pink stones you can order now

For stones in stock, browse ruby, garnet, kunzite and tourmaline, or see all red gemstones.

Once spinel is listed, you will be able to order it on Cash on Delivery anywhere in Pakistan, open the parcel and look at the stone in front of the rider before paying, and return it within 7 days if it is not right. Orders are dispatched within 1 working day of confirmation by insured, tracked courier for a flat Rs. 500 per order, usually reaching Karachi in 1 to 2 working days, Lahore, Islamabad and other major cities in 2 to 4, and smaller towns within about 7.