Spinel deserves a comeback because it offers remarkable color, lasting durability, and a fascinating history that rivals many better-known gemstones. Once mistaken for ruby and overlooked by generations of jewelry lovers, spinel is now recognized as one of August’s official birthstones. Its shades range from vivid red and bright pink to violet, blue, orange, and bluish green, giving each stone a distinctive personality. For those drawn to meaningful jewelry that feels artistic rather than expected, spinel provides a beautiful foundation for custom rings, necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and cherished pieces created to mark an August birthday or personal milestone.
In this article:
-Spinel offers August-born clients more color choices, from vivid red and pink to violet, blue, and orange.
-Spinel is durable enough for fine jewelry, making it well suited for custom rings, necklaces, bracelets, and earrings.
-llyn strong creates personalized spinel jewelry in Midtown Greenville, including birthstone pieces and meaningful heirloom redesigns.
llyn strong fine art jewelry is located in Greenville, SC, and specializes in creating custom-made fine art jewelry. Browse our online inventory of fine art jewelry. Contact us today at 864-233-5900 or visit our storefront at 1322 E Washington St Suite C1, Greenville, SC 29607. Let us help you reimagine, re-think and re-invent your jewelry collection!
The August Birthstone Hidden in Plain Sight
Peridot may be the gemstone most commonly associated with August, but spinel gives August-born jewelry lovers another beautiful option, with a much broader range of colors and design possibilities.
This variety makes spinel especially appealing to someone who wants birthstone jewelry without feeling limited to a traditional green stone. A deep red spinel can create a warm, dramatic centerpiece, while a pink or lavender stone may feel romantic and softly expressive. Blue spinel can bring a cooler, more contemplative character to a custom design.
At our Midtown Greenville shop + studio, we believe a birthstone should feel connected to the person wearing it. The right gemstone is not simply chosen from a calendar. It should reflect a favorite color, a treasured memory, a relationship, or the story behind the occasion.
Spinel Was Once Mistaken for Ruby
One of spinel’s most compelling secrets is that some of history’s celebrated “rubies” were not rubies at all.
For centuries, red spinel and ruby were grouped together because early gem experts could not easily distinguish between them. It was not until the 18th century that spinel was clearly identified as a separate mineral based on its chemical composition.
The famous Black Prince’s Ruby is one striking example. This approximately 170-carat red stone has passed through the hands of monarchs and now rests in Britain’s Imperial State Crown. Despite its historic name, the gemstone is actually spinel.
That history gives spinel a sense of mystery. It spent centuries adorning royal treasures while living under another gem’s identity — and today, it finally has the recognition to stand proudly on its own.
A Gemstone With an Artist’s Palette of Color
When it comes to color, spinel offers far more variety than many people realize.
Natural spinel can appear in intense red, vibrant pink, orange, purple, violet, blue, and bluish green. Some examples display saturated, electric color, while others have softer gray, mauve, or lavender undertones. Trace elements within the stone help produce these different hues, including cobalt in certain vivid blue spinels.
This color range gives our team room to create jewelry that feels highly personal. A thoughtfully chosen spinel may represent:
- A bold red for enduring love or an anniversary
- A vivid pink for joy, confidence, or an August birthday
- A violet stone for creativity and individuality
- A blue spinel for calm, loyalty, or personal strength
- A combination of colors representing children or generations of a family
Rather than choosing a gemstone because it follows convention, clients can select the spinel that speaks most clearly to their own aesthetic and story.
Is Spinel Durable Enough for Fine Jewelry?
Spinel ranks 8 on the Mohs hardness scale, making it a durable option for many styles of fine jewelry, including rings. It is also generally stable when exposed to light and common chemicals, although high heat can affect the color of some stones.
Its durability makes spinel suitable for pieces intended to be worn regularly, but thoughtful design remains important. The setting, gemstone shape, intended use, and wearer’s lifestyle should all be considered before creating a custom piece.
Warm water, mild soap, and a soft brush provide a safe method for routine cleaning. A professional jeweler should inspect the stone and setting periodically, especially in frequently worn rings or bracelets.
Fine jewelry is meant to be enjoyed, but proper care helps ensure it can also become a lasting memory passed from one generation to the next.
What Makes a Beautiful Spinel?
Color is often the first quality people notice. Rich, lively shades with an even appearance tend to create the strongest visual impact, although beauty remains deeply personal. A softer lilac or smoky blue spinel may feel more meaningful to one person than the most vivid red stone.
Cut also matters. A well-cut spinel reflects light throughout the gemstone and brings energy to its color. Clarity, carat weight, origin, and rarity can also affect value. Fine spinels larger than five carats are comparatively rare, and richly saturated blue stones can be particularly valuable.
A gemstone should be considered as part of the full design rather than judged by a single measurement. Our team looks at how the stone’s color interacts with precious metal, accent gems, scale, proportion, and the personality of the person who will wear it.
Creating Personalized Spinel Jewelry in Greenville, SC
Spinel is a natural choice for custom jewelry because it can feel historic and refreshingly original at the same time. It may become the centerpiece of an August birthstone ring, an anniversary necklace, a family bracelet, or a pair of earrings designed around a favorite color.
It can also be incorporated into an heirloom redesign. An inherited diamond or family gemstone might be paired with colorful spinel to create a piece that honors its original sentiment while feeling more aligned with the current owner. The finished design becomes a tangible symbol of continuity, carrying part of the past into a form that can be worn today.
At llyn strong, custom jewelry design is collaborative and deeply personal. Our all-female team considers the meaning behind the piece, how it will be worn, and what details will make it unmistakably yours. Each gemstone and design decision is thoughtfully chosen, from the scale of the centerpiece to the smallest supporting accent.
Give This Overlooked August Birthstone Its Moment
Spinel has spent enough time in the shadow of ruby and peridot. With its royal history, impressive durability, and extraordinary spectrum of colors, it offers everything a meaningful gemstone should: beauty, individuality, depth, and a story worth sharing.
For August birthdays, anniversaries, family milestones, or personal celebrations, custom spinel jewelry can become more than a beautiful object. It can hold a memory, represent a relationship, and eventually become one of the cherished pieces passed to someone you love.
Visit llyn strong fine art jewelry at 1322 East Washington Street, Suite C1, in Midtown Greenville to explore spinel gemstones and begin creating fine art jewelry with a story of its own.
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