Birthstone Guide
Jewelers of America's
Official Birthstone List
| January | Garnet |
| February | Amethyst |
| March | Acquamarine |
| April | Diamond |
| May | Emerald |
| June | Alexandrite, Cultured Pearl, Moonstone |
| July | Ruby |
August |
Peridot, Spinel |
| September | Sapphire |
| October | Opal, Tourmaline |
| November | Topaz, Citrine |
| December | Turquoise, Blue Zircon, Tanzanite |
Visit www.jewelers.org for birthstone gift ideas, or to find a JA Member jeweler near you.
Spinel
SPINELS enjoy a long and storied history. Some of the most famous historical gems that were originally thought to be rubies turned out to be spinel. A notable example is the Black Prince's Ruby, a centerpiece of the British Imperial State Crown, which was only recently confirmed to be a spinel. Spinels tend to be more reflective and flittering than rubies, because of their different optical characteristics. Much like rubies and sapphires, they can be found in a wide assortment of colors.
SPINEL is an August birtstone and it is sometimes used to commemorate a 22nd wedding anniversary. Everyone can take pleasure from its glittering optics and vibrant colors.
SPINEL FACTS:
- Spinel is a mineral that comes from Afghanistan, Brazil, Burma (Myanmar), Cambodia, Kenya, Russia, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand and Vietnam.
- Spinel is a durable gemstone with a hardness of 8.0 on the Mohs Hardness Scale.
- Spinel is cut in many shapes and sizes. Colors range from orange to intense red or pink,a nd all shades between purple, blue and violet to bluish green.
SPINEL TREATMENT
- Spinels are not generally treated. Experimentally, however, some have been heat treated and infrequent surface-reaching fractures are treated with oils or polymers. Information about any stone known to be treated should be disclosed to the buyer.
SYNTHETIC SPINELS
- Spinel can also be man-made, meaning it is mabnufactured in a lab rather than mined, and this fact should be understood by the seller and clearly disclosed to the buyer.
SPINEL CARE AND CLEANING
- To minimize scratching and wear, store each piece of fine jewelry separately in a soft cloth or padded container.
- Avoid exposure to intense heat as light-colored stones may fade.
- Spinel jewelry is best cleaned with warm, sudsy water and a tightly woven microfiber or other soft cloth.
- Take all your fine jewelry to a professional jewelry at least twice a year for a thorough cleaning and inspection.