Continuing our series on how to spot fake gemstones, this week we have what is possibly the most difficult of all: Spinel.
The good news about that is that it means even fake Spinel looks very aesthetic. However, you don’t want to be sold a fake gemstone and think it’s real. That’s frustrating and likely means you’re being charged way more than the stone is worth.
Before we dive in, we should note that unlike the other gemstones, this one absolutely needs to be examined by a professional. Most of the machinery mentioned here is more advanced and will only be available in labs.
UV Radiation – Long-wave
The proper way to analyze whether Spinel is real is to put it under a UV Radiation Light. Set it to long-wave and look for any stones that are particularly glowy. If the stones are glowy, that means it’s synthetic and not natural. However, the color makes the stones shine at different intensities and red Spinel will naturally glow more, so you need a trained eye either way for this.
Green is Rare
This isn’t flawless reasoning, but it should be noted that Green is the most rare color of Spinel and is one of the most likely to be synthetic. Green and blue in particular are popular choices for people to create fakes of, so make sure you’re going through a reputable dealer if you choose either of those colors.
Gas Bubbles & Magnification
For those that don’t have access to UV Radiation machinery, you can put the stone under magnification. It has to be extremely high magnification and you have to examine very closely, but if you look close enough you might be able to see “gas bubbles”. Little pockets of air inside the gemstone indicate that it’s synthetic and not natural. These gas bubbles will often form a “curve” of striations and might require a bit of training to see.
Unless you have a trained eye, it’s highly recommended to take Spinel to a professional to get it properly assessed. If you’re looking at using Spinel in your jewelry and want to make sure it’s authentic, book an appointment with us or call (720) 560-3548.