Black Spinel

From the its initial discovery in ancient mines that supplied gems for royal courts from Rome to China, spinel was confused for rubbies and sapphires. In ancient times, the mines of central and southeast Asia yielded exceptionally large spinel crystals. These fine stones became known as Balas rubies, and some of them were the treasured property of kings and emperors, often passing through many hands as spoils of war. As a result, some of the world’s most illustrious “rubies” are actually spinel.

One of the most famous examples is the so-called “Black Prince’s ruby.” This historic crimson-red gem is set in England’s Imperial State Crown and displayed in the Tower of London. Smoothly polished and roughly octagonal in shape, it was probably mined in the mountains of Afghanistan. It first appeared in the historical records of fourteenth-century Spain, and was owned by a succession of Moorish and Spanish Kings before Edward, Prince of Wales (the “Black Prince”) received the stone in 1367 as payment for a battle victory.

Since then, many other English monarchs, including Henry VIII, have cherished the gem. Spinel is also found in the “Côte de Bretagne”, formerly from the French Crown jewels and paired with the Koh-i-Noor diamond as one of the centerpieces of England’s Crown Jewels.

Black Spinel is a protective stone that repels negativity and grounds the user while evoking inspiration and empowerment, without overwhelming others. It is also thought to help one find calmness and let go of resentments to re-establish relationships and dispel sadness. Black Spinel has been thought to heal the body as a whole, but is used to particularly help one’s bladder, intestines, and female reproductive system.