The stone that spawned the science of gemology - Spinel July 26, 2015 15:36

Long ago every bright red stone was thought to be ruby and deep blue stones were thought to be sapphires.  Spinels, which come in every color from red to blue, spawned the birth of the science of gemology due to the need to distinguish it from ruby and sapphire. 

Spinels are one of the greatest imposters in jewelry. Many were labeled as rubies and can be found in royal jewelry collections around the world. Once, spinels were called Balas rubies. One of the most famous examples of a spinel "ruby" is found in the British Imperial Crown (housed in the Tower of London) where the Black Prince's "ruby" is actually a 170 carat crimson-red spinel.   You can find more information about the crown jewels of the British Monarchy at the official website of the British Monarchy.