This pair of grey blue Spinel Sapphire ear studs is just what any woman needs to transition her outfit from day to night. So perfectly neutral, yet not bland.
The beauty of grey spinels lies it its ability to appear youthful, mysterious and elegant all at the same time.
We created a pair of grey blue Spinel Sapphire ear studs that were fancy without the fussy dangle of drop earrings. This pair of grey spinels have a very slight hint of blue, depending on the angle of reflection. Yet, upon another glance, the Spinels now appear to have a hint of lilac? We colour-matched the Spinels with Sapphires in 3 different shades of blue. Look closely and your eye will see the palest blue round Sapphire, a medium-hued tiniest round blue Sapphire, with the large Marquise shape stones in a near-cornflower shade of blue.
The result is a pair of ear studs that look like a bouquet of grey blue flowers floating on her ears. Not only unique, but elegant and pretty. No traditional halo of diamonds as seen on nearly every imaginable pair of diamond ear studs.
Whichever way one prefers to appreciate the beauty of the Grey Spinel, it is obvious that the grey tones have an elegant yet captivating, quiet quality about it. No other shades of Spinel will invoke similar emotions as the grey-hued Spinel.
The design brief for this set of wedding bands was: something simple, yet unique. It also had to be of course, comfortable for wear. This couple is no stranger to Heritage Gems as they had previously customised their Blue Spinel engagement ring with us a few years back. And they knew exactly our design ethos.
Our guiding principle in the designing of our jewellery are:
Timeless classics (yes, possibly something even your grandmother would wear)
unique simplicity. We create for the purpose and place of the the jewellery and the wearer. Simplicity is not the absence of aesthetics nor beauty. In fact, to create a stunning, yet simple piece of jewellery is a feat.
Pleasing: great design that is pleasing. Pleasing to the eye and pleasing to wear
Wearability and usability over aesthetics. For the purpose of this article, this point in particular is important when in comes to designing and handcrafting wedding bands.
Form and function go hand-in-hand. Because without function, there is no form. An aesthetically stunning, trendy piece of jewellery but does not serve the wearer the function and comfort is basically, pretty much useless.
We handcraft beautiful pieces in elegant yet unique jewellery pieces, which will wear the test of time.
They wanted a pair of wedding bands that would complement (though not necessarily match) the style and design of their engagement ring.
Also, the bride wanted a band that was sparkly enough she could wear as a standalone ring. Yet, simple enough that when paired with her engagement ring, it would not steal the spotlight away from the centre piece.
If you’ve been searching for coloured gemstones at various gem and jewellery stores, you might have wondered why some stones appear more sleepy than some and you wonder if you might have remembered them incorrectly especially when comparison takes place across different stores and often, on different days and times.
Below we share a video of 2 spinels taken using the same iPhone, taken in succession on the same day. With the first 2 frames showing 2 individual stones and the last frame showing both Spinels taken in the same frame.
Spinel #A
On initial comparison, the first Spinel, Spinel A appears well-cut, with good clarity and appears to be decently lively looking. Imagine you see this gem in person at a jeweller during your search process and being quoted $X for this piece.
spinel #B
Separately, you view Spinel #2, Spinel B, on a different day or perhaps on the same day, but at a different time, from a different jeweller. This piece does appear to be more lively. Although, based on memory, you were pretty sure the first piece was probably as lively and probably had as much sparkle as the 2nd piece you are currently seeing. And when you ask for the price on this 2nd piece, you are told a price that is considerably higher than the first. You then begin to wonder if you’re being fleeced.
Searching for your coloured gemstone of choice can seem daunting at first, but if you’re in the right hands, it is in fact a fun and educational process.
Comparing both Spinels
Now, in fact, when you watch both pieces taken in the same video (see last frame), placed side-by-side, it becomes instantly apparent the difference in sparkle, lustre and brilliance between both pieces.
A fine quality coloured gemstone with lively appearance will seem to have light radiating from within the gem. At some points, depending on light angles, fine quality coloured stones can be as sparkly as a diamond!
A recently commissioned gorgeous blue spinel engagement ring from a client based in Ireland. The couple had travelled to Asia and gotten in touch about commissioning a special piece to commemorate their engagement.
Simple in style, yet so unique in colour (both the gem in its own right and also the 18K Rose Gold design work). Handcrafted right here in our workshop in our Singapore, a style that looks beguilingly simple, yet requires experienced craftsmanship and skill to craft.
Work in progress photos:
To complete the piece, we top it off with a most unique, fine quality Blue Spinel. In round brilliant cut, loupe-clean, with a fine quality lustre that make this piece shine bright like a diamond.
Have you ever walked into a gemstone or jewellery store and asked to see a Spinel? Chances are the store assistant will likely say they are either out of stock or do not have any at the moment. Or they might pull out from their drawer, some Spinels possibly in an assortment of colours. You will look and analyse the pieces before your eyes. It is likely you will be greeted with Spinels that look somewhat sleepy, a little dull in appearance or not quite sparkly as what you had originally expected.
Commercial quality blue spinels are fairly easily found in a high-street jewellery shop. However, stunning blue spinels that are well-cut and sparkle like diamonds like this gorgeous blue spinel engagement ring are in fact quite rare.
It is easy to notice that gorgeous blue spinels have a unique quality in that they appear to take on slightly different hues under different lighting conditions. For this fine quality Spinel, it appears slightly violet in natural daylight. Yet has a grey undertone that becomes a little more obvious on an overcast day.
We hope you are inspired by the colours, quality of gemstone and design you see in this post.
Dreamy blue spinel engagement rings are never short of perfect. Contact us now on: heritagegems@gmail.com to customise your very own bespoke engagement ring today – because true luxury is within reach.
Moving image of this gorgeous Blue Spinel ring below:
Alternatively, view the video of this Blue Spinel here on our Instagram (@heritagegems):
As with commercial grade unheated natural sapphires, commercial grade Spinels are abundant. Below are some examples of regular Spinels most people come across in stores or at their local jeweller.
commercial grade spinel that has heavily dark zones with 80% of gemstone in shadowcommercial grade spinel with inclusions commercial grade spinel with large window
Commercial grade spinels come as cheaply as $200/ct for sizes under 3cts. However, aesthetically beautiful, well-cut and 100% unheated Spinels are difficult to source. Often times, Spinels, like above, that come through our hands do not make through our quality controls. Investment-grade Spinels in shades of pink, blue and red can command a minimum of $4000/ct and upwards. This is assuming the Spinel is eye-clean/loupe-clean, well-cut with no colour zones, no areas of large windows, no areas of dark shadows.
Some examples of fine quality Spinels are as below. Well-cut, aesthetically beautiful & 100% natural Spinels are becoming increasingly difficult to source.
How is the Blue Spinel different to the Blue Sapphire?
How is the Blue Spinel different to the Blue Sapphire? Are they both natural gemstones?
Fine quality blue spinels are unlike any Blue Sapphires the regular consumer typically sees in the shops or online.
Clients often ask us: What is the difference between a Blue Spinel and Blue Sapphire?
Blue sapphires exist usually in the pure blue shade, often without any secondary tones.What varies is whether it is a light blue, medium blue, vivid blue, inky blue or deep blue. On the other hand, blue spinels come in a spectrum of blues, often with a secondary undertone or overtone of grey, green, or lilac/purple. This lends a depth of colour to the gem, quite unlike any other Blue Sapphire.
We share below a quick visual example of the difference between a Blue Spinel and a Blue Sapphire. It is quickly apparent that the colour tones of the Blue Spinel and a Blue Sapphire are quite different, yet both gorgeous in their own ways.
Commercial Quality Spinels VS Fine Quality Spinels:
Unfortunately, commercial quality blue spinels are usually lack-lustre, appearing somewhat dull and in an overly dark shade of colour. Common examples are as below.
Often times, a good portion / area of the stone appears to be nearly black or cast in shadow. As a result, you would find it difficult to see the individual facets of the stone being reflected back to the eye. It is possible to see that the stone is blue, but the actual colour is not seen evenly throughout the gem.
On the other hand, fine quality blue spinels will a nice brilliance and lustre, with good amount of sparkle throughout the stone. It will not appear overly dull or cast in dark shadow. Scroll through to see visual examples of fine quality Blue Spinel set in a beautiful 18K white gold setting.
An example of a commercial quality Blue Spinel that has too much shadow and appears overcast and dull.
Customisation Process:
Recently customised for a client, below features a stunning and mesmerising spinel in Midnight Blue, set in 18K White Gold and diamonds. Look at the depth of colour on this gem! Mysterious midnight blue so mesmerising one could stare at the stone for hours on end. Notice that most of the facets can be seen from the top of the stone.
As with sapphires, Spinels that are well-cut and eye-clean are not common. Beautiful Spinels are not overcast in shadow nor having areas that lack in colour.
There is something very endearing about blue Spinels. The blue is not the usual “pop” of blue, but an enigmatic blue hue that grows on you and looks more beautiful with time. As is said, in every gem connoisseur’s collection, there is always at least one Spinel sitting in that private collection.
This piece is also design to be in a seamless fit with the wedding band.
It was a delight for us to handcraft such a beautiful bespoke spinel engagement ring.
Would you like to customise a similar piece?
Contact us now at: heritagegems@gmail.com or WhatsApp +65 97716923 and we’d be happy to get you started.
Check out the links below for some inspiration on other types of spinel engagement rings
We will be showcasing our latest collection of unheated Sapphires, Malaia Garnets, Tsavorite Garnets, Spinels, in a wide assortment of colours, including our new ready-to-wear collection.
26th October (Friday) – 29th October (Monday), drop by Marina Bay Sands, Booth F112 to view.
Customise your art pieces with us at the show, in time for Christmas!
Book a customised order with us at this fair from 26 – 29 October and take $300 off your total bill. Applicable to all customised jewellery, including wedding bands and wedding jewellery.
Quote “IGOCT2018” at booth #F112 this weekend. Valid only during above dates, only at Marina Bay Sands Expo Hall. Not valid post-event.
Customising a bespoke engagement ring holds a special place in every couple’s hearts as they hold both sentimental and emotional value.
If you prefer to have control over what design you would like to see in your ring and also decide what shades of colours you’d like your centre gemstone to be, it is likely you will enjoy the process of customising your bespoke engagement ring.
Spinels – available in a spectacular variety of colours from Mother Nature:
Spinels, the August birthstone, have been around since the beginning of time. In absolutely gorgeous shade of blue, this proposal ring is unique and one-of-a-kind. In its blue, pink, grey, lilac and red shades, Spinels have often been confused for Sapphires and Rubies. In no way inferior to Sapphire or Rubies, Spinels often come in such a great variety of shades and colours, there is literally more hues and shades of the Spinels than there are the colours of the rainbow!
The beauty and rarity of unheated, untreated coloured gemstones is that one can almost never just simply “order it” from Mother Nature. Finding the preferred shade of colour requires patience and luck. If lucky, we find ourselves with a gem piece that is both well-faceted and nearly loupe clean.
COMMERCIAL QUALITY SPINELS:
Most commercial quality Spinels look overly dark, with poor brilliance. These commercial quality Spinels look much less lively than preferred, with an almost “sleepy” look. What is common in the mainstream market is similar to the 2 pieces below, or at best, a little more brilliant or a little more lively looking than the 2 pieces immediately below.
FINE QUALITY SPINELS:
However, fine quality Spinels are almost never found in the mainstream market as supply is so limited. Most jewellery stores don’t stock fine quality Spinels. Fine quality Spinels, are pieces that look “alive”, brilliant and almost “dancing” when one views them from the table / face up. Pieces which are well-cut, well-faceted, good clarity and eye-clean. It is possible to source for Spinels which are very eye-clean. The better the eye-clarity, the higher the price of the Spinel. To be in possession of nice, lively, brilliant and eye-clean Spinel is sometimes dependent on luck.
Beautiful vintage style engagement rings never fail to evoke romantic feelings.
Our client very graciously shared her wedding day photos and nothing says love better than a couple with their megawatt smiles, vintage inspired engagement ring and a stunning lace dress.
Beautiful blue Spinels are extremely rare. Yes, equally as rare as the unheated blue sapphire. Blue spinels and most other Spinels are typically non-treated and non-heated. The unique feature about the blue spinel is that it has a very magnetic shade of blue, one that seemingly grows on you rather than simply catching your eye at the first instance. Spinels have long been mistaken for sapphires, or Corundums, because its lustre and brilliance quite resembles the Sapphires.
It’s nice to be able to create your own history and story by customising a vintage styled engagement ring because there’s just something alluring and romantic about it. They make for great photos as well!
Photo Credit: From Client, taken by Daniel Sim Photography
Photo Credit: From Client, taken by Jasper Avenue Sydney
A bespoke customised piece of jewellery to call your own, in a shade of colour that captures your heart and eyes is truly a gift to be enjoyed and appreciated for the years to come.
There’s always something truly memorable and nostalgic about a vintage style engagement ring.
Congratulations to this lovely couple and wishing you both bliss in your journey!
Photo Credit: From Client, taken by Daniel Sim Photography
Photo Credit: From Client, taken by Jasper Avenue Sydney