Did you know that spinels are often mistaken for other gemstones? In fact, some of the most famous “rubies” in history are actually red spinels. The Black Prince’s Ruby and the Timur Ruby, both part of the British Crown Jewels, were long thought to be rubies but are actually large red spinels. This confusion arises because spinels and rubies can be very similar in color and are found in the same mining areas. Spinels, however, have a different crystal structure and chemical composition compared to rubies, which are a variety of corundum. This makes spinels a unique gemstone with a case of mistaken identity in the annals of gemology.
