Spinel (Ruby Spinel) ("floater" twin)

When it comes to Ruby Spinel, Mogok is the world leader in terms of producing the finest crystals ever known. Not only are these crystals highly desirable on the market, but when you find a complete "floater" twin like this, it's even more satisfying. This beautiful specimen shows classic textbook twinning on the {111} octahedral face creating a gorgeous thumbnail. The color is a wonderful pinkish-red and the crystal shows an intense red fluorescence when exposed to UV light. The area around Mogok is world famous for producing the finest crystals and gems of Spinel in the world. Many of these crystals have yielded the most impressive red Ruby Spinel gems ever found. Mogok is most likely the site of the discovery of the famous Black Prince's Ruby in the Crown Jewels of the UK. The significance of the stone in the crown is that it was actually revealed to be a giant (170 carat) Spinel, and not a Ruby as had been thought for centuries. Spinels are typically found in opaque, dark crystals, but we were fortunate to pick up a parcel of not only colorful but GEMMY crystals direct from the source! Specimen #SPINEL111912