Well, hello spinel! Earlier this summer, two fine-jewelry trade groups — American Gem Trade Association and Jewelers of America — announced that spinel would join peridot as a birthstone for August.
I love the vibrant yellow-green hue of peridot. I used it in my Susan chandelier-earring design.
My peridot and diamond Susan earrings, modeled by Eryn Patton. Click to purchase the earrings (Eryn isn’t for sale).
But peridot is always some shade of green, and not everyone likes green. Spinel comes in a range of colors including rich red, orange and purple. I used a pink spinel in my new ring for ANZA Gems.
Garnet, garnet, spinel.
Spinel also comes in black, giving New Yorkers born in August a reason to rejoice. Two of my Clemence rings feature black spinel, so I’m putting them on sale for a few days to celebrate the new birthstone. Here’s the mega-Manhattan version, with two black spinels.
Click to purchase.
This one is Manhattan “lite,” with one black spinel and a rock crystal.
Click to purchase.
I’ve explained the Clemence inspiration before:
“The Clemence ring is named for Clemence of Hungary, the second wife of King Louis X of France in the early 14th century. In Les Rois Maudits (The Accursed Kings), a series of seven historical novels by Maurice Druon, Clemence is portrayed as a pious woman who, after the death of her husband, consoled herself with jewelry.”
I figured Clemence would appreciate two nice big rocks!