0.66 Ct. Spinel from Ceylon (Sri Lanka)

This specimen is a transparent 0.66 carat, round shape, brownish orange spinel, with exact dimensions of 4.49 x 4.51 x 3.53 mm, presented by The Natural Gemstone Company. The stone is faceted in a mixed brilliant cut, a design that integrates a brilliant faceted crown with a calibrated pavilion faceting scheme, to optimize both scintillation and color face up. The clarity is graded as eye clean at standard eye level, indicating that there are no inclusions visible without magnification, and the polish is excellent, delivering crisp facet junctions and a smooth, reflective surface. Color intensity is described as intense, providing a saturated brownish orange hue that reads strongly in both natural and artificial light. This spinel is unheated and untreated, with no enhancement, and its provenance is Ceylon, Sri Lanka, a region renowned for producing spinels with fine color and stable crystalline clarity.

From a technical perspective the mixed brilliant cut employed on this gem balances light return and color saturation through precise facet geometry and careful proportioning. The round outline, nearly perfect on the supplied dimensions, supports symmetrical facet distribution, which in turn enhances directional scintillation and maintains consistent color across the table. The crown and pavilion faceting are calibrated to mediate dispersion and contrast, allowing the intense brownish orange hue to remain dominant while permitting lively white light reflections and micro scintillation. The excellent polish contributes to optical clarity, reducing surface scatter and preserving facet crispness at the girdle junctions and facet edges. Eye clean clarity at standard viewing distances indicates minimal internal strain and negligible crystal inclusions, which improves light transmission and color purity, a crucial attribute for spinels intended as focal stones in fine jewelry.

Craftsmanship considerations extend beyond the faceting pattern to cutting technique and finishing practices, which are evident in the stone delivered. The cutter has maintained consistent symmetry across the round girdle, and the pavilion depth of 3.53 mm relative to the table diameter yields a balanced profile suitable for both prong and bezel settings. The mixed brilliant approach permits efficient light return in smaller diameters, making this 0.66 carat stone play larger on the finger than metrics alone might suggest. The absence of enhancement confirms that the intense color is intrinsic to the crystal lattice and its trace element makeup, which in Sri Lankan spinels commonly reflects a combination of iron and minor chromium influences. This natural coloration combined with the high polish and strict facet alignment results in a gem that is resilient, stable, and visually compelling under varied lighting conditions.

In application this spinel is exceptionally versatile, equally suitable for casual daily wear and for formal, statement jewelry. At 0.66 carat, the gem integrates seamlessly into refined solitaire rings, low profile engagement settings, understated stud earrings, or a finely proportioned pendant, and its intense brownish orange hue adapts well to warm precious metals such as yellow gold and rose gold, while also providing a striking contrast when set in white gold or platinum. The Mohs hardness of spinel supports durable everyday use, and the secure mounting options for a round mixed brilliant cut include classic four prong settings for maximum light exposure, bezel settings for a modern low profile, and halo configurations to amplify perceived size and brilliance. For clients seeking a distinctive center stone that maintains professional technical standards and natural origin transparency, this spinel represents a compact, high quality choice. The Natural Gemstone Company can provide additional photographs, facet diagrams, and independent laboratory documentation on request, assuring provenance, clarity grading, and confirmation of no enhancement, to support informed purchasing and bespoke design decisions.