2.65 Ct. Spinel from Tanzania

This Tanzanian blue spinel from The Natural Gemstone Company is a precision executed cushion shape weighing 2.65 carats, measuring 9.11 by 7.14 by 4.85 millimeters. The cutter employed a mixed brilliant faceting scheme, combining a brilliant style crown with a faceted step or modified pavilion, to balance color saturation and light performance. The crown shows a well proportioned table and crown angle geometry that encourages broad flashes of tone, while the pavilion steps visible in the side profile create controlled light return and a pleasing contrast pattern. The depth proportion sits comfortably in the range that preserves body color without inducing excessive windowing. Clarity is graded slightly included at eye level, a grade that in this stone manifests as small pinpoint and minor needle or crystal inclusions situated away from critical facet junctions, inclusions that do not materially soften the gem s overall brilliance. The polish is excellent, with crisp facet junctions and minimal polish trails, and the piece is untreated, carrying natural color from its Tanzanian source.

The mixed brilliant cut is particularly effective in a blue spinel of intense color intensity because it uses crown brilliants to break white light into internal flashes, while the pavilion steps reinforce the stone s fundamental tone. In this example the brilliant crown facets yield lively scintillation on movement, generating small, bright flashes across the table and crown facets. The stepped pavilion returns larger areas of saturated color, stabilizing the overall appearance so the gem reads as deeply hued rather than washed out. Facet symmetry and precise girdle alignment maintain consistent light paths from crown to pavilion, so the stone exhibits good overall light return. The combination of broad table proportions and measured pavilion depth helps to concentrate the chromatic saturation centrally, creating an intense core of blue that contrasts with lighter flashes at the facet edges.

Under different lighting conditions this blue spinel displays predictable and technically explainable behavior. In high color temperature daylight the stone presents a cool, pure blue that emphasizes the intrinsic hue and reveals fine internal zoning if present, the broad crown facets producing even light dispersion and moderate scintillation. Under warm incandescent illumination the body color warms slightly and the perceived saturation can deepen, giving a slightly richer or more inky blue appearance because incandescent spectra favor longer wavelengths. Under modern neutral white LED lighting with high color rendering index the stone displays strong contrast between the brilliant crown flashes and the stepped pavilion color blocks, producing crisp pinpoint scintillation combined with stable body color. Under focused spot light or gallery lighting the cutter s facet arrangement becomes most evident, yielding intense localized flash and near white sparkles at facet junctions, this effect being particularly useful for display in a retail setting where controlled beams accent the facet geometry.

Because spinel has a modest dispersion and lacks significant pleochroism, the way this specimen interacts with light is dominated by cut and proportions rather than by shifting hues. The mixed brilliant design emphasizes internal contrast and directional light return, so when the gem is viewed face up in diffuse ambient lighting it reads as a saturated, velvety blue. When the same stone is tilted or rotated, the brilliant crown facets generate lively pinpoint scintillation, while the pavilion steps produce larger, darker flashes that deepen the perceived color. This behavior makes the gem versatile for use in a variety of mountings, with open prong settings enhancing light entry and bezel settings preserving color uniformity by reducing light leakage. The excellent polish enhances specular reflection, so facet planes act as efficient mirrors, increasing apparent brightness under incident light.

For the technically minded buyer this Tanzanian spinel provides a combination of measurable attributes that justify close consideration. The refractive index range characteristic of spinel contributes to good brilliance while the relatively low dispersion means color remains pure and not overly prismatic. The slightly included clarity grade is consistent with natural origin and does not compromise structural integrity given the absence of large fractures, and the excellent polish and precise mixed brilliant cutting ensure optimal light performance for the given dimensions. The Natural Gemstone Company presents this gem as a no enhancement natural specimen, ideal for collectors and jewelry designers seeking a saturated blue center stone with robust cutting and predictable optical behavior under a range of lighting conditions, offering both stable body color and dynamic facet driven scintillation.