Have you ever wondered who promulgated this or that gemstone was to be assigned to you based only on the month you were born in?

The secret has now been revealed: the Jewelers of America (JA) it seems established a “birthstone” list in 1912. In only its third update, the JA has added an option for those born in August – spinel now joins peridot as a birthstone for those born in the eighth month of the year. And by the way, it is also the gemstone for a 22nd wedding anniversary.

“Spinel comes in a variety of vibrant colours from soft pastel shades of pink and purple, fiery oranges, and cool hues ranging from powdery gray to the most intense blues imaginable,” enthuses JA in an article on its website, making the announcement.

“The gemstone has a long and storied history. Since it is often found in shades of deep red and pink, some of the most famous historic gemstones that were originally thought to be rubies are actually spectacular spinels,” JA adds. “A legendary example is the “Black Prince Ruby,” actually a magnificent spinel gemstone, on the British Imperial State Crown.” 

The best known source for spinel is Myanmar; particularly well-known for its magnificent pink, red and orange-red coloured spinel. However, the gemstone is also to be found in Afghanistan, Brazil, Cambodia, Kenya, Russia, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand and Vietnam.

Pic Courtesy Jewelers of America