Gifts of Grandeur: The Carew Spinel, Seventeenth Century

The Carew Spinel
Seventeenth Century
Spinel, Gold, Diamonds, Silk
The Victoria & Albert Museum

For centuries, red spinels were often confused with rubies. Though they are gemmologically similar, the two are different stones with different properties. This impressive red spinel is inscribed with the titles of the Mughal emperors Jahangir (r.1605–1627), Shah Jahan (r.1628–1658) and Alamgir (r.1658–1707.


Made in the Seventeenth Century in Tehran, this necklace features the monumental red stone set on a gold pin and adorned with two diamonds. It is suspended from a red silk cord. The necklace was purchased by an ancestor of Julia Mary, Lady Carew, sometime before 1870. Lady Carew bequeathed the necklace to the V&A in 1922.

Mastery of Design: The Timur “Ruby” Necklace

The Timur "Ruby" Necklace
Garrard and Co., 1853
Made for Queen Victoria
The Royal Collection

As is the case with The Black Prince’s “Ruby,” the famed Timur Rubies are, in fact, spinels. Natural red spinel is an equally beautiful and valuable stone. Here, we see three of them—set in gold and enamel and surrounded by diamonds. These spinels (along with several other large stones) came into the possession of Queen Victoria as a gift from the East India Company for her patronage of the Great Exhibition. These stones came from the same collection of gems which provided Queen Victoria with the Koh-i-nûr Diamond prior to the Exhibition in 1850. Believed, at the time, to have been rubies, the stones were described as “wonderful rubies, cabochons, unset, but pierced. One is the largest in the world, therefore even more remarkable than the Koh-i-noor.” The stone in question is the large central spinel which weighs 352.5 carats.

Queen Victoria had these stones set into the necklace in April of 1853. The necklace was altered in 1858 to allow the central spinel to be removed so that the Koh-i-nûr could be worn in its place. Similarly, five diamond drops which hung from the necklace were made detachable and an adjustment was made to the setting of the central spinel so that the Lahore Diamond could be worn beneath it as a central pendant when not in use on the Coronation Necklace.

Whether you call them rubies or spinels, there’s no changing the beauty of these stones. Queen Victoria, as we’ve noticed was very fond of her jewelry. Her preservation and care of these pieces has given us all the opportunity to enjoy them today.

Click image to enlarge.

Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Images Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Mastery of Design: The Townshend Red Spinel, 1840

Red Spinel in an exceptional mount of gold and European-cut diamonds, 1840.
Part of the Townshend Collection at the Victoria & Albert Museum.

I like natural spinels. They’re rather difficult to come by, but when you finally see when, you’re immediately struck by the beautiful fire they exhibit and the wide range of colors (or lack thereof) in which they come. Red spinels were once known as “balas rubies,” “spinel rubies” and then “ruby spinels,” and they have been frequently linked with or confused with rubies despite their substantially different chemical makeup.

This ring, set with a fine red spinel framed by a border of European-cut diamonds in a gold mount, forms part of the celebrated collection of 154 gems bequeathed to the V&A by the Reverend Chauncy Hare Townshend, a cleric and poet. The ring was made c. 1840 purely for the purpose of displaying this exceptional stone. 

Gifts of Grandeur: The Carew Spinel, Seventeenth Century

The Carew Spinel
Seventeenth Century
Spinel, Gold, Diamonds, Silk
The Victoria & Albert Museum

For centuries, red spinels were often confused with rubies. Though they are gemmologically similar, the two are different stones with different properties. This impressive red spinel is inscribed with the titles of the Mughal emperors Jahangir (r.1605–1627), Shah Jahan (r.1628–1658) and Alamgir (r.1658–1707.


Made in the Seventeenth Century in Tehran, this necklace features the monumental red stone set on a gold pin and adorned with two diamonds. It is suspended from a red silk cord. The necklace was purchased by an ancestor of Julia Mary, Lady Carew, sometime before 1870. Lady Carew bequeathed the necklace to the V&A in 1922.

Mastery of Design: The Townshend Red Spinel, 1840

Red Spinel set with Diamonds
1840
From the Collection of the Reverend Chauncy Hare Townshend at
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Natural red spinels were once known as “Balas Rubies.” However, spinels come in a vast array of colors. Throughout history, red spinels have often been confused with rubies, but actually have a different chemical composition.

This famous red spinel is part of the collection of 154 gems which were bequeathed to the V&A by the Reverend Chauncy Hare Townshend, a cleric and poet. The gorgeous stone has been mounted in a gold setting surrounded by a sparkling border of brilliant-cut diamonds.

Mastery of Design: The Townshend Red Spinel, 1840

Red Spinel in an exceptional mount of gold and European-cut diamonds, 1840.
Part of the Townshend Collection at the Victoria & Albert Museum.

I like natural spinels. They’re rather difficult to come by, but when you finally see when, you’re immediately struck by the beautiful fire they exhibit and the wide range of colors (or lack thereof) in which they come. Red spinels were once known as “balas rubies,” “spinel rubies” and then “ruby spinels,” and they have been frequently linked with or confused with rubies despite their substantially different chemical makeup.

This ring, set with a fine red spinel framed by a border of European-cut diamonds in a gold mount, forms part of the celebrated collection of 154 gems bequeathed to the V&A by the Reverend Chauncy Hare Townshend, a cleric and poet. The ring was made c. 1840 purely for the purpose of displaying this exceptional stone.

Card of the Day: The Imperial State Crown

The next card in the Silver Jubilee series from 1935 by Churchman Cigarette Company shows the Imperial State Crown. Not as old as St. Edward’s Crown and considerably lighter and more sparkly, The Imperial State Crown is similar in design to St Edward's Crown: in that it consists of a base of four crosses pattée alternating with four fleurs-de-lis before four half-arches surmounted by a cross. This crown also features a velvet cap inside, surrounded with an ermine border. The Imperial State Crown is more heavily jeweled. It includes 2,868 diamonds, 273 pearls, 17 sapphires, 11 emeralds, and 5 rubies and the famed spinel known as the Black Prince’s Ruby. The cross at the top is set with the blue stone known as St. Edward's Sapphire. This was a sapphire taken from the ring (or possibly the coronet) of Edward the Confessor. The aforementioned Black Prince's Ruby (spinel) is set on the front cross pattée. Also included on the crown are the famous Cullinan II, or Lesser Star of Africa, which is also set in the front; and, on the back band, the 104-carat Stuart Sapphire.

The Imperial State Crown made for
Queen Victoria.

While St. Edward’s Crown is the one used during the coronation, The Imperial State Crown is typically the crown worn at the end of a coronation when the new Sovereign departs from Westminster Abbey.

This is the second crown known by this name. The first—which was very similar—was used instead of St. Edward’s Crown during the coronation itself of both Queen Victoria and her son, King Edward VII, who both complained that the weight of St Edward's Crown was too uncomfortable. The Imperial State Crown is also worn at the State Opening of Parliament.

The present Imperial State Crown was created for the coronation of King George VI in 1937 by the Crown Jewelers Garrard & Co. It is an exact replica of the original Imperial State Crown which had been made for Queen Victoria, but is even more lightweight than its predecessor. The Crown was again remodeled for Queen Elizabeth II's coronation in 1953 to give it a more feminine appearance than it had when made for her father. This was accomplished by lowering its total height by one inch.

The Crown as it is today.
Seen from the front with the Cullinan II and
the Black Prince's "Ruby."

The crown seen from the back
with the Stuart Sapphire.

Mastery of Design: A Man’s Red Spinel and Diamond Ring, 1450

Ring
Gold, Spinel and Diamond
England, 1450
The Victoria & Albert Museum

At five hundred sixty-one years old, I’d say this ring has held up rather niceley. The broad, chanelled band on the ring suggests that it was created to be worn on a man’s thumb.

What’s most fascinating about this ancient piece of jewelry from England is the early use of brightly colored stones to contrast against gold and diamond. Originally thought to be rubies, the two pale red stones set in this ring are known as 'balas' or spinels, and are thought to have come from Afghanistan.

The diamond is the perfect example of oen of the earliest known cuts. It is, in fact, half of a natural diamond crystal. This early “cut” is sometimes called a 'point-cut' diamond for obvious reasons.

Gifts of Grandeur: The Carew Spinel, Seventeenth Century

The Carew Spinel
Seventeenth Century
Spinel, Gold, Diamonds, Silk
The Victoria & Albert Museum

For centuries, red spinels were often confused with rubies. Though they are gemmologically similar, the two are different stones with different properties. This impressive red spinel is inscribed with the titles of the Mughal emperors Jahangir (r.1605–1627), Shah Jahan (r.1628–1658) and Alamgir (r.1658–1707.


Made in the Seventeenth Century in Tehran, this necklace features the monumental red stone set on a gold pin and adorned with two diamonds. It is suspended from a red silk cord. The necklace was purchased by an ancestor of Julia Mary, Lady Carew, sometime before 1870. Lady Carew bequeathed the necklace to the V&A in 1922.

Saturday Sparkle: The Timur “Ruby” Necklace

The Timur "Ruby" Necklace
Garrard and Co., 1853
Made for Queen Victoria
The Royal Collection

As is the case with The Black Prince’s “Ruby,” the famed Timur Rubies are, in fact, spinels. Natural red spinel is an equally beautiful and valuable stone. Here, we see three of them—set in gold and enamel and surrounded by diamonds. These spinels (along with several other large stones) came into the possession of Queen Victoria as a gift from the East India Company for her patronage of the Great Exhibition. These stones came from the same collection of gems which provided Queen Victoria with the Koh-i-nûr Diamond prior to the Exhibition in 1850. Believed, at the time, to have been rubies, the stones were described as “wonderful rubies, cabochons, unset, but pierced. One is the largest in the world, therefore even more remarkable than the Koh-i-noor.” The stone in question is the large central spinel which weighs 352.5 carats.


Queen Victoria had these stones set into the necklace in April of 1853. The necklace was altered in 1858 to allow the central spinel to be removed so that the Koh-i-nûr could be worn in its place. Similarly, five diamond drops which hung from the necklace were made detachable and an adjustment was made to the setting of the central spinel so that the Lahore Diamond could be worn beneath it as a central pendant when not in use on the Coronation Necklace.

Whether you call them rubies or spinels, there’s no changing the beauty of these stones. Queen Victoria, as we’ve noticed was very fond of her jewelry. Her preservation and care of these pieces has given us all the opportunity to enjoy them today.

Gem of the Week: The Spinel

Antique Spinel Necklace from The Three Graces.

Composed of Magnesium-Aluminum, the spinel is an often underappreciated and unrecognized gemstone. The spinel—through the presence of certain chemical combinations—can be colorless, red, blue, green, brown or black. Red spinels are often referred to as “Balas Rubies.”

In fact, spinels are often mistaken for rubies, sapphires, topaz or emeralds. The most famous case of mistaken-spinel-identity is the Black Prince’s Ruby—the centerpiece of the British Imperial State Crown. Not a ruby at all, this stone is a large, deep-red spinel weighing 170 carats.

The Black Prince's "Ruby," The Royal Collection

Spinels can offer the same brilliance that other gems demonstrate while exhibiting a hardness not present in stones such as the emerald. Modern jewelers often use the term “spinel” to refer to a lab-created stone. You may recall picking out your High School class ring and noticing that the hunk of pep-rally glass was referred to as “spinel.” Don’t be fooled by this. If you’re purchasing a spinel, make sure that it’s the real thing.

Very popular in Victorian and Edwardian jewelry, the spinel is often dominant stone in many antique and vintage designs. Their beauty and their durability earns them the right to the same fame that their better-known siblings enjoy.