ART DECO SPINEL AND DIAMOND RING

Often mistaken for rubies throughout the 15th and 16th century, spinel was identified as a different mineral in 1783 by Jean Baptiste Louis Rome de Lisle.

Known for its richly saturated and vibrant colour, spinels were used to adorn royal jewellery and crowns throughout the world, such as the Black Prince’s Ruby, which is set above the Cullinan II diamond on Britain’s Imperial State Crown.