The greatest red jewels in the crowns of Europe passed for rubies over centuries. Only mineralogy separated the species, and they turned out to be spinels. That error says more about precious stones than many a textbook: right beside the four names everyone knows lies a narrow shelf of minerals of the same beauty and the same durability, which simply nobody asks for.
Spinel, tsavorite and morganite we source one at a time, examine each one separately under the loupe and set in gold in our own workshop. They are worn as freely as sapphire or emerald, and they give a colour impossible to mistake for any other.
Which rare gemstones will you find at BELLER?
In the B.ONE collection and the Your Way line we currently work with spinel, tsavorite, morganite, garnet and topaz, alongside the better known sapphires, emeralds, rubies and tourmalines. All are natural, of AAA clarity, and we state the origin of each one with the piece.
Rarity here is not a collector's whim. Every one of these stones has a hardness that allows daily wear, and its colour gives violet, a cool green or a pale rose in a tone impossible to mistake. The general principles of choosing we set out in our guide to natural precious gemstones.
What is spinel and why was it mistaken for ruby?
Spinel is a mineral in its own right, mistaken for ruby for as long as the eye rather than an analysis of composition decided what a stone was. The red was shared, the crystal structure was not. The hardness of spinel is 8 on the Mohs scale, placing it just behind sapphire and ruby, safely within the band of stones made for daily wear.
In our offer spinel appears in three colours. The B.One N°26 ring in 585 yellow gold carries a violet spinel of 0.63 CT in an Asscher cut, from Burma, on a band 1.5 mm wide with a total weight of 1.50 g, at 3 750 zł. The B.One N°38 ring in 585 white gold holds a blue spinel of 0.66 CT in the same cut, also at 3 750 zł. The B.One N°27 version adds side diamonds of 0.054 CT total and 1.25 mm diameter to a violet spinel of 0.68 CT, at 4 850 zł.
What sets tsavorite apart among green stones?
Tsavorite is the green variety of grossular garnet, found in East Africa and described only in the second half of the twentieth century. Its structure separates it from emerald: tsavorite usually needs no oiling, since it is less often threaded with internal fissures, which makes it more forgiving in daily wear.
Our B.One N°41 ring in 585 white gold carries a tsavorite of 0.23 CT in an Asscher cut, sourced from Kenya, on a 1.5 mm band with a total weight of 1.15 g. The price is 4 250 zł. The green here is cooler and more transparent than in emerald, which shows best in daylight. How the choice between emerald, sapphire and ruby actually plays out we described in a separate comparison.
Where does the pale rose of morganite come from?
Morganite is the pink variety of beryl, the same mineral species as emerald and aquamarine, differing only in the element that colours it. Hence its characteristic muted rose, closer to peach than to pink sapphire, and a hardness of 7.5 to 8.
The B.One N°14 ring in 585 yellow gold holds an oval cut morganite of 1.1 CT, from Brazil, on a band 2 mm wide with a total weight of 1.87 g. It costs 5 050 zł. This is the most substantial stone in the whole group, because rose in greater weight gains a depth that small stones cannot show.
How does garnet fit into this group?
Garnet is not one mineral but a whole group with a very wide palette, from orange through red to the green of tsavorite. Hardness falls between 6.5 and 7.5, so it suits daily wear.
The Your Way N°4 ring in 585 and 750 gold carries a round garnet of 0.20 CT in an orange hue, sourced from Madagascar, on a 2 mm band weighing 1.2 g. The price is 2 850 zł. The same line also holds a spinel ring at 2 650 zł, spinel earrings at 2 300 zł and a topaz ring at 2 950 zł.
Why is each of these rings made in a single piece?
Because the stone dictates the design, not the other way round. We buy single stones whose colour and clarity convinced us, then build the setting around that particular stone: around its dimensions, the proportions of its cut and the way it lets light in.
The consequence is simple. The model in the display case cannot be repeated in a second identical piece, while the band size will be fitted to your hand before the piece is handed over. How a stone is set we gathered in our piece on ring settings.
How much does a ring with a rare gemstone cost?
In this group prices start at 2 300 zł and reach 5 750 zł. The lower threshold is the Your Way N°12 spinel earrings, the upper the B.One N°6 necklace with pink spinels of 2.13 CT total weight, set in 585 yellow gold weighing 2.90 g.
Rings fall between 2 650 and 5 050 zł. Price follows above all from the rarity of the colour and the weight of the stone, and only then from the quantity of metal and the presence of side diamonds. The pair N°26 and N°27 shows this well: a difference of 1 100 zł comes from adding diamonds weighing merely 0.054 CT and a slightly wider band.
Can a rare stone be set as a special order?
Yes, and with these stones it is the most common route. You can arrive with a particular colour in mind and we will look for a stone to match it, or choose one of those we already hold and design a setting around it from scratch. We described the process on the special orders page, and the character of each species on the precious gemstones page.
What remains to choose is one of three colours of gold, white, yellow and rose, the fineness of 585 or 750, the width of the band and the manner of setting. Engraving is free of charge, and one resize is included in the purchase price. If you are after similar rarity in a cool violet, see the tanzanite ring as well.
Where can you see these stones in person?
The colours of spinel, tsavorite and morganite have to be seen in natural light, because a screen flattens their depth. The stones and the finished rings wait in both boutiques: Atelier Warsaw at 71 Mokotowska Street and Atelier Kraków at 9 Szczepańska Street, a few steps from the Main Market Square.
We welcome you Monday to Saturday from 11:00 to 19:00, and you can arrange a time with an adviser through the contact page. On site you will compare several colours side by side and see how a stone behaves as the hand moves.
Frequently asked questions about rare gemstones
Is spinel harder than emerald?
Yes. Spinel reaches 8 on the Mohs scale, emerald falls between 7.5 and 8 and is additionally often threaded with internal fissures, which makes it more sensitive to knocks.
Where do the stones in the B.ONE collection come from?
We state the origin with every piece. The spinels in our offer come from Burma, the tsavorite from Kenya, the morganite from Brazil and the garnet from Madagascar.
How much does a spinel ring cost?
Spinel rings start at 2 650 zł in the Your Way line. The B.One N°26 and N°38 models cost 3 750 zł, and the N°27 version with side diamonds costs 4 850 zł.
Does tsavorite need special care?
It does not need the measures an emerald asks for, such as avoiding ultrasonic cleaning after oiling. Lukewarm water with a mild soap and the free service at the boutique are enough.
Can I order a rare stone in a different colour of gold?
Yes. We make every setting in white, yellow or rose gold, in 585 or 750 fineness, and fit the band size to the hand.