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The Vivid Vault · No. 001
3.58ct Neon Jedi Spinel From Mogok, Burma
Pinkish Red · Loupe Clean · Unheated · Private Collection Since 1993
Available
US$8,000 per carat
US$28,640 for the 3.58ct stone
About A$11,454 per carat · A$41,007 for the stone
Priced in US dollars, the currency of the international gem trade. Converted at today’s exchange rate. The final price is confirmed when you enquire. Once we agree, it’s locked at that day’s exchange rate and you have 48 hours to pay.
Wholesale at the Hong Kong gem show, a stone like this costs US$10,000 a carat or more. In a retail setting, expect two to three times that again.
- OriginMogok, Burma
- ColourPinkish red
- ShapePerfect round
- ClarityLoupe clean
- TreatmentUnheated
- Lab ReportGRS
This stone is from my own private collection. View it in Yarralumla, Canberra, or in Sydney, by appointment.
The Details
| Gemstone | Natural spinel |
|---|---|
| Weight | 3.58 carats |
| Origin | Mogok, Burma (Myanmar) |
| Colour | Pinkish red, an electric cherry |
| Clarity | Loupe clean: no inclusions at 10x |
| Treatment | None. Unheated |
| Shape and cut | A perfect round, brilliant and step cut |
| Size | 9.17 x 9.07 x 6.36 mm |
| Glow | Strong red fluorescence under UV |
| Provenance | In a private collection since 1993 |
| Lab report | GRS (GemResearch Swisslab) report GRS2026-081231: natural spinel, Burma (Myanmar), no indication of thermal treatment |
| Price | US$8,000 per carat · US$28,640 for the stone |
Pinkish Red Spinel: The Electric Cherry
Red spinels are the most desired, and they fetch the highest price per carat. Pink spinels sit right behind them.
This Mogok spinel lives in between. It’s a pinkish red so vibrant it reads as magenta or fuchsia. I call it electric cherry.
At 3.58 carats and perfectly round, it looks lit from the inside, as if it’s plugged in.
Why a Round Spinel Is So Rare
Most spinels are cut as cushions. A cushion saves more of the rough crystal, so the finished stone weighs more.
This one was cut into a perfect round instead. Cutters rarely give up that weight, so a round spinel like this is very, very rare to find.
The Neon Jedi Spinel Glow
The trade calls stones like this neon Jedi spinels. The name comes from Star Wars: the purest, brightest pink to red spinels from Mogok, with no dark side to their colour.
The finest Burma spinels also carry an extreme level of fluorescence. Shine a UV torch on this one and it glows like a Jedi’s lightsaber.
In the sun it won’t glow the way it does under the torch. That fluorescence still gives it an electric glow in daylight, and that’s what makes a Burmese spinel so dazzling.
Loupe Clean: Flawless Under a 10x Loupe
This spinel is loupe clean. Even under a 10x jeweller’s loupe, you won’t see a single inclusion inside it.
If it were a diamond, you’d call it flawless.
Clarity is one of six things that set a gem’s price. Here’s how gemstones are valued.
GRS Certified: Natural, Unheated, From Burma
This spinel comes with a report from GRS (GemResearch Swisslab), one of the world’s leading coloured gemstone labs.
Report GRS2026-081231 confirms a natural spinel from Burma (Myanmar): 3.58 carats, a round, pinkish red, with no indication of thermal treatment.
The report travels with the stone.
A Burma Spinel From a Private Collection, 1993
This spinel came out of a private collection. It still has its original parcel paper, the folded paper gem dealers wrap stones in, marked 1993.
Back then, a stone like this sold for a few hundred dollars a carat. Spinel has come a long way since.
| Fine Burmese Spinel | Price Per Carat |
|---|---|
| In the 1990s | A few hundred dollars |
| Today | US$10,000 to US$20,000 |
Spinel Joins the Big Five
For a long time the big four in gems were diamond, sapphire, emerald and ruby. I’d say spinel now makes it the big five.
Look at what happened to ruby. Burmese rubies over 3 carats now command $30,000, $50,000, even $80,000 a carat. Mozambique rubies used to sit at $8,000 to $12,000 a carat. They moved to $10,000 to $15,000, and now they’re over $20,000.
So people who love red started asking: we still want a red or pink gemstone, but we can’t afford a ruby, so what’s the next level down? It used to be spinel.
Spinel has since grown so much in value, desirability and popularity that it holds its own. It comes in blues, yellows, greys, pinks and reds, and the reds and pinks lead the way.
Why US$8,000 a Carat
Buy a stone like this wholesale at the Hong Kong gem show and you’d pay US$10,000 a carat or more. That’s the international wholesale price. In a retail setting, you’d expect to pay two to three times that again.
In the Vault, it’s US$8,000 a carat: US$28,640 for the stone.
| Where You Buy | Price Per Carat |
|---|---|
| Retail, at two to three times wholesale | US$20,000 to US$30,000 |
| International wholesale, Hong Kong | US$10,000 or more |
| The Vault | US$8,000 |
One of the biggest spinel dealers in the world reached out to buy it. I said no. I’d rather see it made into a piece of jewellery, here in Australia.
Make It Your Heirloom
If this spinel is calling you, I’d love it to become a Vivid Jewels heirloom: a ring, a pendant or earrings designed around it, made to be handed down.
Send me your ideas and we’ll design it together. Thinking of a ring? See my custom engagement rings. If you’re a collector who wants the stone loose, call me and we’ll talk.
This stone is from my own private collection. View it in Yarralumla, Canberra, or in Sydney, by appointment.
Questions About This Spinel
Is this Mogok spinel heated or treated?
No. Its GRS report confirms a natural spinel from Burma with no indication of thermal treatment.
Why is a round spinel rare?
Most spinels are cut as cushions, which saves more of the rough crystal and keeps the stone heavier. A perfect round gives up that weight, so cutters rarely choose it.
What is a Jedi spinel?
It’s the trade name for the purest, brightest pink to red spinels from Mogok in Burma, with no dark tones in their colour. The finest glow strongly under UV light.
How much is this spinel in Australian dollars?
It’s US$8,000 per carat, or US$28,640 for the 3.58ct stone. The converter at the top of the page shows the price in Australian dollars and other currencies at today’s exchange rate. The final price is confirmed when you enquire. Once we agree, it’s locked at that day’s exchange rate and you have 48 hours to pay.
Can I buy the spinel loose?
I’d prefer it becomes a Vivid Jewels heirloom, designed around you. If you’re a collector who wants it loose, call me on 0413 474 962.
Is spinel good for an engagement ring?
Yes. Spinel is hard, at 7.5 to 8 on the Mohs scale, and it has no cleavage, so it handles daily wear well.
Can I see the spinel in person?
Yes. View it in Yarralumla, Canberra, or in Sydney, by appointment. Call me on 0413 474 962.
Can you find me a spinel in another colour or size?
Yes. As your jewellery buyer’s agent, I can hunt one down through my dealers in Sri Lanka, Thailand and beyond.
