This vivid red spinel originates from Pailin, Cambodia, a locality that holds legendary status in the gem world. Pailin has been mined for centuries and is most famous for producing some of the finest sapphires and spinels known to history. The deposit, described in depth on Mindat.org, is part of the basaltic gem fields that have yielded extraordinary stones prized for their saturation, clarity, and durability.
Spinels from Pailin are rarely encountered in today’s market due to the depletion of primary sources and the limited mining still occurring in the region. This scarcity enhances both their desirability and their historic weight, as stones from Pailin have adorned jewelry collections across Asia for hundreds of years.
The stone itself shows the rich, fiery red for which Pailin spinels are admired, coupled with precision cutting that brings out its brilliance and depth. Unlike synthetic or treated materials, natural spinels such as this one represent an unaltered product of the earth — their beauty shaped only by geological time and human craftsmanship.
Because the Pailin mines have produced gems across a spectrum of colors but are particularly known for ruby-like reds, the color of this spinel is highly consistent with the locality’s reputation. However, due to the limited gemological records and the movement of stones through regional markets, exact origin is difficult to confirm with absolute certainty. Still, the connection to Pailin adds a layer of history and prestige that makes this gem especially significant.
Photography is done with a 10x macro lens, so you may see details not visible to the unaided eye
2.120 carats / 8.0 x 6.1 x 5.2 mm
Estimate: $4500 - $5000
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