gems, spinel, synthetic spinel, synthetic star spinel

In late 2016, the Gem and Jewelry Institute of Thailand’s (GIT) laboratory encountered an unu- sual 28.21 ct blue synthetic spinel that displayed a six-rayed star (Figure 58). Although various synthetic spinels have been reported previously in the literature (e.g. Nassau, 1980), this sample merited a more in-depth study due to the uncommon presence of its asterism.