Footnotes

Accompanied by an SSEF report stating that the spinel is red colour, with no indications of any treatment. Report #53358, dated 18 March 2009.

Accompanied by an AGL report stating that the spinel originates from Classic™ Tanzania, red colour, with no indication of clarity enhancement. Report #1113750, dated 26 March 2021.

Also accompanied by an Appendix Letter stating that the spinel 'possesses a special combination of quality elements that contributes favorably to the rarity and desirability of this fine gem... The superior color and clarity exemplified in this gem is representative of some of the finest material that has been recovered from the Mahenge deposit. Such a combination of attributes in a Classic™ Tanzania spinel of 20.03 cts signifies a gem of rarity and is a tribute to the ability for this East African nation to produce gems of outstanding beauty.'

20.03克拉天然未經加熱處理坦桑尼亞紅色尖晶石配鑽石戒指,路易威登,2014年
鑽石共重約3.56克拉,指圍6¼,附SSEF及AGL證書及附件

For hundreds of years glistening red spinels were treasured by kings, queens, and emperors. They were revered, worn in crowns, and handed over as the spoils of war. Everyone was enamored of the deep red color and fire of these remarkable stones that were hiding in plain sight, for "the great impostor" stone was thought to be a ruby.

In 1783, mineralogist Jean Baptiste Louis Rome de Lisle identified spinel as distinct from corundum (ruby and sapphire). Ruby is aluminum oxide, while spinel is magnesium aluminum oxide, and both get their reddish color from impurities of chromium. The confusion between these two gemstones is understandable, since the stones are usually discovered together in the same mines, and it was only with modern advances in science that the chemical composition could be differentiated.

Throughout history, the spinel has been a preferred gemstone for royal regalia; examples are included in the British, French, Iranian, and Russian Crown Jewels. In the book Gems & Crystals from the American Museum of Natural History, Anna D. Sofianides and George E. Harlow say of spinels that, "Stones weighing more than five carats are uncommon."

The most infamous spinel is The Black Prince's Ruby, a large natural gem set above the Cullinan diamond in the Imperial State Crown of the United Kingdom. The Black Prince was the son of Edward III, and reportedly received the gem from Don Pedro the Cruel, King of Castille after a battle in 1367. It has remained in the royal family for centuries. Legend has it that the spinel was one of the gems worn by Henry V on his helmet and that it deflected a fatal blow, saving his life during the Battle of Agincourt.

This royal stone is not the only spinel in disguise. Empress Catherine II of Russia had a crown that bore an estimated 400-carat spinel. Likewise, Queen Victoria had a very dark red spinel called the Timur Ruby. The Samarian Spinel, in the Iranian Crown Jewels, is inscribed with the name of a Mughal emperor, and the Côte-de Bretagne red spinel, carved in the form of a dragon, was part of French Crown Jewels and is now in the Louvre.

The word spinel comes from the Latin Spinella, which means "little thorn" or "arrow shaped" for the natural shape of the crystals. Spinels come in a wide range of colors, though the most sought after is red. Collectors appreciate the bright natural color, and unlike corundum, spinels are not typically treated. Finding a large example of a spinel is a rare treasure fit for royalty.

Courtesy of Sarah Davis

數百年來，璀璨耀眼的紅色尖晶石一直深受皇室貴族鍾愛。它們常 被用作點綴王冠，甚或成為彪炳戰功的戰利品。因為尖晶石曾被誤 認為是喬治五世帝國皇冠上紅寶石，大眾都對這些稀有但被遺忘的 鮮艷紅尖晶趨之若驚。

紅寶石和尖晶石因出產自同一個礦場而一直被混淆，直至1783年，礦 物學家Jean Baptiste Louis Rome de Lisle成功將尖晶石與剛玉（ 紅寶石和藍寶石）區分。隨著現代科學的進步，寶石才能以化學物理 元素被區分開來，紅寶石（氧化鋁）和尖晶石（鎂鋁氧化物）都因同樣擁 有鉻的物質而展現出閃耀懾人的紅色。

美國自然歷史博物館出版的《寶石與水晶》一書中，Anna D. Sofianides and George E. Harlow寫道：「重量超過五克拉的尖晶 石並不常見。」縱觀歷史，尖晶石一直是皇家禦庭的首選寶石；曾用於 英國、法國、伊朗和俄羅斯的皇冠珠寶上。最為人所知的是鑲嵌在英 國皇冠，卡利南鑽石之上的「黑王子紅寶石」。「黑王子」是愛德華三 世的兒子，據說是在1367年的一場戰爭中，他從卡斯蒂利亞國王Don Pedro the cruel 手中得到了這塊寶石。自此寶石在王室中流傳了幾 個世紀，傳說一顆鑲嵌在亨利五世頭盔上的尖晶石，在阿金庫爾戰 役中擋住了致命一擊，救了他的命。

這種皇室寶石並不是第一次被人誤以後紅寶石。俄羅斯的Catherine 皇后二世的王冠上有一顆大約400克拉的尖晶石。另外，維多利亞女 王有一顆深紅色的尖晶石，名為帖木兒紅寶石。撒馬利亞尖晶石則鑲 嵌在刻有莫臥兒皇帝的名字的伊朗皇冠上，及現處於羅浮宮法國皇 冠珠寶中雕刻成龍的形狀名為Cô te-de-Bretagne的尖晶石。

尖晶石一詞來自拉丁語Spinella，意思是「小刺」或「箭頭形」的自然 晶體形狀。尖晶石有各種各樣的顏色，儘管備受愛戴的是紅色。尖晶 石一般都是未經處理的，而且有著收藏家欣賞的閃耀光芒。遇上一 顆碩大的尖晶石猶如尋獲一件難得的皇室寶藏。

原文由Sarah Davis撰寫

This remarkable spinel ring was a highlight of Louis Vuitton's Haute Joaillerie Collection 'ACTE V' which debuted in Paris Couture Week in 2014. The collection combined defined lines, sleek forms and geometric shapes, recreating the Art Deco aesthetic. The V-shaped shoulders is a recurring motif of the collection – 'V' most obviously for Vuitton, but also Roman number five, the brand's fifth high jewellery collection. Bonhams is honoured to offer this ring, a blend of a superlative gemstone – one of rare size, vivid saturated red hue, exceptional brilliance and clarity – and distinctive design by one of the world's leading luxury houses.

這款備受觸目的尖晶石戒指是路易威登高級珠寶系列＜ACTE V＞的亮 點創作之一，該系列於2014年巴黎時裝周見世，以清晰的線條、圓滑 的形態和幾何形狀，重現了十九世紀的裝飾藝術美學。戒指的V形戒 臂是ACTE V中的主題：V既是「威登」簡寫，亦代表羅馬數字5—品 牌的第五個高級珠寶系列。邦瀚斯很榮幸能夠呈獻這顆擁有作為一顆頂級寶石的尖晶石：稀有尺寸、艷紅的色澤飽和度、 以及卓越的閃爍和淨度，足以配上路易威登重要的設計。