Red, pink, and purple lab-grown spinels are uncommon in the marketplace due to the challenges of producing these colors via the flame fusion method. The crystals often crack when cooled, leading producers to shy away from these lower yield colors. Although the Flux and Czochralski processes can generate spinels in these hues, their production is constrained by the significant costs associated with these methods. Moreover, the absence of scientific or industrial uses for spinels in these colors means there is no supply from industrial scrap materials.
We acquired this rough gemstone from Tairus, which we understand to be one of only two manufacturers globally that create this unique color of lab-created spinel for the industry. This makes it an exceptionally rare and costly material in comparison to other types of lab-created gems.