Dislocation needles are a common inclusion in Vietnamese spinel.

Natural Spinel   •   Vietnam   •   Enhancements: None Detected (None)   •   Lighting Conditions: Dark Field + Blue Filter + Diffuse Fiber Optic
Photographer: E. Billie Hughes   •   Image Number: A-003-7341-1 •  Field of View = 2 mm   •  Date Posted: 25 September 2020

Gübelin, E.J. and Koivula, J.I. (2005) Photoatlas of Inclusions in Gemstones, Volume 2. Basel, Switzerland, Opinio Publishers, 830 pp.; RWHL*.

Raman spectroscopy identified this crystal as fluoroapatite. It has an interesting growth coming out of one side that looks like a fin.

Natural Spinel   •   Tanzania   •   Enhancements: None Detected (None)   •   Lighting Conditions: Dark Field + Blue Filter + Diffuse Fiber Optic
Photographer: E. Billie Hughes   •   Image Number: A-003-7379-1 •  Field of View = 4 mm   •  Date Posted: 23 September 2020

Gübelin, E.J. and Koivula, J.I. (2005) Photoatlas of Inclusions in Gemstones, Volume 2. Basel, Switzerland, Opinio Publishers, 830 pp.; RWHL*.

In this spinel from Myanmar’s Mogok Stone Tract, we found these crystals cut through on the surface. They were shown to be fluorophlogopite mica by micro Raman. This is only the second time we have found this in spinel.

Natural Spinel   •   Myanmar (Burma); Mogok/Namya   •   Enhancements: None Detected (None)   •   Lighting Conditions: Dark Field
Photographer: Richard W. Hughes   •   Image Number: A-003-7402-1 •  Field of View = 2 mm   •  Date Posted: 29 September 2020

Hughes, E.B., Koivula, J.I., Manorotkul, W., Renfro, N. and Hughes, R.W. (2019) Spinel inclusions: An exercise in aesthetics. InColor, No. 43, pp. 48–55; RWHL*.

This pink spinel believed to be from Vietnam’s Luc Yen district contained many interesting solid inclusions. Two of them include this rod-like crystal on the right, which micro Raman revealed to be pargasite, and the large dolomite crystal to its left. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported occurrence of pargasite in spinel from this deposit. Bright green pargasite is a common guest mineral in the marbles from the Luc Yen area.

Natural Spinel   •   Vietnam   •   Enhancements: None Detected (None)   •   Lighting Conditions: Dark Field
Photographer: E. Billie Hughes   •   Image Number: A-003-7191-2 •  Field of View = 2.5 mm   •  Date Posted: 19 August 2020

Hughes, E.B., Koivula, J.I., Manorotkul, W., Renfro, N. and Hughes, R.W. (2019) Spinel inclusions: An exercise in aesthetics. InColor, No. 43, pp. 48–55; RWHL*.

Gübelin, E.J. and Koivula, J.I. (2005) Photoatlas of Inclusions in Gemstones, Volume 2. Basel, Switzerland, Opinio Publishers, 830 pp.; RWHL*.

This pink spinel believed to be from Vietnam’s Luc Yen district contained many transparent doubly refractive crystal inclusions, some surrounded by stellate dislocations. Micro Raman revealed them to be phlogopite mica. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported occurrence of phlogopite in spinel from this deposit.

Natural Spinel   •   Vietnam   •   Enhancements: None Detected (None)   •   Lighting Conditions: Dark Field + Oblique Fiber Optic
Photographer: E. Billie Hughes   •   Image Number: A-003-7191-1 •  Field of View = 2 mm   •  Date Posted: 19 August 2020

Hughes, E.B., Koivula, J.I., Manorotkul, W., Renfro, N. and Hughes, R.W. (2019) Spinel inclusions: An exercise in aesthetics. InColor, No. 43, pp. 48–55; RWHL*.

Gübelin, E.J. and Koivula, J.I. (2005) Photoatlas of Inclusions in Gemstones, Volume 2. Basel, Switzerland, Opinio Publishers, 830 pp.; RWHL*.

Two dolomite crystals trapped in spinel. Their identity was confirmed with micro Raman.

Natural Spinel   •   Myanmar (Burma); Mogok/Namya   •   Enhancements: None Detected (None)   •   Lighting Conditions: Dark Field + Diffuse Fiber Optic
Photographer: Richard W. Hughes   •   Image Number: A-003-7009-1 •  Field of View = 2 mm   •  Date Posted: 11 August 2020

Hughes, E.B., Koivula, J.I., Manorotkul, W., Renfro, N. and Hughes, R.W. (2019) Spinel inclusions: An exercise in aesthetics. InColor, No. 43, pp. 48–55; RWHL*.

Gübelin, E.J. and Koivula, J.I. (2005) Photoatlas of Inclusions in Gemstones, Volume 2. Basel, Switzerland, Opinio Publishers, 830 pp.; RWHL*.

This blue spinel is home to a tiny, well-formed forsterite crystal which we identified with micro Raman.

Natural Spinel   •   Sri Lanka (Ceylon)   •   Enhancements: None Detected (None)   •   Lighting Conditions: Dark Field + Blue Filter + Diffuse Fiber Optic
Photographer: E. Billie Hughes   •   Image Number: A-003-6581-1 •  Field of View = 3 mm   •  Date Posted: 15 July 2020

Gübelin, E.J. and Koivula, J.I. (2005) Photoatlas of Inclusions in Gemstones, Volume 2. Basel, Switzerland, Opinio Publishers, 830 pp.; RWHL*.

A small white magnesite crystal (confirmed with micro Raman) displays an unusual circle around it in this spinel. We are currently unable to determine the natural of this circular inclusion around the magnesite.

Natural Spinel   •   Madagascar   •   Enhancements: None Detected (None)   •   Lighting Conditions: Dark Field
Photographer: E. Billie Hughes   •   Image Number: A-003-6579-2 •  Field of View = 2 mm   •  Date Posted: 15 July 2020

Gübelin, E.J. and Koivula, J.I. (2005) Photoatlas of Inclusions in Gemstones, Volume 2. Basel, Switzerland, Opinio Publishers, 830 pp.; RWHL*.

Peering through one tiny facet at the edge of the girdle, we are able to see a small diopside crystal (confirmed with micro Raman) in this blue spinel.

Natural Spinel   •   Madagascar   •   Enhancements: None Detected (None)   •   Lighting Conditions: Dark Field + Blue Filter
Photographer: E. Billie Hughes   •   Image Number: A-003-6579-1 •  Field of View = 2 mm   •  Date Posted: 15 July 2020

Gübelin, E.J. and Koivula, J.I. (2005) Photoatlas of Inclusions in Gemstones, Volume 2. Basel, Switzerland, Opinio Publishers, 830 pp.; RWHL*.

This small crystal in a cobalt blue spinel was examined by micro Raman and identified as calcite.

Natural Spinel   •   Vietnam   •   Enhancements: None Detected (None)   •   Lighting Conditions: Dark Field + Oblique Fiber Optic
Photographer: Richard W. Hughes   •   Image Number: A-003-6554-1 •  Field of View = 1.2 mm   •  Date Posted: 13 July 2020

Hughes, E.B., Koivula, J.I., Manorotkul, W., Renfro, N. and Hughes, R.W. (2019) Spinel inclusions: An exercise in aesthetics. InColor, No. 43, pp. 48–55; RWHL*.

Gübelin, E.J. and Koivula, J.I. (2005) Photoatlas of Inclusions in Gemstones, Volume 2. Basel, Switzerland, Opinio Publishers, 830 pp.; RWHL*.

While testing a dark red spinel, we noticed a crystal cut through on the surface. Testing with micro Raman revealed it to be fluorophlogopite. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time this mineral has been discovered in spinel.

Natural Spinel   •   Myanmar (Burma); Mogok/Namya   •   Enhancements: None Detected (None)   •   Lighting Conditions: Fiber Optic: Diffuse Overhead
Photographer: Richard W. Hughes   •   Image Number: A-003-6397-2 •  Field of View = 2.5 mm   •  Date Posted: 25 June 2020

Hughes, E.B., Koivula, J.I., Manorotkul, W., Renfro, N. and Hughes, R.W. (2019) Spinel inclusions: An exercise in aesthetics. InColor, No. 43, pp. 48–55; RWHL*.

While testing a dark red spinel, we noticed a crystal cut through on the surface. Testing with micro Raman revealed it to be fluorophlogopite. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time this mineral has been discovered in spinel.

Natural Spinel   •   Myanmar (Burma); Mogok/Namya   •   Enhancements: None Detected (None)   •   Lighting Conditions: Dark Field
Photographer: Richard W. Hughes   •   Image Number: A-003-6397-1 •  Field of View = 2.5 mm   •  Date Posted: 25 June 2020

Hughes, E.B., Koivula, J.I., Manorotkul, W., Renfro, N. and Hughes, R.W. (2019) Spinel inclusions: An exercise in aesthetics. InColor, No. 43, pp. 48–55; RWHL*.