Hyperion • Inclusion Search Engine • Lotus Gemology
Glass filling in a surface-reaching cavity in a Mozambique ruby. Note the conchoidal fracture on the glass filling.
This Mozambique ruby has been heat treated, causing an included crystal to melt. The resulting glass occupies less space than the previous crystal, resulting in a frozen gas bubble.
When a gem is heat treated, solid inclusions may melt. This photo illustrates two different examples. In the foreground a crystal has melted and cooled into a glass. Because the glass takes up less volume than the earlier crystal, the difference results in a bubble in the glass. Looking further in the background we can see small blue dots. These are the remnants of rutile silk. Heat treatment alters the rutile, sending titanium into solid solution in the corundum. The result is blue “ink spots” surrounding the partially dissolved rutile.
A melted crystal of what was probably mica with a trapped gas bubble reveals this Mozambique ruby has been subjected to heat treatment.
Thin film inclusions in the basal plane are a common feature of many Thai-Cambodian rubies.
Thin film inclusions in the basal plane are a common feature of many Thai-Cambodian rubies.
Heat-altered fingerprints and melted crystals embellish the interior of this heat-treated Thai-Cambodian ruby.
Note: Lotus Gemology Co. Ltd. makes these images available to the public for educational purposes only. Each image is copyright Lotus Gemology and/or the photographer and reproduction without the express written permission of Lotus Gemology is strictly prohibited. This includes posting to social media or websites. If you would like to reuse an image, contact us.