A Burmese sapphire shows a celestial scene both externally and internally.
This inclusion scene features an apparent iron sulfide crystal against a midnight blue backdrop. It is reminiscent of the night sky, echoing the surface appearance of the star sapphire host. Photomicrograph by E. Billie Hughes; field of view 2.15 mm.
Gems are renowned for their outward beauty, but their internal world can be just as striking. Lotus Gemology recently came across a Burmese sapphire, cut as a cabochon and measuring 8.92 × 7.10 × 4.75 mm, that displayed a six-rayed star. Once we examined it under the microscope, we were surprised to find that this celestial theme carried through to the inclusion scene inside (see above).
The long, undissolved rutile silk needles that form the six-rayed star are evident in angular zones. We could also see other inclusions typical of unheated sapphire, such as the tiny negative crystals forming a “fingerprint” at the top of the image. What was most interesting about this piece was the large, irregularly shaped crystal with a metallic appearance hovering close to the surface of the cabochon dome, which we believe is an iron sulfide crystal based on its appearance. This highly reflective crystal seems to float across a midnight blue backdrop, reminiscent of an asteroid floating in space and making for a fitting inclusion in a star sapphire.
About the Author
E. Billie Hughes is Co-Founder and Managing Director of Lotus Gemology. She oversees the company's day-to-day operations while continuing gemological research and laboratory work. After graduating from UCLA in 2011, Billie became a Fellow of the Gemmological Association of Great Britain (FGA) in 2013. Her research focuses on ruby and sapphire, including low-temperature heat treatment, and she has authored and co-authored articles in leading gemological journals. An accomplished field gemologist, she has traveled to gem deposits around the world, including nearly every major ruby and sapphire locality.
Billie is an internationally recognized educator who has lectured for trade organizations, museums, and luxury jewelry houses. She has collaborated extensively with Van Cleef & Arpels on educational programs and lectures. An award-winning photographer and photomicrographer, her images have received honors in the Nikon Small World and Gem-A competitions and have appeared in publications including National Geographic and Forbes. She is also the creator of Hyperion, Lotus Gemology's online inclusion database, reflecting her commitment to making gemological knowledge more accessible.
Billie developed an interest in gemstones from an early age, accompanying her parents on expeditions to mines and gem-producing regions around the world. That lifelong passion for fieldwork, laboratory research, education, and photography continues to shape her work at Lotus Gemology today.
Notes
This article first appeared in Gems & Gemology, Spring 2018, Vol. 54, No. 1