Thin films create a bouquet of color inside a Russian emerald.
Figure 1. A Russian emerald carving, approximately 41 × 25 mm, of a woman holding blooming flowers, reportedly fashioned by Michael Peuster. Photo by Ronnakorn Manorotkul; courtesy of Tsarina Jewels.
Some gems are enchanting both outside and in. Recently, the Lotus Gemology laboratory received an interesting submission of a 78.01 ct carved Russian emerald. According to the client, the emerald was carved by gemstone engraver Michael Peuster and inspired by art nouveau artist Alphonse Mucha. The woman depicted holds blooming flowers, symbolizing the arrival of spring (figure 1). Microscopic examination revealed delicate, bouquet-like thin film inclusions on the back of the carving (figure 2). Iridescent thin films are frequently observed in emeralds from Russia, and this specimen showcased several striking examples. It was a delightful coincidence to find that the inclusion scene in this stone echoed the floral motif carved into its exterior.
Figure 2. Like an artist’s palette, clusters of stacked thin films create a bouquet of color inside this Russian emerald. Photomicrograph by E. Billie Hughes; field of view 5.4 mm.
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, Winter 2025, Vol. 61, No.4, p. 400–401.