Sapphire Inclusions

First Published: 7 September 2026

Sapphire Inclusions

Explore sapphire inclusions in Hyperion, the Lotus Gemology inclusion database. Hyperion contains photomicrographs of inclusions and internal features in natural sapphire, documented with information on geographic origin, treatment, lighting conditions, field of view, photographer and published references.

Frozen gas bubbles and heat-altered fingerprints decorate the interior of this beryllium diffused yellow sapphire.
“Superficial” patches of chalky shortwave fluorescence are occasionally found in Madagascar sapphire. These tend to have very sharp edges and appear just on the surface.
Chalky shortwave fluorescence is characteristic of heated sapphire.
Iridescent fissures around small crystals create a floral motif in this heated sapphire.
A sharply zoned angular particle cloud creates a striking geometric shape next to a large glassy discoid in this heated Sri Lanka sapphire.
“Banner-like” fingerprints are often found in Burmese sapphire, where inclusions grow in between twin planes, creating an elongated appearance.
This Burmese pink sapphire has an unusual feature: a drilled hole that extends from the surface into a crystal. We suspect this may have been done to clear out any debris inside the crystal with acid cleaning, making the crystal less noticeable.
A beautiful negative crystal seems to float across a fingerprint in this untreated Sri Lanka sapphire.
Dense “parquet” style zoned clouds in an untreated Sri Lanka sapphire.
Dense “parquet” style zoned clouds in an untreated Sri Lanka sapphire.
We often find growth tubes in Madagascar sapphire. This example is particularly striking with a stark, etched appearance.
Madagascar sapphires often contain zircon crystals. More typically we see them in rounded, oval forms, but occasionally we find an example of a blocky zircon crystal like this one.

Sapphire inclusions may include mineral crystals, rutile silk, healed fissures, fluid inclusions, negative crystals, color zoning and other features formed during or after crystal growth. Such features are important to gemologists because they can provide evidence useful in identifying sapphire, understanding its geological history, recognizing treatment and, in some cases, determining geographic origin.

Sapphire Inclusion Photomicrographs

The Hyperion sapphire gallery includes microscopic features found in sapphires from major deposits around the world. Each entry is accompanied by descriptive information and, where available, references to the gemological literature.

What Inclusions Can Reveal About Sapphire

Inclusions are an important part of sapphire identification. Their form, composition, orientation and alteration can help gemologists distinguish natural sapphire from synthetic material, recognize evidence of heat treatment, and study the geological environment in which the sapphire formed.

Hyperion combines inclusion photomicrography with supporting gemological information so that individual features can be compared with documented examples from known sapphire deposits.

About Hyperion

Hyperion is the Lotus Gemology searchable inclusion database. It allows users to browse gemstone inclusions by gem type, geographic origin, treatment and keyword.

Search the Complete Hyperion Database