Pailin Sapphire Inclusions

First Published: 7 September 2026

Pailin Sapphire Inclusions

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

Red-orange crystals shoot through this Pailin (Cambodia) sapphire. Once considered unique to Pailin sapphire, we now know that such uranopyrochlore inclusions are found in sapphires from many sources.
Texture clouds form sharp, angular zones in this Cambodian sapphire.
Tiny red uranium pyrochlore crystals glow in this sapphire from Pailin, Cambodia. These crystals are a diagnostic inclusion for magmatic sapphires.
This transparent crystal was an obstacle to this sapphire’s growth, creating a “comet trail” stream of fine particles behind it. This example is in a Pailin sapphire.
A tiny red uranium pyrochlore octahedron glows in this sapphire from Pailin, Cambodia. These pyrochlore crystals are a diagnostic inclusion for magmatic sapphires.

Pailin sapphire inclusions may include mineral crystals, healed fissures, fluid inclusions, negative crystals, growth features and other internal features formed during or after crystal growth. Such features are important to gemologists because they can provide evidence useful in identifying sapphire and evaluating a possible Pailin origin.

Pailin Sapphire Inclusion Photomicrographs

The Hyperion Pailin sapphire gallery includes microscopic features documented in sapphires from Pailin, Cambodia. Each entry is accompanied by descriptive information and, where available, references to the gemological literature.

What Inclusions Can Reveal About Pailin Sapphire

Inclusions are an important part of geographic origin determination in sapphire. Their form, composition, orientation and associations can provide evidence that, when considered together with other gemological properties, may support or contradict a Pailin origin.

Hyperion combines inclusion photomicrography with supporting gemological information so that individual features can be compared with documented examples from Pailin sapphires.

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.

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