Ceylon Sapphire Inclusions
Explore Ceylon sapphire inclusions in Hyperion, the Lotus Gemology inclusion database. Hyperion contains photomicrographs of inclusions and internal features in natural sapphires from Sri Lanka (Ceylon), documented with information on treatment, lighting conditions, field of view, photographer and published references.
This elongated cavity is starting to show the signs of melting as a result of heat treatment as the edge become rounded.
Natural Sapphire •
Sri Lanka (Ceylon) •
Enhancements:
Heat (H) •
Lighting Conditions:
Dark Field + Oblique Fiber Optic
Photographer:
E. Billie Hughes •
Image Number:
A-002-3260-1
“Punsiri” zoning in a heated blue sapphire.
Natural Sapphire •
Sri Lanka (Ceylon) •
Enhancements:
Heat (H) •
Lighting Conditions:
Diffuse Light Field (Transmitted Light)
Photographer:
E. Billie Hughes •
Image Number:
A-001-5990-1
A tiny black uraninite crystal appears to flutter across this untreated sapphire from Sri Lanka.
Natural Sapphire •
Sri Lanka (Ceylon) •
Enhancements:
None Detected (None) •
Lighting Conditions:
Dark Field + Diffuse Fiber Optic
Photographer:
E. Billie Hughes •
Image Number:
A-001-7349-3
Phlogopite mica crystals in an untreated sapphire from Sri Lanka.
Natural Sapphire •
Sri Lanka (Ceylon) •
Enhancements:
None Detected (None) •
Lighting Conditions:
Dark Field
Photographer:
E. Billie Hughes •
Image Number:
A-001-7349-1
A moire fingerprint forms a fine pattern in this untreated sapphire from Sri Lanka.
Natural Sapphire •
Sri Lanka (Ceylon) •
Enhancements:
None Detected (None) •
Lighting Conditions:
Dark Field
Photographer:
E. Billie Hughes •
Image Number:
A-001-6769-1
“Ink spot internal diffusion” surrounding partially resorbed rutile silk indicates that this stone has been heated. During treatment, the rutile dissolves, sending titanium into solution, thus coloring the stone blue around the silk.
Natural Sapphire •
Sri Lanka (Ceylon) •
Enhancements:
Heat (H) •
Lighting Conditions:
Diffuse Light Field (Transmitted Light)
Photographer:
Patharaphum Sudprasert •
Image Number:
A-002-1566-1
Koivula, J.I. (1987) Internal diffusion. Journal of Gemmology, Vol. 20, No. 7/8, pp. 474–477; RWHL*.
Knife-shaped rutile silk in Ceylon sapphire, showing that this stone has not been heated at a high temperature.
Natural Sapphire •
Sri Lanka (Ceylon) •
Enhancements:
None Detected (None) •
Lighting Conditions:
Dark Field
Photographer:
Patharaphum Sudprasert •
Image Number:
A-002-0626-1
Undissolved rutile needles rain down in this untreated sapphire.
Natural Sapphire •
Sri Lanka (Ceylon) •
Enhancements:
None Detected (None) •
Lighting Conditions:
Fiber Optic: Oblique
Photographer:
E. Billie Hughes •
Image Number:
A-001-9774-1
Iridescent negative crystals form a rainbow mosaic in this sapphire.
Natural Sapphire •
Sri Lanka (Ceylon) •
Enhancements:
None Detected (None) •
Lighting Conditions:
Dark Field + Shadowing
Photographer:
E. Billie Hughes •
Image Number:
A-001-9613-1
Fingerprint with rectilinear pattern parallel to the c-axis in Sri Lanka sapphire. The pattern of healing betrays the underlying atomic symmetry.
Natural Sapphire •
Sri Lanka (Ceylon) •
Enhancements:
None Detected (None) •
Lighting Conditions:
Diffuse Light Field + Crossed Polars
Photographer:
Patharaphum Sudprasert •
Image Number:
A-001-9720-1
Roedder, E. (1962) Ancient fluids in crystals. Scientific American, Vol. 207, pp. 38–47; RWHL*.
Fingerprint with rectilinear healing pattern. This healing pattern of right angles indicates the fingerprint lies on or near to a prism face (parallel to the c axis). As fingerprints form at more oblique angles relative to the c axis, the angles of the healed zones also become more oblique. Fingerprints lying perpendicular to the c axis will display triangular or hexagonal symmetry.
Natural Sapphire •
Sri Lanka (Ceylon) •
Enhancements:
None Detected (None) •
Lighting Conditions:
Diffuse Fiber Optic + Shadowing
Photographer:
E. Billie Hughes •
Image Number:
A-001-9359-1
Roedder, E. (1962) Ancient fluids in crystals. Scientific American, Vol. 207, pp. 38–47; RWHL*.
These melted snowball crystals with glassy discoids provide evidence of heat treatment in this Sri Lanka sapphire.
Natural Sapphire •
Sri Lanka (Ceylon) •
Enhancements:
Heat (H) •
Lighting Conditions:
Fiber Optic: Diffuse Oblique
Photographer:
E. Billie Hughes •
Image Number:
A-001-7683-2
Ceylon sapphire inclusions may include mineral crystals, rutile silk, 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 Sri Lankan origin.
Ceylon Sapphire Inclusion Photomicrographs
The Hyperion Ceylon sapphire gallery includes microscopic features documented in sapphires from Sri Lanka (Ceylon). Each entry is accompanied by descriptive information and, where available, references to the gemological literature.
What Inclusions Can Reveal About Ceylon 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 Sri Lankan origin.
Hyperion combines inclusion photomicrography with supporting gemological information so that individual features can be compared with documented examples from Ceylon 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.
