Ceylon Sapphire Inclusions

First Published: 7 September 2026

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.

A rocket-shaped crystal takes flight within this sapphire from Sri Lanka.
A large birefringent missile takes flight within this sapphire from Sri Lanka.
Negative crystals in sapphires from Sri Lanka frequently contain trapped daughter crystals within their liquid carbon dioxide fillings. Hexagonal graphite flakes are common, as are slender diaspore needles. In this image, the stone is examined between parallel polars and as it is turned, the tiny diaspore needles become iridescent, thus demonstrating their doubly refractive solid nature.
Yellow epigenetic limonite stains within a fissure of a sapphire from Sri Lanka. These suggest the stone has not undergone heat treatment, for at just a few hundred degrees centigrade the limonite will convert to reddish hematite.
Red fluorescence from red color zones, along with one unusual zone of yellow fluorescence in a blue sapphire from Sri Lanka.
Red fluorescence off of unusual red color zones in a blue sapphire from Sri Lanka.
Melted crystals with a frosted surface, surrounded by heat-altered fingerprints in a heat-treated sapphire from Sri Lanka. Note the hexagonal symmetry of the fingerprint, which shows that it lies in the basal plane.
A heat-altered fingerprint at the culet of a heat-treated sapphire from Sri Lanka. Note the small microfractures and discoids that result from explosion of the individual negative crystal channels that make up the fingerprint.
The yellow core of this Sri Lankan sapphire fluoresces orange when illuminated by a strong fiber-optic light.
“Crop circles” in a heated sapphire from Sri Lanka. These types of inclusions have been associated with, but are not limited to, beryllium-treated blue sapphires.
Fingerprints betray the underlying atomic symmetry. In this case, this iridescent fingerprint lies along a prism face, as demonstrated by its rectilinear form.
Well-formed negative crystals are a common feature of unheated sapphires from Sri Lanka. These will frequently contain CO2 bubbles.

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.

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