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.
Tiny diaspore needles are seen within negative crystals in this natural Ceylon sapphire.
Natural Sapphire •
Sri Lanka (Ceylon) •
Enhancements:
None Detected (None) •
Lighting Conditions:
Fiber Optic: Oblique
Photographer:
Wimon Manorotkul •
Image Number:
P-10091-1
Resembling small flying insects, zircon crystals with radiation-induced stress halos are a common feature in Ceylon sapphires.
Natural Sapphire •
Sri Lanka (Ceylon) •
Enhancements:
None Detected (None) •
Lighting Conditions:
Fiber Optic: Oblique
Photographer:
Wimon Manorotkul •
Image Number:
P-10029-2
Resembling small flying insects, zircon crystals with radiation-induced stress halos are a common feature in Ceylon sapphires.
Natural Sapphire •
Sri Lanka (Ceylon) •
Enhancements:
None Detected (None) •
Lighting Conditions:
Fiber Optic: Transmitted
Photographer:
Wimon Manorotkul •
Image Number:
P-10029-1
Exsolved rutile silk in Ceylon blue sapphire. The rutile unmixes in three directions at 60/120° in the plane of the basal pinacoid.
Natural Sapphire •
Sri Lanka (Ceylon) •
Enhancements:
None Detected (None) •
Lighting Conditions:
Fiber Optic: Oblique
Photographer:
Wimon Manorotkul •
Image Number:
P-10018-4
Exsolved rutile silk in Ceylon blue sapphire. The rutile unmixes in three directions at 60/120° in the plane of the basal pinacoid.
Natural Sapphire •
Sri Lanka (Ceylon) •
Enhancements:
None Detected (None) •
Lighting Conditions:
Fiber Optic: Oblique
Photographer:
Wimon Manorotkul •
Image Number:
P-10018-3
Uniaxial interference figure in blue sapphire.
Natural Sapphire •
Sri Lanka (Ceylon) •
Enhancements:
Heat (H) •
Lighting Conditions:
Diffuse Light Field + Crossed Polars
Photographer:
E. Billie Hughes •
Image Number:
A-001-0643-1
A crystal cut through on surface is strikingly iridescent when examined between crossed polars in this untreated sapphire from Sri Lanka.
Natural Sapphire •
Sri Lanka (Ceylon) •
Enhancements:
None Detected (None) •
Lighting Conditions:
Diffuse Light Field + Crossed Polars
Photographer:
E. Billie Hughes •
Image Number:
A-001-0597-1
A black uraninite crystal with stress halo due to radiation is a common inclusion in Sri Lanka sapphire. Rutile silk is also visible below.
Natural Sapphire •
Sri Lanka (Ceylon) •
Enhancements:
None Detected (None) •
Lighting Conditions:
Fiber Optic: Oblique
Photographer:
E. Billie Hughes •
Image Number:
A-001-0506-2
Gübelin, E.J. (1973) Internal World of Gemstones. Zürich, ABC Verlag, reprinted 1983, 234 pp.; RWHL*.
A black uraninite crystal with stress halo due to radiation is a common inclusion in Sri Lanka sapphire.
Natural Sapphire •
Sri Lanka (Ceylon) •
Enhancements:
None Detected (None) •
Lighting Conditions:
Fiber Optic: Oblique
Photographer:
E. Billie Hughes •
Image Number:
A-001-0506-1
Gübelin, E.J. (1973) Internal World of Gemstones. Zürich, ABC Verlag, reprinted 1983, 234 pp.; RWHL*.
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.
