Thai Sapphire Inclusions

First Published: 7 September 2026

Thai Sapphire Inclusions

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

Iron-rich “hairy” silk is often seen in green zones just below the basal pinacoid surfaces of yellow sapphires from Chanthaburi, Thailand.
When a rutile-silk containing sapphire (such as this stone from Nigeria) is heated, the titanium from the rutile moves into solid solution in the sapphire, coloring the area around the rutile blue, creating a distinctive “ink spot” internal diffusion pattern.
When a rutile-silk containing sapphire (such as this stone from Kanchanaburi, Thailand) is heated, the titanium from the rutile moves into solid solution in the sapphire, coloring the area around the rutile blue, creating a distinctive “ink spot” internal diffusion pattern.

Thai 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 Thai origin.

Thai Sapphire Inclusion Photomicrographs

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

What Inclusions Can Reveal About Thai 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 Thai origin.

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

Search the Complete Hyperion Database