Madagascar Sapphire Inclusions
Explore Madagascar sapphire inclusions in Hyperion, the Lotus Gemology inclusion database. Hyperion contains photomicrographs of inclusions and internal features in natural sapphires from Madagascar, documented with information on treatment, lighting conditions, field of view, photographer and published references.
The zoned texture clouds in this Madagascar sapphire are associated with colorless areas, while the deepest blue areas are relatively free of these particle clouds.
Natural Sapphire •
Madagascar •
Enhancements:
None Detected (None) •
Lighting Conditions:
Fiber Optic: Oblique
Photographer:
E. Billie Hughes •
Image Number:
A-002-4116-1
Zircon crystals like these are a common feature in Madagascar sapphire.
Natural Sapphire •
Madagascar •
Enhancements:
None Detected (None) •
Lighting Conditions:
Diffuse Light Field (Transmitted Light)
Photographer:
E. Billie Hughes •
Image Number:
A-002-4117-1
A web-like fingerprint in this sapphire stands out because it is colored by epigenetic staining.
Natural Sapphire •
Madagascar •
Enhancements:
None Detected (None) •
Lighting Conditions:
Diffuse Light Field + Fiber Optic
Photographer:
E. Billie Hughes •
Image Number:
A-002-3902-1
Delicate, wispy inclusions seem to float against the sharp angular growth zoning of this Madagascar sapphire.
Natural Sapphire •
Madagascar •
Enhancements:
None Detected (None) •
Lighting Conditions:
Fiber Optic: Diffuse Oblique
Photographer:
E. Billie Hughes •
Image Number:
A-002-3892-2
Small crystals attached to growth tubes stand out in this Madagascar sapphire. Note the appearance changes in different types of lighting. Darkfield yields a high-contrast appearance here.
Natural Sapphire •
Madagascar •
Enhancements:
None Detected (None) •
Lighting Conditions:
Dark Field
Photographer:
E. Billie Hughes •
Image Number:
A-002-3802-3
Small crystals attached to growth tubes stand out in this Madagascar sapphire. Note the appearance changes in different types of lighting. In transmitted light, the crystals stand out against the angular zoning of their background.
Natural Sapphire •
Madagascar •
Enhancements:
None Detected (None) •
Lighting Conditions:
Diffuse Light Field (Transmitted Light)
Photographer:
E. Billie Hughes •
Image Number:
A-002-3802-2
Small crystals attached to growth tubes stand out in this Madagascar sapphire. Note the appearance changes in different types of lighting. Here, we can see a rainbow of colors in polarized light.
Natural Sapphire •
Madagascar •
Enhancements:
None Detected (None) •
Lighting Conditions:
Diffuse Light Field + Crossed Polars
Photographer:
E. Billie Hughes •
Image Number:
A-002-3802-1
Dense texture clouds made of tiny exsolved particles form angular zones in this heated Madagascar sapphire.
Natural Sapphire •
Madagascar •
Enhancements:
Heat (H) •
Lighting Conditions:
Fiber Optic: Oblique
Photographer:
E. Billie Hughes •
Image Number:
A-002-3764-1
Frosty melted “snowball” crystals provide evidence that this Madagascar sapphire was heat treated.
Natural Sapphire •
Madagascar •
Enhancements:
Heat (H) •
Lighting Conditions:
Fiber Optic: Diffuse Oblique
Photographer:
E. Billie Hughes •
Image Number:
A-002-3763-2
Frosty melted “snowball” crystals provide evidence that this Madagascar sapphire was heat treated.
Natural Sapphire •
Madagascar •
Enhancements:
Heat (H) •
Lighting Conditions:
Fiber Optic: Diffuse Oblique
Photographer:
E. Billie Hughes •
Image Number:
A-002-3763-1
Sets of fine growth tubes form delicate curtains in this Madagascar sapphire.
Natural Sapphire •
Madagascar •
Enhancements:
None Detected (None) •
Lighting Conditions:
Fiber Optic: Diffuse Oblique
Photographer:
E. Billie Hughes •
Image Number:
A-002-3781-1
Strings of fine exsolved particles decorate the interior of this Madagascar sapphire.
Natural Sapphire •
Madagascar •
Enhancements:
None Detected (None) •
Lighting Conditions:
Fiber Optic: Oblique
Photographer:
E. Billie Hughes •
Image Number:
A-002-3770-1
Madagascar 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 Madagascar origin.
Madagascar Sapphire Inclusion Photomicrographs
The Hyperion Madagascar sapphire gallery includes microscopic features documented in sapphires from Madagascar. Each entry is accompanied by descriptive information and, where available, references to the gemological literature.
What Inclusions Can Reveal About Madagascar 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 Madagascar origin.
Hyperion combines inclusion photomicrography with supporting gemological information so that individual features can be compared with documented examples from Madagascar 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.
