Vietnamese Spinel Inclusions
Explore Vietnamese spinel inclusions in Hyperion, the Lotus Gemology inclusion database. Hyperion contains photomicrographs of inclusions and internal features in natural spinels from Myanmar (Burma), documented with information on treatment, lighting conditions, field of view, photographer and published references.
Diopside crystals (identified with Raman) in this spinel display interference colors when viewed between crossed polars.
Natural Spinel •
Vietnam •
Enhancements:
None Detected (None) •
Lighting Conditions:
Dark Field + Crossed Polars
Photographer:
E. Billie Hughes •
Image Number:
A-004-0587-1
• Field of View = 4mm
Gübelin, E.J. and Koivula, J.I. (2005) Photoatlas of Inclusions in Gemstones, Volume 2. Basel, Switzerland, Opinio Publishers, 830 pp.; RWHL*.
Hughes, E.B., Koivula, J.I., Manorotkul, W., Renfro, N. and Hughes, R.W. (2019) Spinel inclusions: An exercise in aesthetics. InColor, No. 43, pp. 48–55; RWHL*.
This lavender-colored spinel from Vietnam’s Yen Bai area contained a thin transparent birefringent crystal. The crystal contained several included crystals of its own, as demonstrated by viewing it between crossed polars.
Natural Spinel •
Vietnam •
Enhancements:
None Detected (None) •
Lighting Conditions:
Light Field + Crossed Polars
Photographer:
Richard W. Hughes •
Image Number:
A-004-0056-3
• Field of View = 3mm
This web-like fingerprint creates a striking pattern in its spinel host.
Natural Spinel •
Vietnam •
Enhancements:
None Detected (None) •
Lighting Conditions:
Dark Field + Diffuse Fiber Optic
Photographer:
E. Billie Hughes •
Image Number:
A-003-9184-1
• Field of View = 5mm
Gübelin, E.J. and Koivula, J.I. (2005) Photoatlas of Inclusions in Gemstones, Volume 2. Basel, Switzerland, Opinio Publishers, 830 pp.; RWHL*.
Hughes, E.B., Koivula, J.I., Manorotkul, W., Renfro, N. and Hughes, R.W. (2019) Spinel inclusions: An exercise in aesthetics. InColor, No. 43, pp. 48–55; RWHL*.
Stellate dislocations criss-cross the interior of this cobalt blue spinel.
Natural Spinel •
Vietnam •
Enhancements:
None Detected (None) •
Lighting Conditions:
Dark Field + Diffuse Fiber Optic
Photographer:
E. Billie Hughes •
Image Number:
A-003-8193-2
• Field of View = 1.5mm
Hughes, E.B., Koivula, J.I., Manorotkul, W., Renfro, N. and Hughes, R.W. (2019) Spinel inclusions: An exercise in aesthetics. InColor, No. 43, pp. 48–55; RWHL*.
Gübelin, E.J. and Koivula, J.I. (2005) Photoatlas of Inclusions in Gemstones, Volume 2. Basel, Switzerland, Opinio Publishers, 830 pp.; RWHL*.
A small crystal is surrounded by fine dislocation needles in this spinel. This type of feature is common in spinel from Vietnam.
Natural Spinel •
Vietnam •
Enhancements:
None Detected (None) •
Lighting Conditions:
Dark Field
Photographer:
E. Billie Hughes •
Image Number:
A-003-8972-1
• Field of View = 3mm
Gübelin, E.J. and Koivula, J.I. (2005) Photoatlas of Inclusions in Gemstones, Volume 2. Basel, Switzerland, Opinio Publishers, 830 pp.; RWHL*.
Hughes, E.B., Koivula, J.I., Manorotkul, W., Renfro, N. and Hughes, R.W. (2019) Spinel inclusions: An exercise in aesthetics. InColor, No. 43, pp. 48–55; RWHL*.
A cluster of needles forms an octahedral cloud around a tiny crystal in this spinel. As seen here, inclusions often echo the symmetry of the host crystal.
Natural Spinel •
Vietnam •
Enhancements:
None Detected (None) •
Lighting Conditions:
Dark Field + Shadowing
Photographer:
E. Billie Hughes •
Image Number:
A-003-7770-3
• Field of View = 1.7mm
Hughes, E.B., Koivula, J.I., Manorotkul, W., Renfro, N. and Hughes, R.W. (2019) Spinel inclusions: An exercise in aesthetics. InColor, No. 43, pp. 48–55; RWHL*.
Gübelin, E.J. and Koivula, J.I. (2005) Photoatlas of Inclusions in Gemstones, Volume 2. Basel, Switzerland, Opinio Publishers, 830 pp.; RWHL*.
A clinochlore crystal in a spinel host displays a rainbow of interference colors when observed between crossed polars. When the polarizing plates are rotated the interference colors change.
Natural Spinel •
Vietnam •
Enhancements:
None Detected (None) •
Lighting Conditions:
Light Field + Crossed Polars
Photographer:
E. Billie Hughes •
Image Number:
A-003-7770-2
• Field of View = 3mm
Hughes, E.B., Koivula, J.I., Manorotkul, W., Renfro, N. and Hughes, R.W. (2019) Spinel inclusions: An exercise in aesthetics. InColor, No. 43, pp. 48–55; RWHL*.
Gübelin, E.J. and Koivula, J.I. (2005) Photoatlas of Inclusions in Gemstones, Volume 2. Basel, Switzerland, Opinio Publishers, 830 pp.; RWHL*.
A clinochlore crystal in a spinel host displays a rainbow of interference colors when observed between crossed polars. When the polarizing plates are rotated the interference colors change.
Natural Spinel •
Vietnam •
Enhancements:
None Detected (None) •
Lighting Conditions:
Light Field + Crossed Polars
Photographer:
E. Billie Hughes •
Image Number:
A-003-7770-1
• Field of View = 3mm
Hughes, E.B., Koivula, J.I., Manorotkul, W., Renfro, N. and Hughes, R.W. (2019) Spinel inclusions: An exercise in aesthetics. InColor, No. 43, pp. 48–55; RWHL*.
Gübelin, E.J. and Koivula, J.I. (2005) Photoatlas of Inclusions in Gemstones, Volume 2. Basel, Switzerland, Opinio Publishers, 830 pp.; RWHL*.
59 Total Images
Results: 13 – 24 | Page 2 of 5 Pages
Vietnamese spinel 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 spinel and evaluating a possible Vietnamese origin.
Vietnamese Spinel Inclusion Photomicrographs
The Hyperion Vietnamese spinel gallery includes microscopic features documented in spinels from Myanmar (Burma). Each entry is accompanied by descriptive information and, where available, references to the gemological literature.
What Inclusions Can Reveal About Vietnamese Spinel
Inclusions are an important part of geographic origin determination in spinel. Their form, composition and associations can provide evidence that, when considered together with other gemological properties, may support or contradict a Vietnamese origin.
Hyperion combines inclusion photomicrography with supporting gemological information so that individual features can be compared with documented examples from Vietnamese spinels.
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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