Treated Ruby Inclusions

First Published: 7 September 2026

Treated Ruby Inclusions

Explore treated ruby inclusions in Hyperion, the Lotus Gemology inclusion database. Hyperion contains photomicrographs of inclusions and internal features in natural rubies that have undergone treatment, documented with information on geographic origin, treatment, lighting conditions, field of view, photographer and published references.

When a Mozambique ruby is heated, the silk may start to break down, resulting if mottling or bubbles appearing in the daughter minerals, as seen here.
When a Mozambique ruby is heated, the silk may start to break down, resulting if mottling or bubbles appearing in the daughter minerals, as seen here.
Rubies from some localities in northern Mozambique have fissures that are too wide to be closed via the normal flux healing treatment alone. Thus these stones also often have the fissures filled with glass, as you can see here. The glass has a much lower luster than the surrounding corundum. One can also see a round gas bubble that was cut through during the polishing process.
Rubies from some localities in northern Mozambique have fissures that are too wide to be closed via the normal flux healing treatment alone. Thus these stones also often have the fissures filled with glass, as you can see here. The glass has a much lower luster than the surrounding corundum. One can also see a round gas bubble that was cut through during the polishing process.
Melted crystals with frozen gas bubbles, along with titanium internal diffusion (blue areas).
Surface conformal yellow color rim resulting from beryllium lattice diffusion. Also melted crystals, with titanium internal diffusion (blue areas).
Heat-altered feathers just below the surface of this Mozambique ruby. In unheated rubies from Mozambique, these shallow fissures generally contain yellow-to-orange iron oxide stains.
Rutile silk in Mozambique ruby showing a breakdown of the daughter crystals due to heat treatment.
Rutile silk in Mozambique ruby showing a breakdown of the daughter crystals due to heat treatment.
Rutile silk in a heated Mozambique ruby showing obvious signs of breakdown, with small bubbles appearing in the daughter crystals.
Shallow feathers such as these are produced by heat treatment, where the orange stains found in untreated gems are removed and the fissures begin to heal.
A frosty melted crystal in a ruby from the Thai-Cambodian border.

Treatment can alter existing inclusions and produce new microscopic features in ruby. These may include changes to mineral inclusions, altered rutile silk, tension fractures, healed fissures, residues and other features associated with heating, fissure healing, glass filling and other treatment processes.

Treated Ruby Inclusion Photomicrographs

The Hyperion treated ruby gallery includes microscopic features documented in natural rubies subjected to treatment. Each entry identifies the recorded treatment and is accompanied by descriptive information and, where available, references to the gemological literature.

What Inclusions Can Reveal About Ruby Treatment

Microscopic examination is an important part of detecting treatment in ruby. The appearance and alteration of inclusions, fractures and growth features can provide evidence of treatment and, in some cases, information about the processes to which a ruby has been subjected.

Hyperion combines inclusion photomicrography with supporting gemological information so that treatment-related features can be compared with documented examples in natural ruby.

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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