Natural Ruby Inclusions
Explore ruby inclusions in Hyperion, the Lotus Gemology inclusion database. Hyperion contains photomicrographs of inclusions and internal features in natural ruby, documented with information on geographic origin, treatment, lighting conditions, field of view, photographer and published references.
Small crystals are appear frozen in space in this unheated ruby.
Natural Ruby •
Myanmar (Burma); Mogok/Namya •
Enhancements:
None Detected (None) •
Lighting Conditions:
Dark Field + Diffuse Fiber Optic
Photographer:
E. Billie Hughes •
Image Number:
A-002-2695-1
Prismatic crystal of an unknown identity in a Chimwadzulu Hill ruby.
Natural Ruby •
Malawi •
Enhancements:
None Detected (None) •
Lighting Conditions:
Light Field + Oblique Fiber Optic
Photographer:
E. Billie Hughes •
Image Number:
R-001-9049-1
A dark opaque metallic crystal is embedded in a fissure with orange staining.
Natural Ruby •
Kenya •
Enhancements:
None Detected (None) •
Lighting Conditions:
Dark Field + Diffuse Fiber Optic
Photographer:
E. Billie Hughes •
Image Number:
R-001-8636-1
An irregular metallic crystal shines in this ruby from Baringo, Kenya.
Natural Ruby •
Kenya •
Enhancements:
None Detected (None) •
Lighting Conditions:
Dark Field + Diffuse Fiber Optic
Photographer:
E. Billie Hughes •
Image Number:
R-001-8632-3
An irregular metallic crystal shines in this ruby from Baringo, Kenya.
Natural Ruby •
Kenya •
Enhancements:
None Detected (None) •
Lighting Conditions:
Dark Field + Diffuse Fiber Optic
Photographer:
E. Billie Hughes •
Image Number:
R-001-8632-2
Polysynthetic twinning creates this striking striped pattern when viewed in crossed polars in this ruby from Malawi.
Natural Ruby •
Malawi •
Enhancements:
None Detected (None) •
Lighting Conditions:
Dark Field + Crossed Polars
Photographer:
E. Billie Hughes •
Image Number:
R-001-7583-2
Strings of fine exsolved particles and needles form in lines across this unheated ruby from Tajikistan.
Natural Ruby •
Tajikistan; Snijnie •
Enhancements:
None Detected (None) •
Lighting Conditions:
Dark Field
Photographer:
E. Billie Hughes •
Image Number:
A-001-7872-1
Thin films shine when illuminated with oblique fiber optic light in this Thai/Cambodian ruby.
Natural Ruby •
Thailand/Cambodia •
Enhancements:
Heat (H) •
Lighting Conditions:
Fiber Optic: Diffuse Oblique
Photographer:
E. Billie Hughes •
Image Number:
A-001-7454-4
These thin films on the basal plane indicate the origin of this Thai/Cambodian ruby.
Natural Ruby •
Thailand/Cambodia •
Enhancements:
Heat (H) •
Lighting Conditions:
Fiber Optic: Diffuse Oblique
Photographer:
E. Billie Hughes •
Image Number:
A-001-7416-1
Hughes, R.W. (1997) Ruby & Sapphire. Boulder, CO, RWH Publishing, 512 pp.; RWHL*.
A flux-healed fingerprint in a heated ruby from Myanmar (Burma).
Natural Ruby •
Myanmar (Burma); Mogok/Namya •
Enhancements:
Heat + Fissure Healing (H-FH) •
Lighting Conditions:
Diffuse Light Field (Transmitted Light)
Photographer:
E. Billie Hughes •
Image Number:
A-001-7346-4
Emmett, J.L. (1999) Fluxes and the heat treatment of ruby and sapphire. Gems & Gemology, Vol. 35, No. 3, Fall, pp. 90–92; RWHL*.
Irregular crystals cluster in this untreated ruby from Vietnam.
Natural Ruby •
Vietnam •
Enhancements:
None Detected (None) •
Lighting Conditions:
Dark Field
Photographer:
E. Billie Hughes •
Image Number:
A-001-7206-1
Kane, R.E., McClure, S.F. et al. (1991) Rubies and fancy sapphires from Vietnam. Gems & Gemology, Vol. 27, No. 3, pp. 136–155; RWHL*.
Rutile silk in this unheated Mozambique ruby in angular plate forms.
Natural Ruby •
Mozambique •
Enhancements:
None Detected (None) •
Lighting Conditions:
Fiber Optic: Diffuse Oblique
Photographer:
Patharaphum Sudprasert •
Image Number:
A-002-0178-1
Natural ruby inclusions may include mineral crystals, rutile silk, healed fissures, fluid inclusions, negative crystals, color zoning and other features formed during or after crystal growth. Such features are important to gemologists because they can provide evidence useful in identifying ruby, understanding its geological history, recognizing treatment and, in some cases, determining geographic origin.
Natural Ruby Inclusion Photomicrographs
The Hyperion natural ruby gallery includes microscopic features found in rubies from major deposits around the world. Each entry is accompanied by descriptive information and, where available, references to the gemological literature.
What Inclusions Can Reveal About Natural Ruby
Inclusions are an important part of ruby identification. Their form, composition, orientation and alteration can help gemologists distinguish natural ruby from synthetic material, recognize evidence of heat treatment, and study the geological environment in which the ruby formed.
Hyperion combines inclusion photomicrography with supporting gemological information so that individual features can be compared with documented examples from known ruby deposits.
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.
