Gem Testing • Gemology Books, Articles from Lotus Gemology

Oil treatment has a significant impact on the appearance of an apatite.

Hogbomite-filled dislocations in a Vietnamese spinel.

A web-like fingerprint creates a maze-like pattern in spinel.

The internal world never fails to amaze, as witnessed by this incredible video of a negative crystal in a Sri Lanka sapphire.

This article discusses the challenges of identifying inclusions based on observation alone. While certain features can help narrow down the possibilities, other methods such as micro Raman help identify inclusions with a greater degree of certainty.

When a red spinel and a tanzanite were submitted for testing, oil was found in the fissures. Removal of the oil resulted in a startling deterioration in clarity.