Burmese Ruby Inclusions
Explore Burmese ruby inclusions in Hyperion, the Lotus Gemology inclusion database. Hyperion contains photomicrographs of inclusions and internal features in natural rubies from Myanmar (Burma), documented with information on treatment, lighting conditions, field of view, photographer and published references.
This ruby has been treated with red oil to disguise the appearance of fissures. Here it has been trapped in a cavity with a large gas bubble.
Natural Ruby •
Myanmar (Burma); Mogok/Namya •
Enhancements:
Fissure Filling with Dyed Filler (FF-DF1); No indications of heating (No indications of heating) •
Lighting Conditions:
Fiber Optic: Diffuse Oblique
Photographer:
E. Billie Hughes •
Image Number:
A-002-2909-1
Lotus Gemology (2015) Lotus Gemology Lab Alert for Oiled Gems. Bangkok, LotusGemology.com, RWHL*.
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
A stunning fixed star-like pattern glows in this trapiche ruby.
Natural Trapiche Ruby •
Myanmar (Burma); Mong Hsu •
Enhancements:
None Detected (None) •
Lighting Conditions:
Darkfield + Blue Filter + Shadowing
Photographer:
E. Billie Hughes •
Image Number:
A-002-0425-3
Garnier, V., Ohnenstetter, D. et al. (2002) Rubis trapiches de Mong Hsu, Myanmar [Trapiche Rubies from Mong Hsu, Myanmar]. Revue de Gemmologie, No. 144, pp. 5–12; not seen.
A stunning fixed star-like pattern glows in this trapiche ruby from Mong Hsu, Myanmar.
Natural Trapiche Ruby •
Myanmar (Burma); Mong Hsu •
Enhancements:
None Detected (None) •
Lighting Conditions:
Dark Field + Blue Filter
Photographer:
E. Billie Hughes •
Image Number:
A-002-0425-2
Garnier, V., Ohnenstetter, D. et al. (2002) Rubis trapiches de Mong Hsu, Myanmar [Trapiche Rubies from Mong Hsu, Myanmar]. Revue de Gemmologie, No. 144, pp. 5–12; not seen.
Ruby in rare trapiche form from Mong Hsu, Myanmar.
Natural Trapiche Ruby •
Myanmar (Burma); Mong Hsu •
Enhancements:
None Detected (None) •
Lighting Conditions:
Dark Field
Photographer:
Patharaphum Sudprasert •
Image Number:
A-002-0425-1
Garnier, V., Ohnenstetter, D. et al. (2002) Rubis trapiches de Mong Hsu, Myanmar [Trapiche Rubies from Mong Hsu, Myanmar]. Revue de Gemmologie, No. 144, pp. 5–12; not seen.
Sharp growth zoning in this ruby evokes a fiery sunset blazing through a mountain range.
Natural Ruby •
Myanmar (Burma); Mong Hsu •
Enhancements:
Heat + Fissure Healing (H-FH) •
Lighting Conditions:
Dark Field
Photographer:
E. Billie Hughes •
Image Number:
A-001-8658-1
Hexagonally zoned clouds of diaspore silk create a trapiche-like pattern in unheated Mong Hsu (Burma) ruby.
Natural Ruby •
Myanmar (Burma); Mong Hsu •
Enhancements:
None Detected (None) •
Lighting Conditions:
Fiber Optic: Oblique
Photographer:
E. Billie Hughes •
Image Number:
A-001-7839-2
Hexagonally zoned clouds of diaspore silk create a trapiche-like pattern in unheated Mong Hsu (Burma) ruby.
Natural Ruby •
Myanmar (Burma); Mong Hsu •
Enhancements:
None Detected (None) •
Lighting Conditions:
Fiber Optic: Oblique
Photographer:
E. Billie Hughes •
Image Number:
A-001-7839-1
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*.
A classic inclusion scene in a star ruby from Myanmar’s Mogok Stone Tract. Here we can see severely elongated negative crystals against a backdrop of undissolved rutile silk.
Natural Star Ruby •
Myanmar (Burma); Mogok/Namya •
Enhancements:
None Detected (None) •
Lighting Conditions:
Fiber Optic: Oblique
Photographer:
Richard W. Hughes •
Image Number:
A-001-6213-1
Hughes, R.W. (1997) Ruby & Sapphire. Boulder, CO, RWH Publishing, 512 pp.; RWHL*.
A transparent zircon crystal stands out against a backdrop of undissolved rutile silk in this Mogok ruby.
Natural Ruby •
Myanmar (Burma); Mogok/Namya •
Enhancements:
None Detected (None) •
Lighting Conditions:
Dark Field
Photographer:
E. Billie Hughes •
Image Number:
R-001-5452-3
• Field of View = 2mm
Euhedral crystals are suspended amongst a cloud of rutile silk in this ruby from Myanmar’s Mogok stone tract.
Natural Ruby •
Myanmar (Burma); Mogok/Namya •
Enhancements:
None Detected (None) •
Lighting Conditions:
Dark Field
Photographer:
E. Billie Hughes •
Image Number:
R-001-5452-2
• Field of View = 2mm
Search the Complete Hyperion Database
Burmese ruby 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 ruby and evaluating a possible Burmese origin.
Burmese Ruby Inclusion Photomicrographs
The Hyperion Burmese ruby gallery includes microscopic features documented in rubies from Myanmar (Burma). Each entry is accompanied by descriptive information and, where available, references to the gemological literature.
What Inclusions Can Reveal About Burmese Ruby
Inclusions are an important part of geographic origin determination in ruby. Their form, composition, orientation and associations can provide evidence that, when considered together with other gemological properties, may support or contradict a Burmese origin.
Hyperion combines inclusion photomicrography with supporting gemological information so that individual features can be compared with documented examples from Burmese rubies.
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.
