Burmese Sapphire Inclusions

First Published: 7 September 2026

Burmese Sapphire Inclusions

Explore Burmese sapphire inclusions in Hyperion, the Lotus Gemology inclusion database. Hyperion contains photomicrographs of inclusions and internal features in natural sapphires from Myanmar (Burma), documented with information on treatment, lighting conditions, field of view, photographer and published references.

Burmese sapphires from the Mogok Stone Tract often contain fissures with a characteristic dendrite-like healing pattern such as that exhibited here. Such features represent subtle clues regarding their origin.
A tiny black crystal was cut through on the surface of this sapphire, Raman spectroscopy identified it as likely being pyrochlore.
An interesting inclusion scene in sapphire from Burma (Myanmar). At the top center we see a cluster of zircon crystals and at the bottom center is a molybdenite crystal. The identities of these crystals were confirmed with Raman spectroscopy.
This opaque, metallic crystal in sapphire was identified as molybdenite with micro Raman.
A rounded zircon crystal is cut through in this untreated sapphire from Myanmar (Burma). Its identity was confirmed with micro Raman.
These small irregular crystal grains were identified via micro Raman as anorthite feldspar.
These small irregular crystal grains were identified via micro Raman as anorthite feldspar.
This sapphire from Myanmar’s Mogok Stone Tract displays a classic fingerprint inclusion in a spider’s web shape. The plane of the inclusion is close to the basal plane. As a result, the healed areas have a hexagonal shape.
Another common guest mineral in sapphire is phlogopite mica, which is typically brown or orange in color. This example was identified as fluorapatite by micro Raman.
A common guest mineral in sapphire is apatite. These can take on a variety of forms, from rounded balls, such as that shown here, to hexagonal prisms and dog’s tooth shapes. This example was identified as fluorapatite by micro Raman.
Clouds of undissolved rutile silk decorate the inner world of this sapphire, providing evidence that the stone has not been subject to heat treatment. Specimen courtesy of Discovery Gems.
Seeing the chalky hexagonal banding in shortwave UV light reveals that this sapphire from Burma was heated. Photo taken with M&A Instruments Deep-UV Fluorescence system.

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Burmese sapphire 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 sapphire and evaluating a possible Burmese origin.

Burmese Sapphire Inclusion Photomicrographs

The Hyperion Burmese sapphire gallery includes microscopic features documented in sapphires from Myanmar (Burma). Each entry is accompanied by descriptive information and, where available, references to the gemological literature.

What Inclusions Can Reveal About Burmese Sapphire

Inclusions are an important part of geographic origin determination in sapphire. 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 sapphires.

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.