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.

This sapphire crystal from Burma’s Mogok Stone Tract featured extremely large negative crystals with mobile carbon dioxide bubbles. These inclusions would rupture if heated, and so are proof of natural, untreated origin.
This sapphire crystal from Burma’s Mogok Stone Tract featured extremely large negative crystals with mobile carbon dioxide bubbles. These inclusions would rupture if heated, and so are proof of natural, untreated origin.
This sapphire crystal from Burma’s Mogok Stone Tract featured extremely large negative crystals with mobile carbon dioxide bubbles. These inclusions would rupture if heated, and so are proof of natural, untreated origin.
Coarse exsolved plates against a backdrop of rutile silk in a sapphire from Mogok, Myanmar.
Negative crystals in transmitted light within this untreated sapphire from Mogok, Myanmar.
Negative crystals and small exsolved plates are seen in the basal plane of this untreated sapphire from Mogok, Myanmar.
Many gems entering the market from Burma have been found to be oiled in an attempt to conceal their fissures. In transmitted light, the trapped air bubbles within the oil-filled fissures appear in high relief rounded patches. If the hot point is stroked against the surface, when the temperature is sufficiently raised, the trapped air bubbles will expand and contact as the hot point move closer or farther from them.
This untreated Burmese sapphire displays a fingerprint made up of well-formed negative crystals. Because high-temperature heat treatment will generally damage such cavities, undamaged negative crystals are strong evidence of the lack of high-temperature heat treatment.
One of the classic inclusions of sapphires is negative crystals. This one features a large CO2 and provides proof that the gem has not been heat treated. The heat of the microscope bulb is often enough to cause these bubbles to disappear. Cooling the specimen brings them back.
A superb fixed star is seen in this trapiche sapphire from Mogok, Burma.
Undissolved rutile silk in a sapphire from Burma’s Mogok Stone Tract. Rutile silk in corundum forms in three directions at 60/120° in the plane of the basal pinacoid (perpendicular to the c axis).

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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.