Treated Sapphire Inclusions
Explore treated sapphire inclusions in Hyperion, the Lotus Gemology inclusion database. Hyperion contains photomicrographs of inclusions and internal features in natural sapphires that have undergone treatment, documented with information on geographic origin, treatment, lighting conditions, field of view, photographer and published references.
Red-orange crystals shoot through this Pailin (Cambodia) sapphire. Once considered unique to Pailin sapphire, we now know that such uranopyrochlore inclusions are found in sapphires from many sources.
Natural Sapphire •
Cambodia; Pailin •
Enhancements:
Heat (H) •
Lighting Conditions:
Dark Field + Oblique Fiber Optic
Photographer:
E. Billie Hughes •
Image Number:
A-001-8453-2
These melted snowball crystals with glassy discoids provide evidence of heat treatment in this Sri Lanka sapphire.
Natural Sapphire •
Sri Lanka (Ceylon) •
Enhancements:
Heat (H) •
Lighting Conditions:
Fiber Optic: Diffuse Oblique
Photographer:
E. Billie Hughes •
Image Number:
A-001-7683-2
These melted snowball crystals with glassy discoids provide evidence of heat treatment in this Sri Lanka sapphire.
Natural Sapphire •
Sri Lanka (Ceylon) •
Enhancements:
Heat (H) •
Lighting Conditions:
Fiber Optic: Diffuse Oblique
Photographer:
E. Billie Hughes •
Image Number:
A-001-7683-1
A frozen gas bubble shines in a negative crystal in this heated basaltic sapphire. When illuminated from some angles, there is a visible fissure surrounding the crystal, providing further evidence of heat treatment.
Natural Sapphire •
Nigeria •
Enhancements:
Heat (H) •
Lighting Conditions:
Fiber Optic: Diffuse Oblique
Photographer:
E. Billie Hughes •
Image Number:
A-001-7505-6
A frozen gas bubble shines in a negative crystal in this heated basaltic sapphire.
Natural Sapphire •
Nigeria •
Enhancements:
Heat (H) •
Lighting Conditions:
Fiber Optic: Transmitted
Photographer:
E. Billie Hughes •
Image Number:
A-001-7505-5
This lattice diffusion treated, heated sapphire shows blue color concentrations along the facet edges when immersed in diiodomethane.
Natural Sapphire •
No Origin •
Enhancements:
Heat + Diffusion of external coloring agents (H-D) •
Lighting Conditions:
Diffuse Light Field + Immersion
Photographer:
E. Billie Hughes •
Image Number:
A-001-7474-1
Frozen gas bubble in a melted negative crystal in basaltic sapphire.
Natural Sapphire •
Nigeria •
Enhancements:
Heat (H) •
Lighting Conditions:
Diffuse Light Field (Transmitted Light)
Photographer:
Patharaphum Sudprasert •
Image Number:
A-001-6887-1
Transparent birefringent crystals and heat-altered fingerprints in a sapphire of unknown origin.
Natural Sapphire •
Not Determinable •
Enhancements:
Heat (H) •
Lighting Conditions:
Diffuse Light Field + Crossed Polars
Photographer:
Richard W. Hughes •
Image Number:
A-001-6792-1
The surfaces of these negative crystals are glossy and smooth, showing signs of heating in this Sri Lankan sapphire.
Natural Sapphire •
Sri Lanka (Ceylon) •
Enhancements:
Heat (H) •
Lighting Conditions:
Dark Field + Diffuse Fiber Optic
Photographer:
E. Billie Hughes •
Image Number:
A-001-6480-1
“Punsiri” zoning in a heated blue sapphire.
Natural Sapphire •
Sri Lanka (Ceylon) •
Enhancements:
Heat (H) •
Lighting Conditions:
Diffuse Light Field (Transmitted Light)
Photographer:
E. Billie Hughes •
Image Number:
A-001-5990-1
“Deep” titanium-diffused preform sliced open andn polished to reveal the depth of color penetration. Note that much of the color layer will be removed during polishing. Despite claims by manufacturers, the so-called “deep diffusion” process showed no more color penetration than that claimed in the original Linde patents, i.e. up to 0.50 mm.
Natural Sapphire •
•
Enhancements:
Heat + Diffusion of external coloring agents (H-D) •
Lighting Conditions:
Diffuse Light Field (Transmitted Light)
Photographer:
E. Billie Hughes •
Image Number:
R-001-5735-2
Internal diffusion caused by the heat treatment of a titanium-bearing crystal in a Malawi sapphire.
Natural Sapphire •
Malawi •
Enhancements:
Heat (H) •
Lighting Conditions:
Dark Field + Oblique Fiber Optic
Photographer:
E. Billie Hughes •
Image Number:
R-001-5756-1
Koivula, J.I. (1987) Internal diffusion. Journal of Gemmology, Vol. 20, No. 7/8, pp. 474–477; RWHL*.
Search the Complete Hyperion Database
Treatment can alter existing inclusions and produce new microscopic features in sapphire. These may include changes to mineral inclusions, altered rutile silk, tension fractures, healed fissures, residues and other features associated with heating, diffusion, fissure filling and other treatment processes.
Treated Sapphire Inclusion Photomicrographs
The Hyperion treated sapphire gallery includes microscopic features documented in natural sapphires subjected to treatment. Each entry identifies the recorded treatment and is accompanied by descriptive information and, where available, references to the gemological literature.
What Inclusions Can Reveal About Sapphire Treatment
Microscopic examination is an important part of detecting treatment in sapphire. The appearance and alteration of inclusions, fractures and growth features can provide evidence of treatment and, in some cases, information about the processes to which a sapphire has been subjected.
Hyperion combines inclusion photomicrography with supporting gemological information so that treatment-related features can be compared with documented examples in natural sapphire.
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.
