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.
When a fingerprint is heated, the tiny negative crystals that form the fingerprint burst, creating tiny microfractures to release the pressure. This often creates a somewhat frosted appearance, as one can see here.
Natural Sapphire •
Sri Lanka (Ceylon) •
Enhancements:
Heat (H) •
Lighting Conditions:
Fiber Optic: Transmitted
Photographer:
Richard W. Hughes •
Image Number:
A-001-0739-1
“Bubbly” melted crystals in a heat-treated sapphire from Sri Lanka.
Natural Sapphire •
Sri Lanka (Ceylon) •
Enhancements:
Heat (H) •
Lighting Conditions:
Fiber Optic: Transmitted
Photographer:
Richard W. Hughes •
Image Number:
A-001-0728-2
Heat-altered “snowball” like crystals in a heat-treated sapphire from Sri Lanka.
Natural Sapphire •
Sri Lanka (Ceylon) •
Enhancements:
Heat (H) •
Lighting Conditions:
Dark Field
Photographer:
Richard W. Hughes •
Image Number:
A-001-0728-1
Glassy “discoid” inclusions in a heat-treated sapphire from Sri Lanka.
Natural Sapphire •
Sri Lanka (Ceylon) •
Enhancements:
Heat (H) •
Lighting Conditions:
Fiber Optic: Oblique
Photographer:
E. Billie Hughes •
Image Number:
A-001-0733-4
Glassy “discoid” inclusions in a heat-treated sapphire from Sri Lanka.
Natural Sapphire •
Sri Lanka (Ceylon) •
Enhancements:
Heat (H) •
Lighting Conditions:
Fiber Optic: Oblique
Photographer:
E. Billie Hughes •
Image Number:
A-001-0733-3
Glassy “discoid” inclusions in a heat-treated sapphire from Sri Lanka.
Natural Sapphire •
Sri Lanka (Ceylon) •
Enhancements:
Heat (H) •
Lighting Conditions:
Fiber Optic: Oblique
Photographer:
E. Billie Hughes •
Image Number:
A-001-0733-2
Glassy “discoid” inclusions in a heat-treated sapphire from Sri Lanka.
Natural Sapphire •
Sri Lanka (Ceylon) •
Enhancements:
Heat (H) •
Lighting Conditions:
Fiber Optic: Oblique
Photographer:
E. Billie Hughes •
Image Number:
A-001-0733-1
A heat-induced discoid inclusion in a heat-treated sapphire from Sri Lanka.
Natural Sapphire •
Sri Lanka (Ceylon) •
Enhancements:
Heat (H) •
Lighting Conditions:
Fiber Optic: Oblique
Photographer:
Richard W. Hughes •
Image Number:
A-001-0642-1
Heat-altered fingerprints in a heat-treated Ceylon sapphire. Close examination reveals microscopic fractures around each negative crystal, due to the heat treatment.
Natural Sapphire •
Sri Lanka (Ceylon) •
Enhancements:
Heat (H) •
Lighting Conditions:
Fiber Optic: Oblique
Photographer:
Richard W. Hughes •
Image Number:
A-001-0638-1
Uniaxial interference figure in blue sapphire.
Natural Sapphire •
Sri Lanka (Ceylon) •
Enhancements:
Heat (H) •
Lighting Conditions:
Diffuse Light Field + Crossed Polars
Photographer:
E. Billie Hughes •
Image Number:
A-001-0643-1
When a silky sapphire is heated to a high enough temperature, titanium from the rutile silk is forced into solid solution, coloring the stone blue. But the silk may also contain other elements that cannot dissolve into sapphire so readily, leaving behind silk “skeletons,” as shown here.
Natural Sapphire •
Sri Lanka (Ceylon) •
Enhancements:
Heat (H) •
Lighting Conditions:
Fiber Optic: Oblique
Photographer:
Richard W. Hughes •
Image Number:
A-001-0616-1
Negative crystals in transmitted light within this untreated sapphire from Mogok, Myanmar.
Natural Sapphire •
Myanmar (Burma); Mogok •
Enhancements:
Fissure Filling with colorless Oil/resin (FF-O2) •
Lighting Conditions:
Fiber Optic: Transmitted
Photographer:
E. Billie Hughes •
Image Number:
A-001-0587-2
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.
