Treated Ruby Inclusions
Explore treated ruby inclusions in Hyperion, the Lotus Gemology inclusion database. Hyperion contains photomicrographs of inclusions and internal features in natural rubies that have undergone treatment, documented with information on geographic origin, treatment, lighting conditions, field of view, photographer and published references.
A melted crystal shines in a heated Thai/Cambodian ruby. These crystals begin life as solids, but are turned into glass by heat treatment. Because glass takes up less volume than a crystal, a frozen shrinkage bubble is often found in the glass. Note also the iridescence from the surrounding fingerprint, in shades of red and blue. This is because these are the two colors transmitted by ruby.
Natural Ruby •
Thailand/Cambodia •
Enhancements:
Heat (H) •
Lighting Conditions:
Dark Field + Diffuse Fiber Optic
Photographer:
E. Billie Hughes •
Image Number:
A-001-9448-1
Hughes, R.W. (1997) Ruby & Sapphire. Boulder, CO, RWH Publishing, 512 pp.; RWHL*.
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
Thin films shine when illuminated with oblique fiber optic light in this Thai/Cambodian ruby.
Natural Ruby •
Thailand/Cambodia •
Enhancements:
Heat (H) •
Lighting Conditions:
Fiber Optic: Diffuse Oblique
Photographer:
E. Billie Hughes •
Image Number:
A-001-7454-4
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*.
These thin films on the basal plane indicate the origin of this Thai/Cambodian ruby.
Natural Ruby •
Thailand/Cambodia •
Enhancements:
Heat (H) •
Lighting Conditions:
Fiber Optic: Diffuse Oblique
Photographer:
E. Billie Hughes •
Image Number:
A-001-7416-1
Hughes, R.W. (1997) Ruby & Sapphire. Boulder, CO, RWH Publishing, 512 pp.; RWHL*.
These thin films on the basal plane indicate the origin of this Thai/Cambodian ruby.
Natural Ruby •
Thailand/Cambodia •
Enhancements:
Heat (H) •
Lighting Conditions:
Fiber Optic: Diffuse Overhead
Photographer:
E. Billie Hughes •
Image Number:
A-001-7416-3
Hughes, R.W. (1997) Ruby & Sapphire. Boulder, CO, RWH Publishing, 512 pp.; RWHL*.
Unusual violet and red-orange growth zoning.
Natural Ruby •
East Africa •
Enhancements:
Heat + Fissure Healing (H-FH) •
Lighting Conditions:
Diffuse Light Field + Immersion
Photographer:
Richard W. Hughes •
Image Number:
A-001-6510-2
Unusual violet and red-orange growth zoning.
Natural Ruby •
East Africa •
Enhancements:
Heat + Fissure Healing (H-FH) •
Lighting Conditions:
Diffuse Light Field + Immersion
Photographer:
Richard W. Hughes •
Image Number:
A-001-6510-1
A melted crystal with a frozen gas bubble betray the fact that this ruby from Madagascar was subjected to heat treatment. Note also the tension fracture around the crystal, resulting from the crystal’s expansion during heat treatment.
Natural Ruby •
Madagascar •
Enhancements:
Heat (H) •
Lighting Conditions:
Fiber Optic: Oblique
Photographer:
Richard W. Hughes •
Image Number:
A-001-5255-1
Iridescent fingerprint in a heat-treated ruby from the Thai-Cambodian border region. Note that the iridescence is mostly blue and red, because ruby absorbs the other colors of the spectrum.
Natural Ruby •
Thailand/Cambodia •
Enhancements:
Heat (H) •
Lighting Conditions:
Fiber Optic: Oblique
Photographer:
Richard W. Hughes •
Image Number:
A-001-4736-1
Hughes, R.W. (1997) Ruby & Sapphire. Boulder, CO, RWH Publishing, 512 pp.; RWHL*.
A heat-altered crystal with an iridescent decrepitation halo, alongside a surface cavity filled with glass.
Natural Ruby •
Thailand/Cambodia •
Enhancements:
Heat (H) •
Lighting Conditions:
Fiber Optic: Oblique
Photographer:
Richard W. Hughes •
Image Number:
A-001-4547-3
Hughes, R.W. (1997) Ruby & Sapphire. Boulder, CO, RWH Publishing, 512 pp.; RWHL*.
Patches of glass on the surface of a heat-treated ruby from the Thai/Cambodian border region.
Natural Ruby •
Thailand/Cambodia •
Enhancements:
Heat (H) •
Lighting Conditions:
Fiber Optic: Diffuse Overhead
Photographer:
Richard W. Hughes •
Image Number:
A-001-4547-2
Hughes, R.W. (1997) Ruby & Sapphire. Boulder, CO, RWH Publishing, 512 pp.; RWHL*.
Search the Complete Hyperion Database
Treatment can alter existing inclusions and produce new microscopic features in ruby. These may include changes to mineral inclusions, altered rutile silk, tension fractures, healed fissures, residues and other features associated with heating, fissure healing, glass filling and other treatment processes.
Treated Ruby Inclusion Photomicrographs
The Hyperion treated ruby gallery includes microscopic features documented in natural rubies 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 Ruby Treatment
Microscopic examination is an important part of detecting treatment in ruby. 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 ruby has been subjected.
Hyperion combines inclusion photomicrography with supporting gemological information so that treatment-related features can be compared with documented examples in natural ruby.
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.
