Ceylon Sapphire Inclusions

First Published: 7 September 2026

Ceylon Sapphire Inclusions

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

Chalky blue shortwave ultraviolet fluorescence in a heat-treated sapphire from Sri Lanka. Such chalky blue-to-green fluorescence is a strong indicator of heat treatment.
The Blue Man. Internal diffusion creates a fanciful pattern within this heat-treated sapphire from the Isle of Gems.
A single twin plane stands out in brilliant contrast when examined between crossed polars in this star sapphire from Sri Lanka.
Otherworldly birefringent crystals float above a twin plane in a sapphire from Sri Lanka.
Otherworldly birefringent crystals float above a twin plane in a sapphire from Sri Lanka.
Balloons on a string. Unusual crystals of what may be apatite with attached growth tube strings in a purple star sapphire from Sri Lanka.
Unusual crystals of what may be apatite with attached growth tubes in a purple star sapphire from Sri Lanka.
Internal diffusion is visible in this heat-treated blue sapphire from Sri Lanka.
The solid nature of the sapphire inclusion in a Sri Lankan yellow sapphire is dramatically revealed when viewed between crossed polars.
Here we have a sapphire crystal included in a Ceylon yellow sapphire. When viewed in darkfield illumination the outline of the sapphire crystal is hard to discern because the refractive indices of the host and inclusion are identical. Thus like an ice cube in water, the only way the inclusion is visible is because it has inclusions of its own.
Sharp angular growth zoning in a heat-treated yellow sapphire from Sri Lanka.
When Sri Lankan yellow sapphires with exsolved particles are heat treated, magnesium exits the particles and creates yellow-producing trapped-hole color centers. The result is color concentration around the particles, a process termed “internal diffusion” by gemologist, John Koivula.

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Ceylon 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 Sri Lankan origin.

Ceylon Sapphire Inclusion Photomicrographs

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

What Inclusions Can Reveal About Ceylon 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 Sri Lankan origin.

Hyperion combines inclusion photomicrography with supporting gemological information so that individual features can be compared with documented examples from Ceylon 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.