#gemystique Topaz Inclusions: Part 3 Multiple secondary fluid inclusions that form during fracture healing or cleavage are usually found along the basal cleavage planes and even on undulating fractures in Topaz. These syngenetic healed/partially healed fissures can be both dry and may also contain fluid syngenetic phases. Photomicrographs posted here demonstrate how these breaks and […]

#gemystique Topaz Inclusions: Part 2 Continuing from last week, examining some more Topaz inclusions. Specifically, multiphase fluid inclusions. What we see here is actually a combination of two types of fluid inclusions. Firstly, the primary fluid inclusions, which formed simultaneously during the growth of the host Topaz. These are found on the prism faces parallel […]

#gemystique Topaz Inclusions: Part 1 Examining Topaz inclusions in a multipart series of posts. First picture displays a trademark Topaz feature. Considered as one of the most important internal features of Topaz, these are both beautiful to examine and very interesting in terms of their formation. “In congruence with the hydrothermal growth-environment it is truly […]

#gemystique Examining a very interesting combination of inclusions in Citrine this week. What we see here are hematite needles with multi-spine hematite inclusions on top of these needles. Both hematite needles and multi-spine hematite inclusions can also be found separately in Amethyst and Citrine. Photomicrographs are taken under varying illumination environments and they appear very […]

#gemystique Examining Pakistani Aquamarine this week. Aqua’s are host to a great number of beautiful and interesting inclusions, some of which can be observed here. First photograph shows a cross section of crystals and needles surrounded by other mineral crystals and two-phase inclusions in the background. The intersecting cross section of these crystals hints at […]

#gemystique Continuing with some more Fluorite inclusions this week. Several 2 and 3 phase inclusions can be seen in the first photo. One surface reaching break has resulted in unidentified external green matter to penetrate the fissure that has eventually dried out. The foreign matter has penetrated almost halfway into the fissure as the other […]

Numerous two and three phase inclusions in Fluorite. “Primary and secondary two and three phase inclusions, some with free floating gas bubbles, are common. The primary negative crystals will often display a cubic or tetrahedral form while most secondary “fingerprints” are confined to one or more of the four directions of perfect cleavage possessed by […]

#gemystique Reflected light is the most effective way to examine the surface of a gem. By using this method, a difference in luster, blemishes and surface reaching fissures/breaks tend to pop right up. The exact place where the internal fissure breaks the surface may appear as a dark line or a dark cavity. But what […]

#gemystique Yellow fibers in Peridot from Pakistan: Part 2 Continuing last week’s post, examining the varying appearance of the hair-fine to acicular yellow fibers sometimes found in Peridot from Pakistan. The difference in thickness and appearance can be examined in the photographs. They may appear in tightly packed groups or as individual thread like fibers […]

#gemystique Part 1 of a 2-part series of posts: Yellow fibers in Peridot from Pakistan. Pakistani Peridot sometimes contain extremely thin to relatively thick hair-fine to acicular yellow fibers. As mentioned in earlier posts, these yellow fibers hint at high temperature contact metamorphic deposit from which their host Peridot originates. This particular Peridot under examination […]