Quarterly Crystal: Spessartine in California Quartz
A smoky brown quartz crystal from Ramona, California, plays host to a 3.3 mm reddish orange spessartine.
Unique Fingerprint in Montana Sapphire
A group of fingerprint and crystal inclusions form the shape of a bird in a Montana sapphire.
Hammered Effect in a Worked Pearl
A natural saltwater pearl displays the optical illusion of a bumpy texture.
Heliodor and Aquamarine with Surface Etching
Hexagonal etch features are observed on the prismatic faces of heliodor and aquamarine crystals.
Square-Shaped Cloud in Diamond
A natural faceted diamond displays a prominent square-shaped cloud under the table.
Quartz with Sphalerite
A quartz crystal from the Taolin mine in China hosts a phantom of brownish orange sphalerite inclusions.
“Conch Shell” in Diamond
A transparent feather observed in a natural diamond resembles a conch shell.
Graphite in Sapphire
A three-phase fluid inclusion containing graphite is observed in a Sri Lakan sapphire.
“Ruffles” on a Freshwater Pearl
A rainbow-colored wavy pattern is revealed under the surface of a non-bead cultured freshwater pearl.
Sapphire Displaying Tire Tracks in Snow
Particle clouds close to the surface of a blue sapphire create a scene reminiscent of tire tracks in snow.
Fascinating Snakeskin Pattern on a Pen Shell
A pen shell examined in GIA’s Mumbai laboratory exhibits a pattern resembling the skin of a snake.
Transparent Spinel Inclusion in Pink Sapphire
A pink sapphire from Mogok hosts a large surface-reaching spinel inclusion.
Star of David Pattern in Vietnamese Sapphire
A Star of David pattern is observed within partially healed fissures in a sapphire from southern Vietnam.
Fireworks in Ruby
An unheated purplish red ruby cabochon displays a white double-star phenomenon.
Pyritic Inclusions in Oregon Sunstone
Examination of an Oregon sunstone sample reveals pyritic and copper inclusions.