Small foreign bodies and minerals that are trapped inside a gemstone as it forms are known as ‘inclusions’ or, more poetically, ‘Mother Nature’s fingerprints’. Are inclusions flaws? Are they good or bad? Do some people see a blemish when you might see a beauty spot? Do they affect the value? Yes. Sometimes they add value, and conversely, they can render a gem almost valueless. Although inclusions are sometimes regarded as a negative, when they appear in stones such as Rutilated Quartz, Amber and Emerald, their presence adds to the beauty of the gem and is therefore seen as a benefit. Star Ruby would not exist without the presence of needle-like inclusions intersecting at precisely the correct angle. As most synthetic and fake gems do not have inclusions, when they are seen in gemstones, at least you know the likelihood is that you are looking at a genuine article from Mother Nature. Here are seven of our favourite included beauties.
Dendritic Quartz
The natural milky-white body colour of this Quartz is the perfect canvas on which nature can paint intricate patterns. Iron and manganese-rich water permeates tiny fractures, leaving remarkably detailed unique inclusions.
Kyanite
Kyanite is a difficult gem to facet because it has ‘perfect cleavage’ in two different directions. Look closely at this seven carat Kyanite from the Himalayas, and you might be able to see these natural fracture planes.
Baltic Amber
Amber is a fossilised tree resin from prehistoric times. Occasionally, we can glance millions of years into the past if the sap captured a small insect and trapped it for all time. This specimen features a perfectly preserved mosquito.
Emerald
Emerald has been adored for thousands of years, and its inclusions have long been seen as a sublime addition that ensures every stone is unique. They’ve even been named ‘jardin’, which is the French word for ‘garden’.
Star Ruby
Very fine, fibrous inclusions inside Ruby (and certain other gems such as Sapphire) can create a bright star-like effect on the surface of the gem. This dazzling phenomenon is only visible if the skilled lapidarist has polished the gemstone to perfection.
Golden Rutile Quartz
This staggering Golden Rutile Quartz features in the centrepiece exhibit of our gemstone and mineral museum, which is located adjacent to our TV studio. The bewildering number of golden rutile inclusions is captured perfectly in this glorious stone.
Venus Hairstone Quartz
This beautifully bright Quartz gemstone is crisscrossed with rutile inclusions made up of titanium oxide. This particular specimen is notable for its clarity and the dark browny-red colour of the rutile inclusions.
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