Can someone explain the Luc Yen sapphire cab on LT to me.

[beaujolais]

Can someone explain the Luc Yen sapphire cab on LT to me? Asking because I don't know what I'm looking at with this one. It appears rather opaque and the seller says those are stars or star legs (which I only see in the last video listed). Thanks.

 

[Bron357]

It’s a star sapphire. What it is is rutile silk (a type of inclusion) which when a light source hits the gem and the gem moved under that light source you can see the lines, or rays of a star shape.
Because it’s a pale (white almost) sapphire there’s hardly any contast so the “star rays” are barely noticeable - unlike say when a dark blue sapphire has rutile inclusions.
And basically it’s a “messy” gem, the alignment of the rutile is happening in different planes, hence the “star legs” being in 3 different places. Normally a star sapphire is cut in cabochon so the the centre of the “star” is in the middle of the gem and you see 6 (sometimes more) star rays spreading out from that cente point.
A gem like that will look quite pretty and interesting when moved around while under strong bright light or bright sunshine, but away from a strong light source or in a static position it will look rather ”meh” in my opinion.

 

[beaujolais]

Thanks Bron! I'm familiar with star sapphires (love them) but now I understand why this one "stars" in the manner that iit does - because it is flat. Thanks again!

 

[Anne111]

Stupid me: what/where is LT?

 

[Lisa Loves Shiny]

Stupid me: what/where is LT?

Loupe Troop. It is listed on our vendor's list.

 

[Anne111]

Thanks. BING!