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Sapphire Inclusions ... something to worry about?

BlueVelvet

Rough_Rock
Joined
Jan 9, 2016
Messages
3
Hi everyone!

My fiance and I picked out a blue sapphire for my engagement ring from a local jeweler. The stone did not come with a certificate, but since we live in Canada, I didn't want to go through the hassle of sending it across the border to AGL or GIA. It was sold to us as a heat only stone with no other treatments. Having lurked on these forums for a few months now, I'm quite sure that we overpaid for it. However, given all of the factors we were working with (being in Canada, on a time crunch, and not being comfortable ordering online) we never considered going a different route.

The ring is finished and I've been happily distracted by how pretty it is. On the first day I had it on my finger, the fiance and I were admiring the ring in sunlight when I spotted what looked like a very small bubble in the pavilion which I'd never noticed before. This made me curious to see what other inclusions we might have missed while looking at the sapphire at the jewelry store, so I took out a flashlight and started looking around.

I was able to find a group of cloud-like inclusions hiding under one of the prongs. They aren't visible to the naked eye in daylight, and are very hard to see even upon close inspection with a flashlight. I don't think I would've seen them at all if I wasn't specifically looking for inclusions. The stone has to be tilted at a certain angle in order for these clouds to catch the light.

My questions is: are these clouds something to be concerned about? I'm mainly wondering if they indications of an undesirable treatment (anything other than heat), and if they compromise the structure of the stone.

Thanks!

inclusion01.png

inclusion02.png

inclusion03.png
 

PrecisionGem

Ideal_Rock
Trade
Joined
Jul 27, 2004
Messages
2,030
No.
The most stressful thing a stone goes through is cutting, and then being set. If if survives those, you shouldn't have any issues. If an inclusion is going to cause structural issues, it will most like cause them while being cut.
 

pyramid

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Nov 10, 2002
Messages
4,607
I think with sapphires you are okay. There is more talk about this with diamonds because diamonds have 'perfect cleavage' so the
worry is that a feather will be knocked and expand into the cleavage direction of the diamond.
 

pyramid

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Nov 10, 2002
Messages
4,607
I just looked up sapphire on Google and it says for cleavage none, and that fracture is coincoidal.
 

BlueVelvet

Rough_Rock
Joined
Jan 9, 2016
Messages
3
Thanks! That's reassuring to hear. Any idea what the inclusions might mean in terms of treatment?
 
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