Tourmaline in Tourmaline
A perfectly shaped euhedral tourmaline crystal is identified in a faceted tourmaline.
Whimsical Growth Tubes in Tourmaline
Microscopic examination reveals intriguing growth tubes in a copper-bearing tourmaline.
“Worms” in Opal
Near-colorless heulandite crystals in an Ethiopian opal resemble the segmented bodies of worms.
Cristobalite Stars and Snowflakes in Devitrified Glass
A unique inclusion scene caused by devitrification is observed in artificial glass.
Gersdorffite in Quartz
Gersdorffite inclusions in quartz exhibit either triangular or hexagonal shapes when viewed from different directions.
Natural Opal with Unusual Play-of-Color Pattern
Play-of-color pattern in Ethiopian opal is reminiscent of a turtle’s shell.
Suspended Pargasite Crystal in Pink Spinel
A euhedral prismatic pargasite crystal is identified in pink spinel.
Quarterly Crystal: Almandine-Pyrope Garnet in Diamond
A diamond octahedron from South Africa hosts a rare yellow-orange almandine-pyrope garnet crystal.
Sea Urchin–Like 3D Radial Fissures in a Heated Mong Hsu Ruby
Examination of a 1.34 ct ruby reveals a unique inclusion formed during heat treatment.
Characterization of “Orange Peel” Surface Microstructure of White Nephrite from Russia: A Unique Pseudomorph Pattern
Examines correlations between surface microstructures and the orange peel effect in Russian white nephrite, proposing a formation model and revealing distinctive microfeatures specific to the material.
100 ct Cuprite with Malachite Inclusions
A large faceted cuprite is examined at the Carlsbad laboratory.
Fracture-Filled Diamonds Detected in Mounted Jewelry
The Mumbai laboratory reports on a jewelry submission containing fracture-filled diamonds.
A Rare Friedelite
The Carlsbad laboratory reports on a rare submission of orangy red translucent friedelite.
An Unconventional Bead Cultured Saltwater Pearl
A semi-baroque saltwater nacreous pearl presents identification challenges in the Mumbai laboratory.
“Bamboo Forest” in Colombian Emerald
Dense tube inclusions in emerald create a scene reminiscent of a tranquil bamboo forest.
Blooming Bouquet: Thin Films in Russian Emerald
Colorful thin film inclusions are captured within a Russian emerald carving.
Fingerprint Pattern on a “Hammered” Pearl’s Surface
Spiral patterns of nacre platelets observed on the surface of a non-bead cultured pearl are reminiscent of fingerprints.

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