Micro-WorldGems & Gemology, Spring 2024, Vol. 60, No. 1

Iridescent Healed Fissures in Epidote

The author recently examined a 4.18 ct yellowish brown cushion-cut epidote. Under fiber-optic illumination, the stone revealed iridescent healed fissures (see above). Healed fissures are not uncommon in various gemstones. They are believed to result from a secondary fluid that facilitated the healing process of previously surface-reaching fractures. In the case of this epidote, the healed fissures resulted in a striking feature revealed when illuminated under the microscope.

Tinh Xuan Nguyen is a gemologist at PNJ Laboratory Company Ltd. in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

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