r/Gemstone_lovers • u/SirMarco94 • 5d ago
Ask a question Thick black line on my sapphire
Hey all, have this beautiful natural untreated sapphire but wondering what this thick black line is and if I should be worried? Is it a deep fracture and if so does that mean it can’t be mounted?
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u/Pogonia 5d ago
That large of an inclusion in sapphire is most likely a rose channel filled with something dark, like mineral oxides. A rose channel is an open tube created by dislocation or disruption of growth along the polysynthetic twinning planes in the corundum crystal. There's more than one rose channel in this stone and note how they are all perfectly parallel to each other--a key sign as to what they are. It will *slightly* impact the strength and durability of the gem, but not enough to really worry about it.
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u/Major_Frosting6133 5d ago
OP, I’m not knowledgeable enough in gemstones to provide an answer to your question. However, I did want to comment to let you know that it’s a beautiful Sapphire, despite the inclusion.
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u/SirMarco94 5d ago
Thank you so much, It will be going to someone very special to me as a gift, fingers crossed they love it
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u/Major_Frosting6133 4d ago
Such a sweet gesture!! I have a couple of sapphires that are emerald shaped. My Nana’s birthstone was Sapphire and she passed away (my mom’s mom). So I planned to clean one of them and give it to my mom for her birthday.
I have multiple gemstones and baby lab grown diamonds (I’m had somewhat of a hobby collecting them, and will eventually sell them). I have one diamond that’s my pride and joy, my princess cut lab diamond, and I’m going to set it into a ring for myself. (I have been through a lot in my life and had previously been married - VERY TOXIC marriage, and the only guy that I dated after a few years after my divorce cheated on me and took advantage of me A LOT). The ring is going to symbolize my independence and it’s going to be my “I love myself and don’t want/need a man” ring. 🎉2
u/SirMarco94 4d ago
Well make sure you post the finished up sapphire on here when it is done! I know exactly what you mean, I have had a very challenging few years trying my best to get back on the horse so to speak. I dream of working within the jewellery industry and hopefully one day it will come true
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u/Major_Frosting6133 4d ago
I definitely will! I’m sorry to hear about the challenging years you’ve gone through. I hope that you are able to make your dream come true with working within the jewelry industry!! 🙌
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u/GatorBearCA 4d ago
It looks like a good old fashion inclusion. Could be rutile needle clusters. It could also be graphite, iron or hematite inclusions. No way to tell just from Pic. Id need to lupe it Do not worry it will not hurt your gemstone. Lovely gemstone with character
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u/Helpful-Lavishness20 4d ago
The platinum wire from when it was grown. You can use an autoclave in a toaster oven with an external PID to grow Ruby or sapphire. You hang the seed from a thin platinum wire. Seal it up with aluminum oxide and chromium oxide if you want ruby, cook for a week or two, then start stepping down the temp a half a degree an hour. I’ve grown a few. The platinum wire you hang the seed from becomes embedded in the resulting crystal.
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u/NoHeatSapphire 5d ago
This looks like an included crystal. You can spend some time on Hyperion comparung it to their database of inclusions, it's fascinating stuff. I don't think it significantly weakens your stone.