Inclusions in spinel

[darkblue]

So I bought this cheap spinel and read online that spinels usually don’t have “silk” inclusions. I’d really appreciate any help on two things:

1) are those lines there “silk” inclusions or just scratches or something else?

2) do you think this is a synthetic spinel? (I don’t mind much if it is, but it would be nice if I knew some ways to tell.)

Sorry the picture isn’t too good, thanks in advance for your input

 

[Nosean]

Could be a dislocation . Natural spinel f om Vietnam or Sri Lanka show this. Not a fault - diagnostic feature.

http://www.lotusgemology.com/~rubyd...ent]=&filter[search]=&layout=gallery&start=12

 

[darkblue]

Thank you very much for that website, it’s really helpful!

 

[Frost]

Looks nothing like silk, more like needle-like crystals.

It's also theoretically possible for scratches on the back of the stone to show up like this from the front, but you'd have to have a lot of very visible scratches which look doubled and tripled inside the stone due to how light reflects inside it when you take a photo face up. The more likely fact is inclusions (either needle-like crystals or dislocation as Nosean mentioned).

 

[darkblue]

I see, I will try to look at more of the pictures to get familiar with what each type of inclusion looks like. Thanks for your help

 

[Nosean]

Some more pics would be great...

 

[rockysalamander]

So I bought this cheap spinel and read online that spinels usually don’t have “silk” inclusions. I’d really appreciate any help on two things:

1) are those lines there “silk” inclusions or just scratches or something else?

2) do you think this is a synthetic spinel? (I don’t mind much if it is, but it would be nice if I knew some ways to tell.)

Sorry the picture isn’t too good, thanks in advance for your input

Any bubbles?

 

[darkblue]

Sorry I didn't respond, I disappeared for a while for the holidays.

Those are some more pictures. I don't see any bubbles, though maybe I'm just not looking close enough.

 

[valeria101]

I recall seing similar needles in spinel from a couple of places ... they are typical (need to dig references - it is too early in the morning CET+1 !).

Yes there can be silk in spinel. No, this is not it.

Love the colour !

 

[Nosean]

Is it possible that this stone is from Vietnam?

I got a Cobalt Spinel with a similar inclusion a few days ago...

0,68 ct - the top left stone. Clean but windowed

 

[ringo865]

Wow, such beautiful blues.

 

[darkblue]

valeria101 : I see, thank you!

nosean : actually it was from Tanzania! But good to know. And wow, those are really pretty colours!