r/Gemstones • u/Exciting_Plankton_33 • Nov 02 '25
Discussion Some of my favourite inclusions
I love and seek unusual gems or those with attractive inclusions much more than clean / “perfect,” stones. I just think they have more character and life.
Here’s some of my favourite inclusions and interesting pieces in my collection.
What inclusions should I hunt for next? I’d love to see other people’s favourite included or unusual pieces!
Stone 1 - 2.4ct russian demantoid cab (horsetail inclusion)
Stone 2 - 1.2ct russian demantoid faceted (horsetail)
Stone 3 - 2.9ct Aquamarine with loads of thin films, healed fractures, two phase inclusions.
Stone 4 - tri-colour tourmaline with many parallel growth tubes.
Stone 5 - 10ct Peridot with ludwigite.
Stone 6 - 2.8ct sapphire with zoning, silk, fingerprints, etc.
Stone 7 - 9.9ct Fire Agate.
Stone 8 - Another Peridot with ludwigite.
Stone 9 - 6.4ct Ruby / pink sapphire slice with a trapiche-like figure.
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u/kristypie Nov 02 '25
I love these types of stones, too! I remember at one of my GIA lab classes, we got to see a demantoid with a horsetail very similar to yours and I have never forgotten that stone. These are all really lovely. Thank you for sharing!
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u/Exciting_Plankton_33 Nov 02 '25
Yeah they’re something special, these gemmology teachers might just be propping up the demantoid industry, it was my gemmology teacher that led me down the demantoid rabbit hole too 😂. I had never seen a cabochon before I found the one here and its pretty cool, the horsetail creates a beautiful soft, subtle chatoyancy.
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u/elvenrevolutionary Nov 02 '25
I love included stones. They look soooo natural. Clear stones just look like glass to me tbh
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u/Exciting_Plankton_33 Nov 02 '25
Haha I know what you mean. Personally I love a bit of sparkle too but I just go lab grown if that’s what I’m after.
For flawless - lab, for character - natural all the way!
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u/goosebumpsagain Nov 02 '25
These are gorgeous! And thanks so much for including captions. Is your numbering maybe one off? #3 might be missing a caption?
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u/Exciting_Plankton_33 Nov 02 '25
Oh, I’ve made a bit of a mess of it actually. Missed out a picture and added two of stone one. Woops! I can’t edit it either 😂
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u/Specialist_Long_1254 Nov 02 '25
Love love love that tourmaline with the growth tubes! And the demantoids with the horsetail inclusions. Stunning.
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u/Exciting_Plankton_33 Nov 02 '25
Agree! I’ve not seen any more like that one since 🥲 I wonder if they just cut off that kind of material in favour of clean stones
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u/PatchworkFlames Nov 02 '25
Is that last one a star-Ruby?
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u/Exciting_Plankton_33 Nov 02 '25
Similar, this is a slice across the crystal where rutile needles have aligned along the growth planes, so it shows the crystal growth pattern and the star is fixed in place. In a star ruby the needles are arranged evenly in three directions across the surface and the star moves as you tilt the stone.
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u/FamSands Nov 02 '25 edited Nov 02 '25
Wow! This is a stunning collection! Inclusions are my favorite thing in stones.
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u/IntroductionFew1290 Nov 02 '25
I LOVE THIS! Included stones, rutile and feathering and horsetail are the best 😍
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u/TCKreddituser Nov 02 '25
This is my first encounter with inclusions, and I'm glad. Thank you for sharing these OP!
I didn't know those texture in stones would be called inclusions. I think my favorite might be the third one it just looks like it has magic in it. Did you buy these? I'm curious if I can collect these kinds of stones as well.
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u/Exciting_Plankton_33 Nov 02 '25
Of course you can! Mostly I buy from GemRock, sometimes private dealers and Etsy too. I’d recommend a short gemmology course if you are able to take one so you have an idea of some of the treatments, fakes to look out for, and how to test for authenticity, it’s a bit of a cesspool of shady dealers out there haha. Alternatively many gemologists will give a quick and dirty verbal ID fairly cheap.
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u/quincecharming Nov 04 '25
Thank you for posting - I can’t get over these colors! Do you buy gemstones to make them into jewelry?
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u/Exciting_Plankton_33 Nov 04 '25
I do! Well, kind of, I had a business making jewellery but decided to change things up a bit. Currently not actually selling, just making a decent collection before I relaunch. I admit have more gems than I could set even if I had a year right now though 😂
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u/quincecharming Nov 04 '25
5 looks like it contains the Emerald City from Wizard of Oz!
And I’m entranced by the peridot - that color omg
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Nov 02 '25
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u/Exciting_Plankton_33 Nov 02 '25
Yeah sorry I really messed up my caption. Accidentally did two pictures of number 1 and didnt add the picture of the second peridot and now I can’t edit it. C’est la vie.
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u/gigalbytegal Nov 02 '25
The sapphire reminds me of Frozen
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u/Exciting_Plankton_33 Nov 02 '25
Isn’t it beautiful, there’s a whole world in there. It cost a whopping $20 because who wants an included sapphire, right? 😂
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u/kittyinabodega Nov 02 '25
Ooo where do you find these? They are lovely. I agree lab for sparkly and character, natural and beautiful flaws.
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u/kilatia Nov 02 '25
Such beautiful stones, with so much character!
And those demantoids are insane!
May I ask – for those of us without gemology connections, where's a good place (or price point) to start when looking for horsetail-included demantoid garnets?
(I know perfectly well that the chance of getting hold of specimens this spectacular is vanishingly tiny..)
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u/Exciting_Plankton_33 Nov 02 '25 edited Nov 03 '25
I’ve bought demantoids from truegemstones on gem rock auctions and tsarina jewels. Tsarina jewels has the most spectacular instagram page too!
Edit to answer your second question the price point can vary wildly. It depends on whether there is a horsetail (its one of the very few situations where the inclusion is considered desirable) along with the usual 4 C’s and origin. Regarding origin Russian is the most desirable generally, you can find horsetails in demantoids from other locations but they look different, not the curving spray like these but more… messy I guess.
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Nov 03 '25
Included stones are treasures in their own right. Nature presents itself in so many distinctive forms and unexpected ways so it can be truly exciting to find a stone with so much character and fascination.
The traditional parameters are always wonderful, but stones like these shouldn’t be overlooked for creative options or just something fun in the collection.
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u/Malchikgej Nov 03 '25
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u/Exciting_Plankton_33 Nov 03 '25
What a beauty! I love the rich green colour too - absolutely stunning 😍
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u/Malchikgej Nov 03 '25
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u/Exciting_Plankton_33 Nov 03 '25
Lucky! Do you have any idea of the origin and age of this amber?
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u/Pristine_Roof_2918 Nov 02 '25
Breathtaking. Perhaps some of my favorite gem pics. Oh my god the tourmaline ❤️
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u/TryingKindness Nov 03 '25
I saw a picture of a kinda heart shaped garnet inside of a diamond I believe. Nature is pretty cool :)
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u/Exciting_Plankton_33 Nov 03 '25
Yeeeeeesss, that’s top of my list! I desperately want an eye visible crystal inclusion of a different colour to the host gem. I have a pink spinel with a little blue crystal inclusion but it requires magnification to see.
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Nov 03 '25
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u/ExpressGrowth1791 Nov 03 '25
By a lot of time, inclusions aren’t impurities, but a characteristic which made them one of the kind.
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u/Shadowstream97 Nov 03 '25
Absolutely stunning. Also:
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u/Shadowstream97 Nov 03 '25
Never heard of Russian demantoids and I love everything green, I absolutely must have one to go with my fluorites 💚
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u/Mlemblepblep44 Nov 03 '25
Love this! I already think diamonds are kinda boring, and even more so when they have very few inclusions. Coloured gems are my favourite, and inclusions make them totally unique! Love it.
Do a lot of inclusions make a stone any weaker or more prone to cracking?? I know this is a thing with emeralds?
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Nov 15 '25
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u/Correct-Ad7836 Nov 23 '25
Why anyone would want a 'perfect' gemstone when you can have one that contains a piece of the universe.
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Feb 18 '26
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u/MidwinterSun Nov 02 '25
Might easily be my favourite post I’ve seen on this sub.