Recorded WebinarsOct 02, 2020
Watch: The ‘Microteers’ Talk About Photographing Gem InclusionsGradingFeb 21, 2019
This Database of Gemstone Inclusions Is Now Open to All
Bangkok lab Lotus Gemology compiled the photo database, which is free and available to anyone who needs it.
Lotus Gemology has made its inclusion photomicrographs available for the trade to see through its new, free database, Hyperion. This photo shows melted crystals surrounded by “runny channels” in a heat-treated Thai/Cambodian natural ruby. (Image courtesy Lotus Gemology/Photo credit: E. Billie Hughes)
Tucson, Ariz.—Bangkok-based laboratory Lotus Gemology just made its inclusion photography archives available for everyone in the industry to see and use.
Hyperion, a searchable database, features more than 900 photomicrographs—photos of gemstone inclusions taken through a microscope—shot primarily by Lotus using a trinocular microscope, which has a third eyetube to connect a microscope camera.
The database is largely the result of the work of Billie Hughes, who opened Lotus Gemology in 2014 with her parents, Richard Hughes and Wimon Manorotkul.
Whereas her parents had decades of gemological experience, Billie Hughes had just received her gemology diploma from the Gemmological Association of Great Britain (Gem-A) and didn’t have a lot of practical testing experience at the time they opened their lab, she told National Jeweler in Tucson during the AGTA show.
“I found that a lot of what we learned in class was based on identifying gems, which is really important, but most of our customers already know what they have. Ninety-plus percent know if it’s a ruby or not a ruby. They’re looking for treatment, for origin, for color. They’re basically looking for all the things they need to sell it to somebody.”
Because she was seeing so much material and learning as she went, Hughes started taking photos of inclusions, hoping it would help her remember what came in front of her.
“I just thought, ‘Oh, I’ll take pictures of everything. It’s like taking notes.’”
She photographed inclusions she thought were interesting and saved them in the Adobe Bridge computer program, along with a brief description. After a few months, Hughes was able to search through them for reference.
She said her parents saw the inclusion database she was building and thought it should be made available to the industry since so many could benefit from what she had catalogued.
Related stories will be right here …
Hyperion, a searchable database, features more than 900 photomicrographs—photos of gemstone inclusions taken through a microscope—shot primarily by Lotus using a trinocular microscope, which has a third eyetube to connect a microscope camera.
The database is largely the result of the work of Billie Hughes, who opened Lotus Gemology in 2014 with her parents, Richard Hughes and Wimon Manorotkul.
Whereas her parents had decades of gemological experience, Billie Hughes had just received her gemology diploma from the Gemmological Association of Great Britain (Gem-A) and didn’t have a lot of practical testing experience at the time they opened their lab, she told National Jeweler in Tucson during the AGTA show.
“I found that a lot of what we learned in class was based on identifying gems, which is really important, but most of our customers already know what they have. Ninety-plus percent know if it’s a ruby or not a ruby. They’re looking for treatment, for origin, for color. They’re basically looking for all the things they need to sell it to somebody.”
Because she was seeing so much material and learning as she went, Hughes started taking photos of inclusions, hoping it would help her remember what came in front of her.
“I just thought, ‘Oh, I’ll take pictures of everything. It’s like taking notes.’”
She photographed inclusions she thought were interesting and saved them in the Adobe Bridge computer program, along with a brief description. After a few months, Hughes was able to search through them for reference.
She said her parents saw the inclusion database she was building and thought it should be made available to the industry since so many could benefit from what she had catalogued.
So, Lotus put the photomicrographs into the database it had already had set up to test stones and made it accessible online.
Now, Hyperion—named for the Greek god of light—is available as a free reference for anyone.
It currently is comprised predominantly of ruby, sapphire and spinel photos, Hughes said, because that’s what they’ve been testing for the past five years. But this year, Lotus will start testing other colored gemstones, so the database likely will expand.
Each picture is accompanied by a brief description of what’s pictured and characteristics of the photographed stone, such as enhancements and origin.
The database includes both natural and man-made stones to allow users to compare materials.
“I think a lot of the functionality of it is based on searches and comparisons. You can search by origin. You can search by treatment, like heated versus unheated. You can combine parameters. And you can search by keyword,” Hughes said.
For example, users can compare a heated ruby from Mozambique to an unheated ruby with the same origin or search using the keyword “silk,” which results in more than 100 images.
In fact, because Lotus Gemology believes some of the photos are even more powerful when seen side-by-side, the lab has compiled some pairings and posted them with notes on the Lotus website.
Concurrent with the launch of Hyperion, Lotus also has debuted Four Treasures, a free database containing more than 5,000 references intended to help with research relating to gems and gemology.
Built from the lab’s internal reference database it uses for research—from thousands of hours of work over nearly four decades—Four Treasures provides a search for books and papers about gemology from a variety of sources. It is particularly strong in citations relating to ruby, sapphire, spinel and jade.
“It is our way of giving back to those who have come before us, and going forward, providing tools to researchers who are working to push gemology ahead,” the lab said on its website.
More on Grading
The Latest
CollectionsDec 05, 2025
Piece of the Week: Robinson Pelham’s ‘Tsar Star’ EarringsThe new pink sapphire version of the piece dances with its wearer in the brand’s “Icons After Dark” holiday campaign.
TrendsDec 05, 2025
Pantone’s Color of the Year for 2026 Is … WhiteA choice that’s generated a lot of commentary, Pantone says “Cloud Dancer” marks a fresh start and encourages relaxation and creativity.
MajorsDec 05, 2025
Stuller Releases ‘Wrapped in Wonder’ CampaignThe manufacturer’s holiday campaign features a gift guide filled with trending designs and jewelry that can be personalized.
Brought to you by
Impacting Tomorrow TodayHow Jewelers of America’s 20 Under 40 are leading to ensure a brighter future for the jewelry industry.
CrimeDec 04, 2025
Man Arrested After Allegedly Swallowing Fabergé Egg PendantThe man was charged with theft, accused of ingesting the necklace while in a jewelry store in Auckland, New Zealand.
Weekly QuizDec 04, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
IndependentsDec 04, 2025
Step Inside JR Dunn Jewelers’ Giant New Store The Florida independent expanded its store from 8,000 to 14,000 square feet, fulfilling the vision of its late co-founder, Jim Dunn.
Supplier BulletinDec 04, 2025
Introducing Shop Natural Day: A New Movement Celebrating Natural DiamondsSponsored by De Beers Group
Brought to you by
Roseco Releases New Full-Line CatalogRoseco’s 704-page catalog showcases new lab-grown diamonds, findings, tools & more—available in print or interactive digital editions.
WatchesDec 04, 2025
Casio Shrinks its G-Shock WatchThe classic 5600 series G-Shock has been scaled down to about a tenth of its size, becoming a fully functioning watch ring.
Events & AwardsDec 04, 2025
AGA Announces 2026 Tucson Speaker LineupThe association’s annual conference and gala will take place Feb. 4, 2026, during the Tucson gem shows.
Events & AwardsDec 04, 2025
CBG Announces Speaker Lineup for 2026 Miami Event The January show will include a workshop for jewelry retailers on implementing AI to strengthen their businesses.
TrendsDec 03, 2025
Miley Cyrus Debuts Edgy Engagement RingFellow musician Maxx Morando proposed to the star with a chunky, cushion-cut diamond ring designed by Jacquie Aiche.
Policies & IssuesDec 03, 2025
Costco Joins Growing Wave of Retailers Suing for Tariff Refunds The retailer, which sells billions in fine jewelry and watches, is suing the Trump administration and U.S. Customs and Border Patrol.
SurveysDec 03, 2025
A Record 202.9M Shoppers Turned Out Thanksgiving WeekendBlack Friday is still the most popular shopping day over the five-day holiday weekend, as per the National Retail Federation’s survey.
AuctionsDec 03, 2025
Fabergé’s 'The Winter Egg' Achieves Record $30MThe historic egg, crafted for Russia's ruling family prior to the revolution, was the star of Christie’s recent auction of works by Fabergé.
FinancialsDec 02, 2025
Signet Jewelers’ Q3 Sales Up Amid Continued Focus on Lower Price PointsThe retailer offered more fashion jewelry priced under $1,000, including lab-grown diamond and men’s jewelry.
CollectionsDec 02, 2025
Briony Raymond Introduces First FragranceThe eau de parfum is held in a fluted glass bottle that mirrors the decor of the brand’s atelier, and its cap is a nod to its “Sloan” ring.
SourcingDec 02, 2025
Petra Diamonds Elevates Interim CEOs to Permanent StatusVivek Gadodia and Juan Kemp, who’ve been serving as interim co-CEOs since February, will continue to lead the diamond mining company.
MajorsDec 02, 2025
Lee Krombholz Takes Over as Chair of MJSA Education FoundationIn addition, a slate of new officers and trustees were appointed to the board.
IndependentsDec 02, 2025
RJO Welcomes Its 1,200th Retail MemberWitt’s Jewelry in Wayne, Nebraska, is the organization’s new milestone member.
SourcingDec 02, 2025
Brendan Laurs Honored With 2025 Bonanno AwardLaurs is the editor-in-chief of Gem-A’s The Journal of Gemmology and an expert on the formation of colored gemstone deposits.
CrimeDec 01, 2025
Fourth Man Charged in Louvre Jewelry HeistThe man, who has a criminal history, is suspected of being the fourth member of the four-man crew that carried out the heist.
AuctionsDec 01, 2025
Christie’s Presents ‘Splendor & Style’ CollectionThe single-owner collection includes one of the largest offerings of Verdura jewels ever to appear at auction, said Christie’s.
IndependentsDec 01, 2025
Lustig Jewelers’ New Owner Is a Fellow Chicago JewelerMichael Helfer has taken the reins, bringing together two historic Chicago jewelry names.
MajorsDec 01, 2025
PGI Debuts Platinum-Filled Holiday Gift GuideThe guide features all-new platinum designs for the holiday season by brands like Harwell Godfrey, Ritani, and Suna.
FinancialsNov 26, 2025
Movado CEO Talks Tariffs, Growing Interest in Accessible Luxury WatchesDuring its Q3 call, CEO Efraim Grinberg discussed the deal to lower tariffs on Swiss-made watches, watch market trends, and more.
TrendsNov 26, 2025
Piece of the Week: Rosior’s Pumpkin RingRosior’s high jewelry cocktail ring with orange sapphires and green diamonds is the perfect Thanksgiving accessory.
