Star gemstones display asterism,a luminous star pattern that glides across the surface when lit. This rare optical phenomenon is caused by needle-like inclusions of rutile silk aligned along crystal axes. Star sapphires and star rubies are the most prized examples.
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Make a custom requestAsterism occurs when oriented rutile silk inclusions reflect light in a star pattern,typically 6 rays, sometimes 12. The finest star stones show a sharp, centered, well-defined star on a strongly colored body. Star sapphires, rubies, and garnets are the most common.
Key factors: sharpness of the star, centering, body color intensity, and transparency. The star should be complete, well-defined, and move smoothly across the cabochon surface.
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