  In conical refraction, when a focused Gaussian beam passes along one of the
optic axes of a biaxial crystal it is transformed into a pair of concentric
bright rings at the focal plane. We demonstrate both theoretically and
experimentally that this transformation is hardly affected by partially
blocking the Gaussian input beam with an obstacle. We analyze the influence of
the size of the obstruction both on the transverse intensity pattern of the
beam and on its state of polarization, which is shown to be very robust.
