Respected Gem Labs for Reports, Gem ID, Appraisal, Enhancements, etc.

There are a number of gem labs around the world that provide services to determine gemstone id, treatement disclosures, country of origin and much more. Many gem labs cannot do some of the very sophisticated intense study now required for many of the current gemstone treatment currently out there in the market, one of the major ones being Berylium Treatment. Some labs do not do an origin report, which in some cases, can be very worthwhile.

The labs listed below are respected labs. Not all will do every form of testing and labs like GIA will not provide any report as to the value of a gemstone. We recommend that you contact each lab to determine which tests you might require, whether they perform those tests, what reports are available and the cost involved.

Note that most appraisers in stores, independent appraisers or even those with Gemologist Degrees, just do not have the multi-million dollar equipment necessary to do the sophicated testing now required. It is also difficult to be up to date in the pricing of some gemstones because prices are increasing rapidly, as good rough is always hard to find, the dollar is at a low and inflation is higher than normal. A more accurate report or appraisal would most likely be found at the labs listed below.

Many of the gemstones that All That Glitters stocks are known for the fine cutting, the size, the color, the uniqueness of the gemstone and many smaller labs might not be capable of appraising a true value. When a customer of All That Glitters took a very fine Demantoid Garnet to one of the labs below, the quality was such that the employees were called down to view it. A Demantoid of that size, color, clarity and cutting is not frequently seen and for those who appreciate fine and rare gemstones, it was worthy of a look. Our customer felt that the retail price of the gemstone on the report, (though many thousands below the price paid from All That Glitters),
might have been lower than expected. The fact that the employees were called in from the store to view it indicated that it was a special gemstone and sometimes very special gemstones are difficult to price because they are just not seen very often. Our customer was more concerned that the gemstone be tested for authenticity - to verify that it was a true natural Demantoid....
["I’ve received the demantoid. Holy moly! That’s one heck of a stone!...... XXX (Lab Name Removed) appraised the stone ...for insurances purposes. Additionally, the gemologists there were fairly giddy when they were viewing the stone: calling people over and speaking in hushed tones. I got the feeling they were _very_ impressed but didn’t want to show it because that might show that they didn’t really know how to appraise the stone. One gemologist who wasn’t even handling me came over and complimented me on it, etc., etc. ...I think the stone is amazing. It’s the ‘real mccoy’ ..."]



Gemological Institute of America (GIA) - An independent nonprofit organization, the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) is renowned for its impartial service as the world's foremost authority in gemology. The Institute's history of ground-breaking scientific research, education, and gemological laboratory services reads as a virtual chronicle of the industry's own growth and sophistication.

From 1953, when Richard T. Liddicoat created and introduced the International Diamond Grading System™ to the position the Institute holds today as the most respected grading and identification authority in the world GIA has combined the principles of research, education, and service to help gem and jewelry professionals around the globe use science and product knowledge to sustain the public's trust.

The GIA can be reached at:
Gemological Institute of America (GIA)
World Headquarters
The Robert Mouawad Campus
5345 Armada Drive
Carlsbad, California 92008
Telephone: (800) 421-7250 or (760) 603-4000
E-mail: ghill@gia.edu

AGTA Gemological Testing Center - The AGTA is recognized within the jewelry trade as the authoritative source on natural colored gemstones: "The voice of the natural colored gemstone, pearl and cultured pearl industries."

The purchase of any jewel should be a rewarding and comfortable experience. Using the AGTA GTC Gemstone Report as an integral part of the sales presentation gives the client confidence because all important characteristics of the gem are available in writing, a method the consumer prefers above all others.

For additional information, please contact Dr. Lore Kiefert at 212-752-1717 or Visit www.agta-gtc.org

International Gemological Institute (IGI) - International Gemological Institute (IGI) is one of the world's largest independent gem certification and appraisal institutes, with laboratories in Antwerp, New York, and Bangkok. IGI serves jewelers, retail stores, insurance companies, Internet sales organizations, catalog companies, accounting and securities firms and consumers worldwide. With a professional staff of 200, IGI issues more than 200,000 reports a year.

IGI can be reached at:
IGI USA
579 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10017-USA
Telephone: (212) 753-7100
Fax: (212) 753-7759

Gubelin Gemological Laboratories - Towards the beginning of the 20th century, Eduard Gubelin Sr. became convinced of his company's need to be knowledgeable, equipped and ready to cope with the challenges which were facing the gemstone and jewellery industry at that time. The first part of the last century had witnessed dramatic changes. Gemstone wholesalers, jewellers and consumer alike no longer had to only contend with readily recognisable gemstone imitations, such as glass. The industry at that time was faced with challenges, which are common today, with the advent of the first true synthetic gemstones (i.e.synthetic rubies and spinels) and cultured pearls, that threatened the stability and the future of the jewellery industry.
(Note - this lab is one of the premier labs for determining Kashmir Sapphire origin)

http://www.gubelinlab.com/