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
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
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)
American Gemological Laboratories (AGL) - American Gemological Laboratories (AGL) is the United States first and most respected origin and colored stone gem identification and quality grading laboratory. It was founded in 1977 and has been an industry leader in gemstone reporting, gemological research and consumer protection initiatives. AGL has become an iconic brand for uncompromised standards and excellence in gemstone reporting and is regularly featured by the auction houses of Sotheby's and Christies for important colored stones they are offering for sale. AGL has also provided detailed country-of-origin and enhancement reports for some of the world's most prestigious retailers for the past three decades. In 2007, AGL was designated the official North American laboratory of the International Colored Stone Association (ICA).
