How to check the uniqueness of the stone and the certificate of which laboratory is better to choose?
To get an answer to this question, you need to understand the main criteria: expert laboratories differ in the equipment of their equipment. From this come the main parameters on which the speed, cost, accuracy and depth of analysis of the stone and its characteristics depend.
What are gemstone certificates for and what is their value?
Certificates for stones are an expert opinion of a certain laboratory, headed by a specialist whose gemological competence you trust.
Some laboratories make certificates right away, while others take months to conclude. There are a certain number of rather serious expensive laboratories in the world, equipped with the latest equipment, which carry out analysis according to a range of criteria: what the stone consists of, determine inclusions, impurities, processing methods and other important factors in the quality of natural stones.
Labs everyone should know about:
- The world’s most respected GIA certificate, which mainly specializes in diamonds (Gemological Institute of America). In addition to the very presence of a certificate, it is important to be able to read its contents correctly, since each item is a price generator and affects the cost of the purchased stone.
- In Switzerland, in the laboratories of the SSEF (Swiss Gemological Institute) they make a complete chemical analysis, micro-images of each inclusion, write the stone deposits and the chemical composition of the mineral as a percentage. The cost of such a certificate can reach several thousand dollars.
- In Russia, Moscow State University is considered the most authoritative laboratory.
The most important nuance in the certification of a colored stone is the confirmation of its color. If you have an inexpensive stone of a regular color, then a certificate confirming the naturalness and basic parameters will be enough.
But if you are the owner of a stone with a rare, top color, for example, a sapphire in the shade “Royal Blue” or “Padparadscha”, tourmaline “Paraiba”, a ruby in the shade “Pigeon Blood”, then it is necessary to make a certificate confirming the color of the stone, since This factor is decisive in the price.
GRS, Gubelin Gem Lad, SSEF, Lotus are recognized as the best laboratories confirming color.
For example, Gubelin laboratory certificates are recognized by the world’s largest auction houses, royal families, jewelers, gemstone dealers and collectors.
Particularly sophisticated connoisseurs of precious stones sometimes request several certificates from different laboratories in order to be sure of the authenticity of a precious stone and be absolutely calm in purchasing.
There are other worthy laboratories in the world, for example, the International Gemological Institute (IGI), the European Gemological Laboratory (EGL) and the Danat Institute.
We talked about laboratories that are well known and have a significant authority among experts in the jewelry industry. The reputation of a laboratory is extremely important, as the evaluation of gemstones is not an easy task.
