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Gem Laboratory Reports for Rubies

When looking at rubies that cost a few thousand dollars or much, much more, there are always reports available for review. If there are no lab reports, the buyer can request one before purchase of the ruby and the dealer often covers the cost (for rubies under $1,000 the buyer might need to pay an additional fee).

Lab reports also list contact information for verification of the reports they generate. This certifies the authenticity of these particular gems for both the vendors and the consumers.

For grading consistency, most labs follow similar practices to ensure accuracy and avoid conflict of interests. How all this is executed does vary from lab to lab, including certain details of what is written in the reports.

When a ruby is rare and beautiful enough to go to auction, they will often have multiple lab reports. This does not indicate one lab is better than another, but functions as a second, separate gemological opinion to ensure authenticity.

Common Problems

In the intricate world of ruby evaluation, gem laboratory reports are crucial for defining a ruby’s value and characteristics. However, enthusiasts and professionals alike often face common problems when interpreting these reports. A primary issue is the limited color definition; rubies are celebrated for their vibrant hues, yet laboratories might use broad or inconsistent terminology to describe color, leading to ambiguity about the stone’s true shade and saturation. This issue is compounded by other problems such as discrepancies in grading standards across different labs, which can result in varied quality assessments for the same gem. While a report certifying a ruby as having “Pigeon’s Blood” coloring without fail will lead to a price premium, there may be stones that fit the color profile in some labs yet have not been graded by a lab that makes this distinction. Likewise there can be some with the distinction that not everyone agrees should fit in that category. It is important to also keep in mind your personal color preference when looking at and evaluating rubies for purchase. We’re delighted to help our customers find the perfect shade of ruby, ensuring it not only meets their personal preferences but also represents the most valuable choice.

Training received at prestigious gemological institutions, such as the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), indicates that these laboratories tend to provide minimal details in their reports to mitigate accountability and liability. This approach, particularly the practice of reporting only the gem’s hue, may serve the labs’ interests by limiting liability but does little to enhance customer trust. Furthermore, there is an inconsistency in the inclusion of color-accurate photographs within these reports, with some laboratories performing better than others. This variation affects the ability of clients to accurately gauge the gem’s color and clarity, crucial aspects in determining its value and authenticity.

Here is a list of some of the most reputable gemological labs. For more details on parts of these answers, please scroll down below.

Labs GUBELIN GIA SSEF GRS GAAJ AIGS GIT C.D LG
International Reputation Yes Yes Yes Yes No No No Yes Yes
Accredited Lab Gemologists Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Multiple Teams Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes No No No
Lab-Grade Equipment Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Thorough Color Criteria No No Yes No No No No Yes Yes
Trade Names Yes No Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes
Geographic Origin Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Gemological Education Yes Yes Yes No No Yes Yes No No
Lab Report with Origin, 2ct USD $700 USD $150 USD $920 USD $150 No USD USD $100 USD $50 USD $175 USD $110

Gemological Lab Credibility Factors

Established: 1923

Reputation: International

Staff: Experienced staff of trained gemologists

Equipment: Latest gemological equipment

Color-Grading Criteria: Limited to “Hue” - Trade names listed

Geographic Origin: Provides information about where the gem formed

Gemological Labs: Lucerne, Switzerland / New York City, New York / Hong Kong, China

Gemological Education: Offers courses in Hong Kong and Lucerne

Price for 2ct Full Gem Reports: USD $700

Established: 1931

Reputation: International

Staff: Experienced staff of trained gemologists

Equipment: Latest gemological equipment

Color-Grading Criteria: Limited to “Hue” - Trade names listed

Geographic Origin: Provides information about where the gem formed

Gemological Labs: Carlsbad, California / New York City, New York / Hong Kong, China / Antwerp, Belgium / Ramat Gan, Israel / Gaborone, Botswana / Johannesburg, South Africa / Surat, India /  Mumbai, India /  Bangkok, Thailand / Tokyo, Japan

Gemological Education: Carlsbad, California / New York City, New York / London, United Kingdom / Surat, ndia / Mumbai,India / Bangkok,Thailand / Hong Kong, China / Taipei, Taiwan

Price for 2ct Full Gem Reports: USD $150

Established: 1974

Reputation: International

Staff: Experienced staff of trained gemologists

Equipment: Latest gemological equipment

Color-Grading Criteria: Lists “Hue” and “Saturation” - No trade names

Geographic Origin: Provides information about where the gem formed

Gemological Labs: Basel, Switzerland

Gemological Education: Offers training in Basel, Switzerland

Price for 2ct Full Gem Reports: USD $920

Established: 1996

Reputation: International

Staff: Experienced staff of trained gemologists - But all reports are vetted by Dr. A Peretti.

Equipment: Latest gemological equipment

Color-Grading Criteria: Limited to “Hue” - Trade names listed

Geographic Origin: Provides information about where the gem formed

Gemological Labs:New York City, New York / Paris, France / Meggen, Switzerland / Hong Kong, China / Colombo, Sri Lanka / Bangkok, Thailand

Gemological Education: None

Price for 2ct Full Gem Reports: USD $150

Established: 1965 ~ Tentative - This lab has technically been around since 1965, but their accredited research only goes back 40 years.

Reputation: Regional

Staff: Experienced staff of trained gemologists

Equipment: Latest gemological equipment

Color-Grading Criteria: Limited to “Hue” - Trade names listed

Geographic Origin: Provides information about where the gem formed

Gemological Labs: Tokyo, Japan / Ramat Gan, Israel

Gemological Education: None

Price for 2ct Full Gem Reports: Not available in USD

Established: 1978

Reputation: Regional

Staff: Experienced staff of trained gemologists

Equipment: Latest gemological equipment

Color-Grading Criteria: Limited to “Hue” - Trade names listed

Geographic Origin: Provides information about where the gem formed

Gemological Labs: Bangkok, Thailand

Gemological Education: Offers courses in Bangkok, Thailand

Price for 2ct Full Gem Reports: USD $100

Established: 2004

Reputation: Regional

Staff: Experienced staff of trained gemologists, but limited staff

Equipment: Latest gemological equipment

Color-Grading Criteria: Limited to “Hue” - Trade names listed

Geographic Origin: Provides information about where the gem formed

Gemological Labs: Bangkok, Thailand

Gemological Education: Offers courses in Bangkok, Thailand

Price for 2ct Full Gem Reports: USD $50

Established: 2008

Reputation: International

Staff: Experienced staff of trained gemologists, but all lab reports go through Mr. Dunaigre

Equipment: Latest gemological equipment

Color-Grading Criteria: Lists “Hue”, “Saturation”, and trade terms

Geographic Origin: Provides information about where the gem formed, as well as Mr. Dunaigre’s personal, highly-educated opinion

Gemological Labs: Switzerland

Gemological Education: None

Price for 2ct Full Gem Reports: USD $175

Established: 2014

Reputation: Regional - Evaluations Limited, only review Sapphires, Rubies, and Spinel

Staff: Experienced staff of trained gemologists, but there are only two people

Equipment: Latest gemological equipment

Color-Grading Criteria: Evaluates gems based on “Hue”, “Tone”, and “Saturation”, which also helps to standardize appearances of gems using trade terms.

Geographic Origin: Provides information about where the gem formed

Gemological Labs: Bangkok, Thailand

Gemological Education: None

Price for 2ct Full Gem Reports: USD $110

About Laboratory Locations

Many of these labs appear in the same locations like New York, Switzerland, and Bangkok, Thailand. This is because more gems go through these locations than anywhere else in the world, especially Thailand’s historic markets. Sri Lanka might lay claim to the titles of “Island of Gems” and have a “City of Gems”, but Bangkok is regarded as the “Gemstone Capital of the World”. Also note that Thailand has problems with gems being illegally smuggled into the country and sold.

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