Gemstone Certification
Unlike diamonds – the world's traditional choice for engagements – people purchase gemstones for all sorts of reasons, whether it be a birthday, anniversary, or simply as a gorgeous gift to the self or a lucky loved one. While few retailers will include an official gemstone certification document with every gemstone sale, most will supply more basic information, such as the stone's colour, carat weight, size, clarity and dimensions. However, those purchasing something truly rare or expensive may wish to request to have the gemstone certified by an official organisation.
Gemstone Certificates
Gemstone certificates and reports are official, numbered documents issued by licensed gemmological organisations that outline and evaluate a gemstone's characteristics. However, unlike diamond grading reports, these do not currently follow any standardised industry grading systems.
While most gemmological laboratories are able to provide gemstone certificates or reports, the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) is the industry's most highly regarded appraiser. The GIA offers three types of gemstone certification documents: Colored Stone Identification Reports, Colored Stone Origin Reports, and Colored Stone Analytical Reports.
GIA Colored Stone Identification Report
These reports can be produced for any rough, loose, polished or set gemstone, and outline a number of the stone's key characteristics. The report will identify the gemstone's type and material properties, and outline its colour characteristics, degree of transparency, cut, weight, dimensions and shape. These reports also reveal whether the gemstone is partly or fully synthetic, and will list any of the stone's detectable enhancement treatments. GIA Colored Stone Identification Reports also include a digital colour photo of the gemstone.
GIA Colored Stone Origin Report
GIA Colored Stone Origin Reports contain the same information as that found in GIA Colored Stone Identification Reports, while also identifying the gemstone's place of origin, if possible.
GIA Colored Stone Analytical Report
These comprehensive reports contain the same information as that found in GIA Colored Stone Identification Reports, except they include more detailed data, such as the stone's inclusions, refraction index, chemical analysis, visual spectroscopy, and more. The gemstone's place of origin may also be included upon request, but presently only for emeralds, rubies, sapphires and tourmalines.
