Ebay seller claims SLP Gem Lab is legit.

[blue4113]

I've read a couple of threads about this company and a lot of people are saying that the location doesn't even exist! So I stumbled upon this seller of a 4.20ct ruby and to my surprise he has a picture of a slp lab gem card. I bring up the legitimacy of the company and this is what he replies.

Hi, this is what the seller that I bought the ruby from had to say.


Hi Larry , the SLP lab is run by a Chinese / Thai family and the oldest gem lab in Chanthaburi. They also have a lab in Bangkok. I've also read similar things on gem websites where all the so called experts gather to talk about different sellers and different labs. Take no notice of them. The SLP will certainly not put whatever you want on a report. If they did that they'd be finished in business after a week because many people do re-check their gems at labs in their own country. There are buyers here every weekend from all over the World and many use the SLP lab. They'd be found out immediately if anything was wrong and be in serious trouble with the gem association and the Police. It's simply not possible to get away with anything here without somebody knowing.

They have all the equipment you need to identify a gem type and for heat or no heat. They don't have a LIBS testing machine here in Chanthaburi but if they're not sure the gem is sent to Bangkok where there is one.

No one has every returned a gem purchase from the seller I buy from.
So I don't know about the information on the internet, there may of been someone using their name, because the address and phone number they gave is not the one they actually have now.

This is the listing.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=261551951820&ssPageName=ADME:X:RTQ:US:1123

 

[T L]

The problem with SLP, regardless of whether it exists or not, is that they do not have any way to corroborate reports, nor do they have a website. The incidence of gem brief/report forgery is high as well, therefore, one must be very careful. AIGS and other smaller labs in Thailand like GLC, Burapha, have at the very least a website to corroborate. If SLP does exist, it should create a report verification system, otherwise educated consumers cannot rely on their reports.

I also recently found this commentary on the net, that has nothing to do with Pricescope.

http://www.topix.com/forum/city/gem-ks/T4U07SL5JEKMUE9TV

"SLP Labs, Who is SLP Labs in Bangkok, Thailand?

I bought Blue Sapphires in Bangkok from SLP Labs that were Reported as Un-Heated by SLP Labs Gemoligist. The stones were later found to be Heated. SLP Labs is a BOGUS Lab in Bangkok Thailand who is making FAKE Lab-Reports on mostly Sapphire material. Buyer beware of SLP Gem Lab in Bangkok, Thailand."

Commentary like the above is very disconcerting, regardless of whether the lab exists or not, and again, with corundum, in particular rubies, you have to be extremely careful who you use for a gemological laboratory.

It's also highly suspect that someone would sell a 4+ carat Mozambique heated ruby, with nice red color, in a gold diamond setting for just $2K. The ruby material, if only heated and not synthetic or lead glass filled, is worth a lot more than that.

The report, fake or not, says the ruby has evidence of heat enhancement, which can also mean diffusion or lead glass filling. It doesn't state anything else.

 

[Lady_Disdain]

I would distill that answer to "sure, I know them. Fine people." The seller uses SLP certificates, so they have a good reason to say the lab is reputable. However, note that they don't mention the owner's name, give the correct phone number (since they say that the number is wrong) or a way to verify any of the information. Basically, it was a pat on the head.

I would expect them to answer with names, addresses and tell you to go ahead and contact the lab, so the lab itself can reassure you of their procedures and equipment.

 

[chrono]

Ask the vendor for this:
1. Name of the contact
2. Email of the lab contact
3. Telephone number of the lab

To verify the gem and lab, you have to:
1. Email the lab and see if they respond about verification of the stone vs the lab report (to make sure it isn't forged)
2. Ask if they have an online verification system.
3. Find out what sort of testing they do and what they check for.
4. Difficult to do if you aren't in Asia, but I would want to make sure the lab is legit by calling them, given all the mystery surrounding the authenticity of SLP.

All the vendor has done is tried to assure you with words but no proof to back it up.

 

[ram16_50131]

From my personal experience, they either are purposely certifying synthetic quartz or they aren't a very good lab. EVERY single gemstone I bought with their certificate was not was it was certified to be. I sent all of the stones to the GIA lab in Carlsbad, CA and I lost several hundred dollars for a product I bought as natural aquamarine. The tests came back as synthetic quartz. Seriously not happy. I will never buy another gemstone that had a certification performed by them.

 

[minousbijoux]

So a few years back, I bought a beautiful padparadscha sapphire from a well-known ebay vendor. I've been around this board for a few years now and have posted this story on more than one occasion in response to these types of questions, so forgive the redundancy, old timers.

The sapphire was a very good price for what it was purported to be (heat only, no diffusion) and came with an SLP report. Although the gem dealer said something remarkably similar to what your vendor said about SLP, it carried little weight with me. I had worked with the seller before and made the sale contingent upon confirmation of the facts as stated by SLP. The time it took to ship the gem to me and then for me to subsequently send it off to the lab (GIA in this case) and get the results was well outside the return period, so I made sure to have the vendor agree to this extended period upfront as well. Despite all the assurances in the world that SLP was a good lab and would catch treatments, the GIA report showed that the stone had been Be diffused - language something like "high heat with foreign element" or some such. The vendor claimed to be as shocked as I was, and reimbursed me for both the stone and the GIA report.

No, I would not trust SLP - not with any type of corundum. In fact, I doubt I'd trust them with much at this point.