Opinions on this lab?

[IcePhoenix]

Hello everyone, hope your weekend is going well. I wanted to ask about this particular laboratory, ALGT (B) at the link (www.algtlabs.com) in Antwerp. The certificates seem to be complete and done well and the price list much more affordable than other similar labs (or that offer similar looking certificates). I have seen quite a few of them on Catawiki and I was curious if anyone knows more. Reliable? Scam? Are they on the cheaper side cause they are new? Will you send a synthetic and the certificate will say natural?

I was considering sending a few sapphires, something that isn't worth it with a 150 euro price tag of other well known labs so any experience and impressions, good or bad is much welcome. Thank you in advance

 

[LilAlex]

Looks like two brothers and a third person. Website dates to 2019. I see no mention of how long they have been in operation. I may have missed that but anything over five years in internet land seems like grounds for bragging so maybe they are quite new.

Their origin report lacks some of the customary "uncertainty" language -- "most consistent with," etc. Just one word: country.

Their "large" colored stone report seems to have the added feature of a whole pane of random gem properties (e.g., of corundum) which is super-helpful if you do not have a phone, computer, or internet connection.

 

[IcePhoenix]

Thank you for your opinion, would you send a stone to this lab? I'm talking about corundum mostly, not so big (around 1 to 1.50 cts) just to be sure they are natural and untreated/minimally treated? Some of these stones I got on the internet and I'mnot sure I'd be able to confirm what they are via the little instruments I got (basic microscope, polariscope and refractometer)

 

[minousbijoux]

Due to the fact that some stones - corundum in particular - can have invasive treatments that are extremely hard to detect without advanced and extraordinarily expensive equipment (that many lesser labs do not possess), many of us would suggest that you only send corundum to the well known, top tier labs.

Not too many years ago I bought a corundum with a lab report from a lesser lab indicating "heat only." The vendor agreed that if GIA indicated anything more than heat treatment, they would cover the cost of the GIA report, the return shipping, as well as a full refund for the stone. Turns out it was Be diffused, which was not caught by the first lab. The vendor honored their word, but it was such a beautiful stone that I was still sorry to see it go...

ETA: in case I wasn't clear, I would pass on sending a corundum to the lab you mention.

 

[IcePhoenix]

Due to the fact that some stones - corundum in particular - can have invasive treatments that are extremely hard to detect without advanced and extraordinarily expensive equipment (that many lesser labs do not possess), many of us would suggest that you only send corundum to the well known, top tier labs.

Not too many years ago I bought a corundum with a lab report from a lesser lab indicating "heat only." The vendor agreed that if GIA indicated anything more than heat treatment, they would cover the cost of the GIA report, the return shipping, as well as a full refund for the stone. Turns out it was Be diffused, which was not caught by the first lab. The vendor honored their word, but it was such a beautiful stone that I was still sorry to see it go...

ETA: in case I wasn't clear, I would pass on sending a corundum to the lab you mention.

Thank you, that's what I thought but the price is honestly very interesting. I think before deciding whether to send something or not I will contact them and ask what sort of treatments they can analyse for. Some of the sapphires I got were around 50 to 100 euro so it would not be viable to send them for a 150 + euro certification but I do understand and agree with you in case of stones over a certain amount of money

 

[LilAlex]

I thought but the price is honestly very interesting...Some of the sapphires I got were around 50 to 100 euro so it would not be viable to send them for a 150 + euro certification...

Sounds like you are saying, "Cheap insurance is better than no insurance!" Not really. Cheap insurance is just wasted money since you will never collect. A report that fails to exclude what you are worried about -- and @minousbijoux gave a more complete answer than mine -- is just a waste of money.

For stones at that price point, if they are appealing by eye then they are almost certainly heavily treated. Just buy and enjoy!

 

[IcePhoenix]

Sounds like you are saying, "Cheap insurance is better than no insurance!" Not really. Cheap insurance is just wasted money since you will never collect. A report that fails to exclude what you are worried about -- and @minousbijoux gave a more complete answer than mine -- is just a waste of money.

For stones at that price point, if they are appealing by eye then they are almost certainly heavily treated. Just buy and enjoy!

That is why I wanted to ask first for what kind of stuff they can test. If they can't test for treatments like diffusion (Not even BE, like lead and titanium) it may not be worth. But I guess asking wouldn't hurt.

 

[bearcat]

I visited their laboratory，Not only they have experts who have been engaged in gemstone testing for more than 20 years, and they also have advanced equipment such as EDXRF, FTIR and LIBS.

It is easy for them to test treatment or enhancement of sapphire.