What lab should I send my sapphire too for cert?

[SB621]

I want to send a sapphire ring I have to a lab to have it checked out. What lab would you recommend? Or should I go with an independant appraiser since it is set?

TIA!

 

[LD]

Sarah - presumably when you say you want it checked out, you want to know whether any treatments have been applied? If that's the case then an Appraiser won't be able to tell you. You need to have specialist lab equipment to test for BE diffusion etc. I'm not in the US so don't know where you should send it but I believe AIGS can test - not sure about the others. Hopefully others will pop by to help.

 

[iLander]

GIA is the authority and if the great-grandkids ever need to sell your stone , a GIA cert will make it quick and painless.

Expensive, though, About $200.

 

[PinkTower]

GIA is the authority and if the great-grandkids ever need to sell your stone , a GIA cert will make it quick and painless.

Expensive, though, About $200.

I had both. The lab was GRS and the was included with the purchase of the stone. Then i sent it to Richard Sherwood after it was set.
The cost was similar to the above quote, if I recall correctly.

 

[chrono]

I prefer AGL for coloured gemstones because not only do they have all the equipment, they will also state their opinion on the quality of the gemstone which no other labs do. They also seem to give more details than GIA. I believe AGL also offers a more inexpensive brief for $50 and will also give an estimate for mounted stones.

 

[SB621]

GIA is the authority and if the great-grandkids ever need to sell your stone , a GIA cert will make it quick and painless.

Expensive, though, About $200.

I thought GIA was the authority for diamonds. I thought there was another lab that was "better" with colored gemstones. Regardless I thought it would cost around $500 for the lab report so $200 isn't sounding so bad to me!

 

[SB621]

I prefer AGL for coloured gemstones because not only do they have all the equipment, they will also state their opinion on the quality of the gemstone which no other labs do. They also seem to give more details than GIA. I believe AGL also offers a more inexpensive brief for $50 and will also give an estimate for mounted stones.

THANK YOU CHRONO! that was the lab...i just couldn't remember the name!

 

[T L]

Sarah - presumably when you say you want it checked out, you want to know whether any treatments have been applied? If that's the case then an Appraiser won't be able to tell you. You need to have specialist lab equipment to test for BE diffusion etc. I'm not in the US so don't know where you should send it but I believe AIGS can test - not sure about the others. Hopefully others will pop by to help.

AIGS cannot test for diffusion unfortunately.

 

[T L]

GIA is the authority and if the great-grandkids ever need to sell your stone , a GIA cert will make it quick and painless.

Expensive, though, About $200.

For colored diamonds and diamonds, I would go with GIA. For colored gemstones, I would go with AGL.

 

[Jim Rentfrow]

Use AGL for colored gemstones. Their turnaround time has been about two to three weeks however if you want you can get the process completed in two days for double the normal amount. Their gem briefs are $55 plus shipping back. If you want locality or a more in depth report the price is around $200 for loose stones. Mounted items have a $10 surcharge for the gem brief reports. Their fees are listed at the link below.

http://www.aglgemlab.com/services/Rates.aspx

 

[serenitydiamonds]

GIA is the authority and if the great-grandkids ever need to sell your stone , a GIA cert will make it quick and painless.

Expensive, though, About $200.

For colored diamonds and diamonds, I would go with GIA. For colored gemstones, I would go with AGL.

Strongly second

--Joshua