Common questions about AGL

A gemstone certificate is an independent expert report describing the species, variety, weight, dimensions, colour, clarity, treatments, and (where determinable) origin of a stone. Certification gives buyers and sellers a transparent, evidence-based record of what a stone actually is — protecting both parties in a transaction and providing documentation for insurance, resale, and estate purposes.

Yes. AGL certificates are accepted by dealers, jewellers, auction houses, and private collectors across more than thirty countries. Our methodology adheres to internationally recognised gemological standards including LMHC guidelines on treatment disclosure and ICA conventions on origin terminology.

Identification answers the question "what is this stone?" — species, variety, natural or synthetic, treated or untreated. Grading goes further to assess quality factors such as colour, clarity, cut, and carat weight. AGL offers both, and many of our reports combine the two.

Our senior gemologists hold credentials from the Gemmological Association of Great Britain (FGA), the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), and the International Gemological Institute (IGI). Every report is reviewed by at least two gemologists before issue.

Yes. AGL identifies and reports on laboratory-grown corundum, beryl, diamond, and other synthetic gem materials, distinguishing them from their natural counterparts. The report will state clearly that the stone is of synthetic origin.

Stones may be delivered in person to any of our three laboratories in Beruwala, Antwerp, or Shanghai, or shipped to us by insured courier. We can advise on secure shipping protocols on request. Please contact the laboratory nearest to you to arrange in advance.

Standard turnaround is five to seven business days from the date your gemstone is received. Origin determination and finished-jewellery reports may require seven to ten days. Express service — 24 to 72 hours — is available at every laboratory for urgent submissions and incurs a surcharge.

Pricing depends on stone size, complexity of analysis, and required reporting format. Trade clients with regular volume receive parcel-rate discounts. Please contact your nearest laboratory for a written quotation tailored to your submission.

Often, yes — using LIBS, ED-XRF, FTIR, and UV-VIS-NIR spectroscopy combined with inclusion-pattern study. However, where a stone's trace-element signature is ambiguous or overlaps multiple sources, we report no origin rather than offer speculation. Honest reporting is the entire point of independent certification.

Yes. AGL certifies finished jewellery including rings, pendants, earrings, brooches, and necklaces. Reports include identification and grading of every mounted stone, the metal assay, total piece weight, and a photograph of the finished piece. Mounted-stone weights are estimated where the stone cannot be removed.

Not without your written authorisation. Where mounting prevents a definitive identification, we will inform you of the limitation and request your instructions before proceeding.

Yes. All stones in AGL custody are covered by laboratory insurance for the duration of the analytical period, from receipt until return.

Enter your report number and the gemstone weight (as printed on the certificate) into the verification form on this website. You will instantly see the full certificate details and the gemstone photograph. Alternatively, scan the QR code printed on the certificate with any smartphone.

The weight is a second-factor check that the person verifying actually holds the certificate. Without it, anyone with the report number alone could fetch the record. Requiring the weight binds the lookup to physical possession of the document.

All AGL certificates remain registered in our secure database. Contact the issuing laboratory with the report number, and we can issue a duplicate copy after appropriate identity verification. The online verification system also allows you to view the full report details at any time using the report number.

AGL certificates are printed on tamper-resistant security paper and carry a QR code linked to the online verification record on this website. The simplest authenticity check is to verify the certificate online — if the report number and weight you enter return the matching record and photograph, the certificate is genuine.

In rare cases, yes — if new evidence comes to light that changes a previously reported conclusion, the certificate may be amended. The online verification record always reflects the current authoritative version. Withdrawn certificates are marked as such in the verification system.

No. An AGL certificate remains valid indefinitely. The stone itself does not change, and neither do the recorded measurements and analytical findings. We recommend re-certification only if a stone has been recut, repolished, or treated since the original report was issued.

Please contact the laboratory that purportedly issued it, with photographs of the certificate and the stone if possible. We take certificate counterfeiting seriously and will investigate every report.