Laboratory reports
Identification
Identification is the first and most important statement in a report: which material is this? Why every word in it counts.
Before colour, origin or value can be discussed, it must be established what a stone actually is. Identification provides that answer. It usually appears first in the laboratory report.
What identification covers
Identification names the material and classifies it: natural, synthetic or imitation. For natural stones the mineral species follows, often together with the variety. Examples are "natural corundum, variety sapphire" or "natural beryl, variety emerald". For synthetic stones this must be stated explicitly, for example "synthetic ruby".
Why the wording must be read carefully
- "Natural corundum" is a different statement from "corundum"; if the word "natural" is missing, it is worth asking.
- Additions such as "treated" or "composite" are part of the identification and must not be omitted.
- For assembled stones, such as doublets, the report describes the individual parts.
- Trade names such as "Ceylon sapphire" are not an identification but statements of origin or marketing.
How a laboratory reaches an identification
The basis consists of physical measurements such as refractive index, birefringence and density, observations under the microscope and spectroscopic analyses. Separating natural from synthetic often requires advanced methods. The result is a reasoned finding.
Nomenclature
How gemstones are named correctly is governed by international guidelines, such as the CIBJO books and, for diamonds, the ISO 18323 standard. They require synthetic stones and imitations to be clearly described as such and misleading names to be avoided.
What to look out for
Compare the identification in the report with the description in the offer. Any difference, even a seemingly small one, deserves an explanation.
In brief
Identification states which material is present and whether it is natural, synthetic or an imitation. Every word in it counts, including additions such as “treated”. Always compare the identification in the report with the description in the offer.
At NOBILITH
We take the identification unchanged from the laboratory report. In the collection and in the dossier we use the same description so that offer and report match.
Sources
- CIBJO: The Gemstone Book
- ISO 18323: Jewellery – Consumer confidence in the diamond industry
Read more
- KnowledgeWhy a laboratory may say inconclusiveSometimes a question cannot be answered responsibly with the available data. What “inconclusive” means – and what it does not.Read more
- Gem LabGemmological microscopeThe most important instrument in the laboratory: under the microscope, inclusions, growth features and signs of treatment become visible.Read more
- Laboratory reportsUnderstanding a laboratory reportA laboratory report is a gemstone's most important document. Which information it contains, how to read it and what it does not say.Read more
- Laboratory reportsSpecies and varietyRuby and sapphire are the same mineral, and so are emerald and aquamarine. What species and variety mean and why the boundary is sometimes debated.Read more
Updated 2026-10-06