Origin

For some gemstones origin is a major factor in value. A ruby from Myanmar or a sapphire from Kashmir often commands considerably higher prices than a comparable stone from another region. That makes it all the more important to understand what an origin statement in a laboratory report means.

How a laboratory determines origin

Origin determination rests on comparison with reference stones of known origin. The laboratory examines:

• inclusions and growth features under the microscope
• trace elements, for example with EDXRF or LA-ICP-MS
• spectroscopic data in the UV, visible and infrared ranges

If the features fit one deposit and exclude others, the laboratory formulates an opinion.

An opinion, not a certainty

The origin statement is a reasoned expert assessment based on the methods and data available. Reports explicitly mark it as an opinion. Laboratories can reach different conclusions, especially for stones with few characteristic features or from regions with similar geology.

Possible wording

• a specific origin, for example "Myanmar (Burma)"
• an origin with a qualification
• "undeterminable", or no statement, when the data do not allow a responsible conclusion

These differences are significant and must not be rewritten as an absolute statement.

Origin and treatment

An origin statement is only meaningful together with the treatment field. Heavy treatments can alter features needed for origin determination.

Origin is not provenance

Origin describes where a stone formed geologically. Who owned it and how it was traded is a different question – that of provenance and the chain of custody.

In brief

The origin statement is a reasoned opinion based on comparison with reference stones. It may be qualified or undeterminable, and laboratories may differ. Take it in its exact wording and always read it together with the treatment field.

At NOBILITH

We reproduce the origin statement in the laboratory's wording, including any qualifications. We add no origin from purchase records or stories. Where reports from several laboratories exist, we show them side by side.

Sources

• LMHC: Information Sheets on origin determination
• SSEF and Gübelin: explanatory notes on origin reports
• GIA: Gems & Gemology, articles on origin determination