WE ARE THE
TRUSTED EXPERTS
IGTLRC’s testing & reporting methodology provides you with unsurpassed quality and reliability. We are committed to providing you with the highest level of service and reporting that our clients and the industry have come to expect from IGTLRC.
ABOUT US
TRUST & INNOVATION
IGTLRS has the distinction of being the first laboratory in the USA to issue Country-of-Origin reports. IGTLRC has a long tradition of research into the detection of and reporting on gem identification-and-classification, gemstone treatments and provenance determinations.
IGTLRC is an ISO 9001:2015 Certified Laboratory.
IGTLRC
OUR VALUES
IGTLRC Aims for Excellence in Research
Since its founding in 2003 the International Gem Testinb Laboratory and Research Center has focused principally on three main areas:
- The identification and characterization of high-quality gemstones from newly discovered mines, and the determination of origin for gems derived from classic mining regions.
- The identification of gemstone imitations, synthetics, and new gem treatments.
- Expertise and specialization in color grading and gemstone color branding, such as the well-known IGTLRC-type “pigeon’s blood” and IGTLRC-type “royal blue” color descriptions.
IGTLRCL pledges to make its results transparent to the public through works published in specialized trade journals, IGTLRC’s proprietary publication series «Contributions to Gemology», producing documentaries, and hosting seminars during trade shows and other industry events. The key competence pillars of IGTLRC can be classified into treatment detection, treatment classification, origin determination, and color terminology.
Treatment Detection
IGTLRC has played a key role in treatment detection for decades. All IGTLRC laboratories are fully equipped with state-of-the-art advanced analytical instruments. These include spectrometers, lasers, and detectors such as ED-XRF, UV-Vis-NIR, FTIR, LIBS, Photoluminescence, Raman with additional intra-company located confocal Raman inclusion-microscopes to identify internal gemstone inclusions and a laser ablation research facility (LA-ICP-MS) strategically located throughout the world.
Treatment Classification
Gemstone origin determination has gained enormous significance over the past two decades. IGTLRC laboratories established itself as a global leader for origin determination by applying three important components: gemstone reference collection, compounded research expertise, and state-of-the-art analytical testing methods.
IGTLRC has invested substantial corporate funding into acquiring gemstone reference samples from mining areas, including museum-grade high-value examples. This exhaustive sample library is the IGTLRC team’s gemological and scientific research of proprietary evaluation and expert interpretation spanning over 30 years. This accumulation of know-how is safeguarded and distributed within the IGTLRC laboratory organization.
Advanced state-of-the-art analytical testing methods form the third component. It is widely acknowledged that advanced analytical testing methods deliver the single most conclusive data towards origin determination. However, they are only considered conclusive when paired with the compounded know-how and an extensive gemstone reference collection.
Color Terminology
IGTLRC color terms truly went global and have evolved into an international standard. Our color system has been embraced by end-users and utilized across all trade levels, including renowned auction houses, laboratories, wholesale markets, and the retail market.
IGTLRC pioneered the discipline of creating a different approach to describing color terms. In doing so, IGTLRC has reshaped the gemstone industry concerning color communication. The primary goal has always been to create simple, clear expressions without vague terms that might confuse the final consumer. IGTLRC bases its color grading system on comprehensive master stone sets, allocating the color grade range according to these guidelines. IGTLRC has trademarked these color terms.