Gemstone checking and gemstone certification in Kuala Lumpur
Bring your stone to our Publika gallery and we will tell you what it is. When you need it in writing, we can arrange a formal certificate.
Book a gemstone checkService 1 · In-house, at Publika
Gemstone checking at Publika
Our gemologists will examine your stone at our Publika gallery and talk you through what they see. This is a preliminary, verbal assessment carried out in our gallery during your visit, not a written report. It is the right first step for almost any stone, whether it is a family piece, a purchase from elsewhere, or a stone you are thinking of buying.
Identity indication
Our view of what the stone is likely to be: ruby, sapphire, spinel, emerald, or a simulant or synthetic.
Natural or treated indication
Whether we see signs of treatment such as heating, fracture filling or diffusion.
Is a certificate worthwhile?
An honest view on whether a written certificate is worth the cost for this stone.
Fee: RM20 per gemstone. Walk in during gallery hours, or plan your visit and WhatsApp ahead so a gemologist is free when you arrive.
Book a gemstone checkService 2 · Written certificate
Written gemstone certification
When you need a formal record of what your stone is, we send it for testing and a written certificate is issued by our associated gemological laboratory in Singapore. A certificate documents identity, natural or synthetic status, treatment findings and, where possible, an opinion on origin.
Fee: RM250 per certificate. Turnaround: 3 to 5 business days.
Our relationship with the certifying laboratory
The laboratory that issues our certificates is an associated company of Safir. Its certificates are therefore not independent of us, and we do not describe them as independent.
This matters most when the stone is one we are selling to you, and we want you to know it before you decide.
What the certificate contains
- Report number and date of issue
- Species and variety
- Natural or synthetic
- Treatment findings, or a statement that no indications of treatment were detected
- Carat weight and measurements
- Shape and cutting style
- Colour description
- An origin opinion, where one can be given
- A photograph of the stone
- Comments and limitations that apply to the findings
How a stone is assessed
- Intake. We note what you know about the stone: where and when it was acquired, and any paperwork that came with it.
- Examination in the gallery. One of our gemologists examines the stone under magnification, using standard gemological instruments. This is the basis of a gemstone check.
- Our view, in plain language. We tell you what the evidence indicates, what it cannot tell us, and whether further testing is worthwhile.
- Laboratory testing, if you choose. For a written certificate, the stone is sent to our associated laboratory in Singapore.
Scope and limitations
Mounted stones
A setting hides parts of the stone and prevents some measurements and tests. We can check mounted stones, but findings are more limited, and an origin opinion is rarely possible. For a full certificate we may suggest removing the stone first; our repair and redesign services can unset and reset it for you.
Very small stones
Below a certain size, some tests are not practical and the cost of a certificate can outweigh the value of the stone. We will tell you when that is the case.
Origin is an opinion, not a determination
Geographic origin, such as Burma (Myanmar), Sri Lanka or Colombia, cannot be proven from a stone alone. A certificate gives an origin opinion, where one can be given. For many stones the evidence is inconclusive and no opinion is given. Treat any origin statement, from any laboratory, as expert opinion.
Why testing matters
You cannot reliably distinguish a natural gemstone from a synthetic, or an untreated stone from a treated one, by sight alone. Even experienced gemologists require laboratory equipment to be certain.
Our guide to what natural and untreated really mean explains why this matters for value. Every stone in our natural gemstone collection is sold with its treatment status disclosed, and can be checked or certified on request. If you need to know what a piece is worth, see our gemstone and jewellery valuation service.
Frequently asked questions
Bring us your stone.
Our gemologists are at Publika, Monday to Saturday, 12pm to 8pm. Walk in, or WhatsApp us first to tell us what you have. How to find us.
Book a gemstone check