Gem Passport
The Gübelin Gem Lab presents a new service for small rubies, blue sapphires and emeralds: the Gem Passport. This document leverages the achievements of Gemtelligence™, the deep-learning software developed by the Gübelin Gem Lab for the interpretation of analytical data. Gem Passports are based on a fully automated evaluation of the analytical data (spectra, chemistry) collected on a stone. The visual inspection by a trained gemmologist is reduced to a quick plausibility check.
Gem Passports contain the main identification features of a gemstone, i.e. species and variety, country of origin, and a simplified disclosure of the treatment status. Gem Passports are a genuine Gübelin Gem Lab product offered at a highly competitive price.
Due to its reduced testing protocol and the radically new way of data evaluation, the Gem Passport is a different product from a standard Gübelin Gem Lab Report. See the FAQ section below for the exact differences between the two services.
FAQ:
Q: For which stones can I get a Gem Passport?
A: Gem Passports are offered for faceted or polished, loose rubies, blue sapphires and emeralds up to 3.0 ct weight. This service is available at all our locations in Hong Kong, Luzern and New York.
Q: What is the difference between a Gem Passport and a standard Gemmological Report?
A: Gem Passports are A5-sized documents based on a fully automated evaluation of the analytical data (spectra, chemistry) collected from a stone. The visual inspection by a trained gemmologist is reduced to a quick plausibility check. No comprehensive description of the microscopic features is done, which is why the Gem Passport does not feature any signatures or the Gübelin Seal. Gem Passports use simplified wording for treatment (see below). Furthermore, Gem Passports do not include any quality and rarity additions, such as trade colours, ratings, appendices, information sheets, or rarity comments.
Q: How is treatment disclosed in Gem Passports?
A: Gem Passports basically apply a simple “present or absent” logic. For example, a ruby or sapphire is either heated or unheated, and an emerald either shows indications of clarity enhancement, or does not. Gem Passports do not specify the exact degree or extent of treatment. Also, cavity fillings in emeralds are not disclosed. In sapphires and rubies, treatments such as diffusion with external elements (e.g. beryllium, titanium, cobalt, chromium) and clarity enhancement with oil or resin, as well as clarity enhancement and stabilization with lead-glass or cobalt glass are neither assessed nor disclosed.
Q: What is the advantage of a Gem Passport over a standard Gemmological Report?
A: Gem Passports are available for a highly competitive fee of CHF 200, making them attractive for small stones, and those unlikely to receive a trade colour or a rarity attribute such as an appendix or a high rating score. Thanks to Gemtelligence, also gemstones of moderate value can get a genuine Gübelin Gem Lab document.
Q: Can I get a Gem Passport without origin?
A: Yes. This will reduce the Gem Passport fee from CHF 200 to CHF 150.
Q: Why is it so cheap?
A: The advantages of fully automated processing of the analytical data allow for a shorter testing pipeline, particularly by reducing the labor-intensive microscopic assessment, which in turn allows for a lower price.
Q: Why is it available for stones with a weight of up to 3.0 ct only?
A: This is a cautionary measure. We want to test the market and see how client and brands accept our new service.
Q: For emeralds, can I get the identification of the type of filler material (oil vs resin)?
A: By default, the Gem Passport does not assess or disclose the type of filling material in a clarity enhanced emerald. However, it can be determined for an additional CHF 100.
Q: For emeralds, can I get the exact extent of clarity enhancement (minor vs moderate)?
A: The Gem Passport only differentiates between the absence or presence of clarity enhancement, not its extent. Clients who want to determine the exact extent of clarity enhancement need to opt for an upgrade to a standard Gemmological Report.
Q: Can I update a Gem Passport , e.g. when I repolish the stone?
A: No, there is no recheck or reconsideration offered for Gem Passports.
Q: Can I upgrade a Gem Passport to a full Gemmological Report?
A: Such an upgrade is possible as long as the stone remains in our premises. The service fee for the Gem Passport will be waived, and the fee for the full Gemmological Report will apply. If the upgrade is requested within 3 months of the initial order, we deduct CHF 100 from the standard Report fee, provided the client returns the original Gem Passport. If an update is requested later, the standard Report fee applies.
Q: Are the results on the Gem Passport and a Gemmological Report always identical?
A: Due to the very different method of data evaluation, the results, particularly the country of origin and treatment status, can differ in rare cases. Also, the colour on the Gem Passport is disclosed slightly differently, stating only the main hue without mentioning any modifying hues.
Q: What about this small sticker on the Gem Passport that says “Powered by Gemtelligence”
A: The evaluation of the analytical data is fully handled by a novel, AI-based software, Gemtelligence, which we developed using tens of thousands of data points collected over decades in our lab. To emphasize that this task is performed by software and not a human expert, we add this sticker to all Gem Passport.
To see a specimen of a Gem Passport
Gem Passport Sapphire Specimen