To verify a gem report, go to the issuing lab's own website and enter the details printed on the report. Then compare the result with the paper and with the stone. A match shows that a report exists in the lab's records. The labs themselves say it does not prove everything.
TL;DR
Use the lab's site directly, and type the address yourself instead of following a seller's link.
Each lab asks for different details, listed below.
Gübelin and GRS both warn that online data is not a final proof.
A genuine report can still be out of date if the stone was altered after testing.
Where to Check a Report, Lab by Lab
Lab | Where | What you need |
|---|---|---|
GIA | The GIA report number | |
SSEF | The report number and the Prooftag reference number | |
Gübelin | The number and the code on the back. For reports issued before 2019 without a code, the number, date and weight | |
GRS | The details requested on the lab's form |
We did not find a public lookup tool on AGL's site, so for an AGL report, contact the lab directly. Lab tools change, so check each page for its current requirements.
What Each Lab Says About the Check
GIA says Report Check verifies that the information on your report matches what is archived in its database.
SSEF asks you to compare the Prooftag bubble label on the site with the one on your report, and says a report is valid only with its original signatures, stamps and label.
Gübelin says its online data is informational and non-binding, and may be incomplete or inaccurate. Its database covers documents under 10 years old, and only the unaltered original document is valid.
GRS says finding report data online does not guarantee the authenticity of the report you hold, and that some report data may not exist in its database. It says authentication requires the original report and a re-inspection of the stone.
The Five Checks to Run
Confirm the lab. Read the full lab name on the report and use that lab's own site.
Match the record. Compare the number, date and every detail the site shows with the paper.
Match the stone. Compare the weight, measurements, shape and color with the stone in front of you.
Read the date. The report describes the stone when it was examined.
Retest when the money justifies it. A new report from a recognized lab answers what a lookup cannot.
When a Genuine Report Is No Longer Accurate
In June 2026, SSEF warned that some emeralds are cleaned, tested and refilled after the report is issued, then sold with that report, according to National Jeweler. The report can be genuine and still fail to describe the stone being sold. SSEF told sellers to obtain a new report for a stone altered after testing. We explain the wording in Minor Oil Emerald and No Indications of Heating.
FAQ
What if the report number is not found? It does not settle the question on its own. GRS says some data may be missing from its database and asks you to contact it by email, and Gübelin's database covers documents under 10 years old. Contact the lab and treat the stone as unverified until it answers.
Does a matching report mean the stone is real? Not by itself. The report could belong to a different stone, so weight and measurements need to match, and only a re-examination settles it.
Which lab should I trust? See SSEF vs. Gübelin vs. GRS vs. GIA.
Useful Sources
Carat Brief is editorial and is not investment advice. Get sourced gem prices, free, every Tuesday.