SSEF, Gübelin, GRS and GIA all issue reports on colored stones, but they differ in age, structure and in how they use trade color terms. We do not rank them. Most comparisons online come from dealers or forums, so this page keeps to what we could check on the labs' own pages.
TL;DR
GIA dates from 1931, Gübelin's lab from 1923, SSEF from 1972 and GRS from 1996.
SSEF and Gübelin harmonized their pigeon blood and royal blue standards.
GRS labels its own terms as GRS-type pigeon's blood and GRS-type royal blue.
A color term from one lab may not rest on the same criteria as the same words from another.
The Four Labs Side by Side
Lab | Founded | Status and base | Noted on its own pages |
|---|---|---|---|
SSEF | 1972 | Non-profit foundation set up by Swiss jewellery trade organizations, Basel | Reports identify stones and give no commercial valuation |
Gübelin Gem Lab | 1923 | Independent subsidiary of the Gübelin Group. Labs in Lucerne, Hong Kong, Bangkok and New York | Also offers Gemstone Ratings, scored from 75 to 100 points |
GRS GemResearch Swisslab | 1996 | Founded by Dr. Adolf Peretti. Labs in Switzerland, with offices listed in France, Hong Kong, Thailand and the US | Uses GRS-type pigeon's blood and royal blue |
GIA | 1931 | Public benefit nonprofit, headquartered in Carlsbad, California, with labs in several cities | Colored stone reports describe cut, weight, measurements and color, with a photo |
SSEF, Gübelin and GIA are named on the wording sheets of the Laboratory Manual Harmonisation Committee, along with CISGEM, GAAJ-Zenhokyo and GIT. Those sheets, dated 2010 to 2012, set shared terms for treatments, such as no indications of heating and F1 to F3 on emerald. GRS is not named on those sheets, so read the terms on a GRS report using GRS's own definitions.
Pigeon Blood and Royal Blue Are Not Universal Grades
The same words can come with different definitions. Gübelin says that it and SSEF harmonized their standards for pigeon blood red and royal blue. It describes an intense, saturated and homogeneous color defined by masterstones. It also says these terms are for fine stones without modification of color or clarity, so heating or fissure filling rules them out.
GRS writes its terms as GRS-type pigeon's blood and GRS-type royal blue. We found no published side-by-side test of GRS's criteria against the Swiss harmonized standard, so we make no claim about which is stricter. Dealers and forums do make that claim, without primary evidence that we could verify.
How to Choose Between Reports
Start with the question. Identity, treatment, origin and color term are separate findings, so check that the report you are paying for covers the one you need.
Check what the market in front of you expects. Ask the auction house or the buyer before you pay for a report.
Read the exact wording. A lab name on a listing tells you little until you have read the report and verified it.
In high-end sales, stones can carry more than one report. The 22.28 ct Kashmir sapphire we covered in our founding edition sold with both SSEF and Gübelin reports.
FAQ
Which is better, SSEF or Gübelin? We do not rank labs. They have harmonized their pigeon blood and royal blue standards, and both name themselves on the shared LMHC wording.
Is GRS the same as SSEF or Gübelin? No. It is a separate lab, founded in 1996, and it labels its color terms as GRS-type.
Does a lab report give the value of a stone? SSEF says its reports do not provide commercial valuations. Check any other report for what it covers.
Useful Sources
Carat Brief is editorial and is not investment advice. Get sourced gem prices, free, every Tuesday.