As certain instruments return from a long-delayed maintenance abroad due to component pricing issues caused by the tariff situation in the US, some that still require maintenance have instead been replaced with newer advanced models that possess higher capacities of performance. (Kindly note that we currently do not offer gemological reports for rough or uncut rocks or minerals for 2025.)

A friendly reminder that our laboratory intentionally does not commercially buy or sell gemstones, nor are we connected to or affiliated with any currently active jewelry-selling business. While our in-house staff (G.G.) hold over a decade of prior experience in the jewelry trade, it remains our policy that no current employee of the laboratory engages in commercial gem trading with clients looking to have their items tested with us. We do this to actively prioritize impartiality in our professional assessments, as well as creating the absence of any vested interest in opinions, results or grading. 

We would like to deeply thank Biznews Asia Magazine for their recent 5-page spread feature on our gemological laboratory. In light of the ever-growing jewelry and gemstone trade, our team assists with the scientific identification and grading of diamonds and gemstones for collectors, jewelry brands and online retailers alike.




At the current time (for 2019), note that our laboratory has shifted focus to the examination of fully-cut, transparent gemstones, diamonds and jewelry only. We are not evaluating raw, rough or partially-cut gemstones for this year. In accordance with this direction, we now maintain many advanced instruments catering to the study and evaluation of fully faceted gemstone materials, including diamond, rubies, sapphires, emeralds, topaz, aquamarine, tourmaline, kunzite, peridot, alexandrite and many more species and varieties.

Our current scope of interest, is the polished / faceted diamond industry. Our gemological team members have undergone specific training and educational progress at the Gemological Institute of America in order to properly support the Philippine jewelry trade.




With the growing popularity of lab-grown or man-made stones becoming an issue for many jewelry buyers, we provide our own professional services to help them obtain more detailed information about their precious gemstones. We ourselves do not grow diamonds, we only perform the necessary tests to check and separate potentially lab-grown stones from a majority of natural counterparts. We also do not engage in the buying or selling of gemstones, in order to maintain no vested interest towards any gemstone examined at our laboratory.

We carefully examine fully finished-cut diamonds, whether these are mounted or loose- using highly-advanced testing instruments such as photoluminescence-based spectrometers, and gemological equipment such as gem refractometers, spectroscopes and many others.

When jewelry stores, gemstone dealers, or even your friends talk about these documents, what do they mean exactly? Here's a little bit of knowledge for you to familiarize yourself with one of the gem trade's most commonly used terminologies.



The term diamond certificate commonly refers to a specific gemological report that illustrates and defines the species, variety, grading and characteristics of a particular stone. For diamonds, laboratories like Gemcamp employ graduate gemologists from some of the world's top gemological schools, in order to properly identify and evaluate a stone. This is important because aside from influencing the monetary value equivalent of a diamond, gemological report grades also help you identify your stone and separate it from others.

Diamond reports contain particular information sections like the exact carat weight of a stone, down to one or two decimal places. A carat is one fifth of a gram, so this measurement is precise enough to serve as a good means for ID'ing your diamond. In light of frequent reports about jewelry theft, especially in Metro Manila, it always helps to have anything that can add more support to the identification of your property. Gemological reports can also describe and plot the specific 'inclusions' and blemishes' on a diamond, which are sort of like its fingerprints in terms of uniqueness. Many diamonds can be matched to their reports simply by checking the plot drawing against their actual appearance under a 10x loupe or microscope.

A diamond certificate or report, serves as a gemstone's ID card, to help buyers, sellers and jewelry owners to gain assurance and security against possible item fraud.

Laboratories must be properly equipped with the right instrumentation to properly identify and grade stones. Diamonds are compared against calibrated 'master stones' to determine a color grade. Likewise, only an experienced gemologist who has seen several hundred stones can efficiently determine grades for clarity and cut.

Note that there is a distinct difference in gemological reports issued by professional laboratories versus fancy-clad certificates that come free with the purchase of a jewelry item from a store. Laboratories conduct thorough testing without any motivational gain from the type of results that are given, making them immune to bias and completely objective. They do not sell you gemstones or try to convince you to buy something from their owners. Everything is about honest and open disclosure, for the client's knowledge and benefit only.



Software and instrumentation that measures reactions to photoluminescence are also needed to separate natural diamonds from man-made or 'cultured' diamonds, which are atomically same, but grown artificially in a lab. Man-made diamonds, despite their chemistry, do not possess the same value as natural diamonds. As of 2017, man-made diamonds produced by chemical vapor deposition sell for about 40% of a natural diamond's value (assuming the same grades). This data was taken from international jewelry trade fairs by the Gemcamp laboratory's gemological research team.

If you want to be certain about your gemstone's identity and value, find a reputable gemology lab and schedule a visit. Having reports made for your gemstones also gives them a 'report card', with grades similar to the ones we used to receive in school. This document can help you sell or liquidate your stones by providing clients with an essential third-party documentation of your item, dismissing bias and promoting a fair and ethical transaction. Gemcamp laboratories serves the Philippine public as one of the most modern laboratory facilities that helps people identify, grade and document their jewelry possessions today.

Note that diamond certificates and gemological reports are products of private institutions subject to limitations and restrictions. Each laboratory or institution may abide by a different set of policies and requirements.

The world's 5th largest diamond to-date has just been uncovered at Lesotho's famous Letšeng mine. The rough piece, weighing in at 910 carats was said to be about the same size as two golf balls put together. Experts on call had determined the newly unearthed diamond to be worth around 40 million dollars. Its quality evaluation showed a D-color grade following the D-Z color scale that was originally standardized by the Gemological Institute of America.

The rare find was also labelled to be a Type II diamond (containing no measurable impurities like trace percentages of nitrogen atoms). Only 1 to 2 percent of all natural diamonds found are Type II stones.

The Letšeng mine is owned by Gem Diamonds which is a British-based diamond mining business that operates on an international trade scale. Since the company's acquisition of the mine back in 2006, the operation has found some of the world's largest diamond specimens, including the 603 carat Lesotho Promise.

This new diamond is the largest that the mine has ever produced, and will most likely be on its way to an auction house event or high visibility sale within the year. Stocks in the company have risen as an immediate result of the event, and just after news of 100+ carat stones also being found during the previous week.

It's landmark addition to the world's gemological record book, follows other giants like the 1,109-carat Lucara diamond, the 995-carat Excelsior, and the 969-carat Sierra Leone.



Pictured above is one of the other record-holders1109 carat Lesedi La Rona diamond, on view at a Sotheby's event in New York.

While gemology is an increasingly important field of study in many western countries, its presence here in the Philippines is still young. Many of the jewelry-buying clientele often express their frustrations to us regarding their own possessions, which occasionally have turned out to be imitation stones or synthetic counterparts of other stones. We here at the laboratory, help them to identify, grade, verify and appraise their diamonds and gemstones so that they can obtain assurance in what it is they have.



A common issue that occurs at the lab, is a blunt confusion between simulants (lookalike material), synthetics (atomically same, but man-made material) and natural (earth-mined) gemstones. This is something that our gemologists try to explain to evert client who seeks reassurance in their own understanding of gemstone classifications.

Many also seek information regarding cultured pearls. What are they? Are these pearls not natural? Does it mean that if they were grown by man, they don't possess the same value as wild-caught pearls? We've talked a bit about cultured pearls in a previous blog article, detailing how 99% of the fine pearl jewelry market is actually made up of cultured pearls from the 4 major species- South Sea, Tahitian, Akoya and Freshwater types. Cultured pearls can range from being commercial in value (such as rice pearl strands) to very expensive in cost (such as 25mm Golden South Sea strands). Just because someone says that a strand of pearls is "cultured", it does not possess a high value. Many of today's most illustrious pearl necklaces come from cultured pearl farms. This is different from 'cultured gemstones or diamonds', in the sense that cultured pearls still require the participation of host oysters or mollusks, who provide a very biologically-random factor in their production, making rarity and scarcity a prominently residing issue.

Gemology is a Science that Safeguards the Public Trust Within the Jewelry Sector, However Not Everyone is Aware of Its Growing Benefits for Gemstone Buyers.

Synthetic, a.k.a. man made diamonds are also something that many people here in Metro Manila want to ask about. What does gemology say about these stones that have essentially the same chemical composition and structure as their natural diamond counterparts. Well, these stones can be easily identified by gemological equipments, but not with the naked eye. It's always best to have your stones checked with an independent gem laboratory for the best safety assurance. Standard diamond or moissanite testers will not be able to detect these stones, which currently retail at around 40% of the value stated for their equivalently graded natural counterparts.

Some clients this year were also puzzled at the presence of multi-colored versions of traditionally known gemstones. Sapphires for instance, are not always blue. They can be orange, yellow, pink, white, green among many other colors. Tourmaline, Topaz and Garnet can also come in many diverse colors, breaking the common misconception that these gemstones can be identified more easily by the specific color they're popularized in. Gemology takes into consideration, the scientific mineralogical properties that can be observed in the stones themselves. This is how we are able to help clients find certainty in the identity of their materials.

We are also planning to hold gemological workshops here in the Quezon City laboratory office (Philippines) come June. If you are interested in knowing more, or reserving a slot in the pending schedule, please inquire with our receptionist or gemologists on our facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/gemcamplab

Everyone's searching for that special ring that speaks volumes about how much they love their partners. It's not so easy to think of something original and meaningful these days, due to all the over-commercializing that goes on in the Philippine jewelry industry. Gemcamp's gemologists took interest in this because of all the people having their loose diamonds evaluated at the laboratory. Many of them express the desire to find the 'perfect' setting, although are admittedly having trouble finding something that looks different enough to be unique, yet elegant enough to be considered as treasured jewelry.

An engagement ring, just like a pair of wedding bands, is something that you should choose with your heart. It doesn't always have to be something overly fancy or expensive, just special and extraordinary to the both of you. Stories are the best kinds of treasures, and jewelry that reminds you of your stories will surely be much more appreciated than anything else, even after the marriage ceremony.

1. A Modernist Classic - Creative Fancy Shaped Solitaires

Everyone seems to believe that round diamonds are the most favored among women, but recent studies have shown that today's younger generations prefer different orientations when it comes to their own personal diamond jewelry. Experimenting with fancy cut diamonds, like the sideways pear shape, the Asscher cut or triangular brilliant stones can add a little more character to your proposal ring, and yet not stray too far away from tradition.

2. Alternate Gemstones - Using Sapphires, Pearls and Rubies Instead of Diamonds

Princess Diana's famous engagement ring had a bright blue sapphire at its center, instead of a white diamonds like people would usually expect. Hers was a special kind of ring that accentuated her love for the vivid ocean color. Such a trend has been increasing, as we often see engagement rings forego the typical diamond center, in favor of intensely colored rubies and sapphires. Pearls have also been a popular choice for alternative gemstones, as it deeply associates itself with nature and the graceful promise of romance.

3. Her Personal Sign - Constellations, Zodiacs and Symbols

Whether it's naming a star after someone, or simply remembering her zodiac sign, it makes a big difference when we add a special element of individuality to our gestures of love. Some people have found the prospect of constellation jewelry to be beautifully ethereal, using them as engagement rings to highlight the significant importance of their partner's existence throughout their life stories.

4. Saying I Love You - Voice Recordings Turned into Jewelry

A fairly new, but original idea- was to convert sound-waves into physical shapes for jewelry creation. Every person has a different pitch, tone and volume when they say 'I love you' to their partners. This unique fact allows soundscape rings to depict a sense of uniqueness and creativity, with none having a duplicate in the entirety of history. This is one way to preserve the that special feeling you take in, as the person you treasure the most reminds you that they love you.

5. A Shared Passion - Hobbies that Transcend Traditions

We've seen many younger couples gush about how much they love a certain series, or franchise. Be it Star trek, Pokemon or Jurassic Park. Many wedding themes and songs are actually drawn up from passions that the couple shares together. So given this, why not make it official with your very own memento of double geekiness. Wedding rings that show the world your true unhidden natures as fans of something, and of each other.

6. What Makes You, You - Fingerprint Embossed Rings

What better to share with your lover, than a part of yourself that no one else can copy. A fingerprint marked engagement ring says more about you than words can describe. It conveys to your partner that you are willing to join your lives together, down to even the tiniest parts. Some couples have wedding rings made using a combination of both their fingerprints, creating another original treasure that each can carry with them wherever they go.

7. Homemade Creativity - Creating Your Rings Together

Not everyone is a jeweler or knows how to work with precious metals, but lately the usage of gold and silver clays have allowed people to express their creativity as artists through their originally-made jewelry. Freeform and contemporary-styled engagement rings are quite popular these days, and what could be better than rings that are created from scratch, with the intent of true love that lasts a lifetime.




If you're still looking for another way to acquire special wedding rings, we've heard that some celebrity couples forego jewelry entirely and just have the imprint of rings tattooed on their ring fingers. This is actually quite sweet, as the permanence of marriage can be seen through the gesture. Not everyone would be willing to get a tattoo though, pointy needles and all.

Across history, the smartest investors have always diversified their portfolios. From stocks, bonds and real estate to equities in startups or even established blue-chip brands. Good investing requires an eye for prediction, which human beings aren't always blessed with. Even the veterans who have been investing for decades cannot prepare for every possible outcome in the Philippine's often volatile markets. This is why hard assets are often a part of their go-to investment selections.




Diamonds and gemstones, along with precious materials like gold and platinum, are examples of hard assets that have the added benefit of portability. Diamond's value-per-size ratio is so large that the right stone can be worth as much as a private mansion, and yet fit snuggly in between your fingers.

Today, we wanted to have a better look at a specific sector of the diamond market that has the industry buzzing. Natural, Fancy-colored diamonds are not as commonly seen in the boutique windows of most Metro Manila jewellers, or even retailers from Makati city. These gemstones can sometimes command higher prices compared to their colorless counterparts.




In 2008, the economic turndown experienced by several countries, affected gold prices by 30% and colorless diamond prices by 20%, both in the negative. Fancy colored diamonds however did not depreciate in value, and continue to appreciate instead. The counter-argument to this is that the market for fancy colored diamonds is much smaller in population quantity, due to a combination of high prices, item awareness and rare availability.

There is currently an established grading system in place for every hue of the stone, which was pioneered by the Gemological Institute of America- the educational institution where our gemologists here at Gemcamp learned their trade. The criteria for grading the color of these gemstones is very strict, and can measurably distinguish different saturation levels and qualities.



Fancy-colored diamonds are some of the highest value hard assets that people keep in order to to diversify and protect their personal wealth storage.

Pinks and blues are typically the most in-demand colors at the moment, however due to more affordable prices- yellow diamonds are a constant forerunner in the industry as well. Diamonds that have hues of yellow, gray, and brown often possess prices that are identical or less than their counterpart colorless diamond's. This is considering equivalent clarity and carat sizes.

All other hues (not including black) usually possess prices that are higher than their colorless counterpart's. The Argyle mine in Australia is famous for producing the largest quantites of vibrantly pink diamonds and elegant chocolate-brown diamonds. Some colors like red are so rare that even a small stone, such as one that was 2-4 carats in size, could essentially fetch up to millions of dollars at auction.

Most colored diamonds are much more expensive than other colored gemstone varieties like ruby or sapphire. Despite this, a majority of them possess lighter tones and saturation intensities. Couple this fact with a greater rarity, and you'll get a very exclusive market that is mostly made up of connoisseurs, collectors, investors and buyers who know more about the gemstone industry than the average onlooker.

If you'd like to have your colored diamond checked, our experienced team here at the Gemcamp lab office in Quezon City would be happy to meet you for an appointment.

Red diamonds have always been some of the rarest and most beautiful variants of diamond. It ranks as one of the top picks in price and exclusivity, when pit against other fancy colors of the gem, such as the more common- pinks, yellows and browns. Today we're taking a look at another legendary gemstone, making its way into the archival records of our jewelry industry.

This 2.11 ct. radiant-cut fancy red diamond, is simply ethereal in its brilliance and splendor. Named the "Argyle Everglow", it has recently been acquired by Optimum Diamonds LLC, for an undisclosed amount, along with winning another lot from the tender- the "Argyle Liberte", a 0.91 ct. violet colored diamond.

Many wonder about the current jewelry preferences of budding Filipino collectors and style aficionados from across the urban landscape. Most might tell you that common knowledge dictates diamond to stand out as a wide-spread favorite among the socialites of Metro Manila's bustling gala scene. This has been true for decades to be fair, and yet nowadays there are more and more people coming into the laboratory seeking help with assessing their colored stone jewelry items. We've been seeing rubies, sapphires, emeralds, jade, aquamarine, tanzanite and many other illustrious varieties of gemstone material. Occasionally some of them turn out to be synthetic after careful examination by our GIA graduate gemologists, however the ones that hold their identities as natural gems, are then also tested for the presence of treatments or enhancements. Procedures that improve the apparent clarity or color of gems, are a recurring observation in many of the commercial-to-mid quality stones we take into the laboratory.






Colored stone grading, unlike diamond grading, is a little less universally standardized in comparison. Despite this, a general consensus equates that stones of a more intense saturation, belonging to certain hues (and with more appealing tones) usually trend higher in the pricing scale. At the laboratory, we make use of the alphanumerical codes taught to gemologists at the Gemological Institute of America, each code represents a color-influencing trait of a gemstone. 'vslbG' for example, is an acronym for 'very slightly bluish green', one of the 27 possible hues assigned to gems on our report. Tone on the other hand, is depicted as a single digit number, ranging from 2 (very light) to 8 (very dark). Similarly, saturation stands on a scale as well, with grades ranging from 1 (grayish or brownish) to 6 (vivid). These three color trait indicators, give us guidance on how to properly evaluate the worth of colored stones, in coordination with other aspects like clarity, cut and carat weight.





At the laboratory, based in Quezon City, our G.G,'s are specifically trained to accommodate concerns from both the local and international gem trade. We provide assistance with gemstone identification in two forms- verbally delivered results or printed gemological reports. There are instances where people just want to find out or gain personal assurance about the identity of their item, and do not need printed documentation. Verbal results will save them on time and laboratory fees.





If you're in the area of Metro Manila, or nearby, and need your jewelry items examined for authenticity, please drop us a message on Facebook to schedule an appointment with one of our experienced gemologists.

Half a decade ago, there were issues that began plaguing the international jewelry trade, hitting it's most lucrative market- diamond jewelry buyers. Synthetic, a.k.a. man-made or cultured diamonds, have been around for quite a while now, however these days the manufacturers have already mastered the quality and size creation necessary to rival the representation of most natural high grade diamonds.