AIGS Lab

[spinel]

Is Asian Institute of Gemological Sciences (AIGS, based in Bangkok) well equiped to face the color gem treatment war? How do you compare it with AGTA or GIA lab? Thanks. Spinel

 

[bar01]

I am still learning too - but here are my thoughts. There are a number of well known accepted labs for determining treatment of colored stones:


AGTA
AGL
AIGS
GIA
PGS
GGL
SSEF

In the United States it appears that AGTA is the most widely used/accepted lab for determining if a stone has been treated or not. However, they do not do any kind of color/quality evaluation. AGL is also well known here in the US and does a complete analysis - treatment, color, quality, etc. I do not believe GIA does tests directly, but you have to go through an independent GIA GG person with a lab (Like Richard Sherwood) who can examine quality, treatment and even origin.

I don't know if other labs like AIGS are "better" than AGTA in determining if a stone has been treated or not.

If I buy an fine untreated stone I would want the seller to provide an AGTA certification and then I would get my own independent GIA GG lab evaluation/appraisal to back it up. Kind of a belts and suspenders approach.

 

[CaptAubrey]

aigs is probably the best lab in asia. being based in bangkok, they have been on the front lines of the corundum treatment wars for a long time.

 

[Richard Sherwood]

I'm not personally familiar with AIGS's work other than a report here and there over the years, but I have seen references that suggest they are an excellent lab.

Mogok would probably know best.

Mogok, you there?

 

[Richard Sherwood]

as well as Capt Aubrey

 

[yowahking]

AIGS is a good lab, an American is the director. They are not always looking for treatments unless you ask for it, that is a challenge. Much has changed just in the last 6 months since I was there, but will use them again when I am there in Sept. They are pretty quick and pretty cheap. Be very careful about another lab used on the internet called AIG. I just saw an example yesterday that some of you appraisers would love. 30cts of oval emerald oval shapes, 7x5 with huge variations in depth. Pretty consistent horrible quality. They type you see on paper plates at shows for $1-10 per ct. Perfect for any fish tank. THey were sold with the tag line that you could make money selling them to jewelers and appraised by AIG at $3000. The customer only paid $300 which is the high end of what they are worth wholesale $10 pct and not sure if there is a retail market for them outside of hobbyists. The customer was pretty frustrated that non jeweler wanted them.

 

[Flawless]

I am based in Bangkok, and I can assure you that, AIGS is best equipped and right on spot on all different kinds of treatments being churned out by magician Thai heaters in Chantaburi as well as Bangkok.

My customers from all over the world accept the certs by AIGS and going has been quite smooth so far.

Being in Thailand all my life, never got an opportunity to have a GIA or AGTA cert for my colored stones, so I would refrain myself from giving any comments or comparisons between them.

But, in Thailand how many people care for the certs on their colored stones by GIA or AGTA, I wonder !

Maybe, Mogok can shed more light on the subject.

 

[mogok]

Hello,
Well if you want more informations about AIGS laboratory you can go to see their website that I've just finished to upgrade...
AIGS website

For the rest to my opinion (but you know that I work at the AIGS laboratory...) The level of the lab is very good. The gemologists there have a lot of experience and the lab own several advanced instruments that are very rare in Asian laboratories: FTIR, UV-Vis, EDXRF, Raman...
The strong point of our lab is the number of color gemstones (treated or not) that we see everyday and the facilities we have to enquiry about new things. For many labs outside Thailand it is difficult for the gemologists to have access to first hand informations and see enought stones to build their skills. In AIGS Bangkok we dont have this problem.

By the way, about treatments, in few days I will add to the website photo database a photo report about heat treatment and some interesting photos about sapphire heated or not from the Pailin area.

All the best,

 

[spinel]

Thank you all. Spinel.

 

[Richard Sherwood]

-----------
By the way, about treatments, in few days I will add to the website photo database a photo report
about heat treatment and some interesting photos about sapphire heated or not from the Pailin area.
-----------

Looking forward to that, Mogok. Which website are you referring to?

 

[mogok]

Hello Richard,
The photos will be visible on AIGS website of course at the following link:
AIGS school photo gallery
Currently I've just finished to post all the photos for the main Pailin gallery but I will then in few days (But I leave to France tonight) upload the photo galleries from the jungle trip to the mine on the top of the volcano operated by Burmese miners and also the photo gallery about the traditional heat treatment of Pailin sapphire.
The links will just appear in this page in few days.
If you are interested by the inclusion photographs, you will be able to see the photos at the following link:
AIGS laboratory inclusion gallery

there are already some photos of Pailin sapphire but much more will be added with an interesting comparison of the inclusions from the same stone before and after the treatment.

Hoping that you will enjoy all that!
All the best,

 

[Cave Keeper]

Mogok, your AIGS is getting more interesting. Especially the Jewellery Design Course. Wonder when they are going to teach faceting and setting. I'd be especially interested in setting ammolites in gold.

 

[mogok]

Well I dont think thqt AIGS will teach about gem cutting and setting as there are several very cheap school here in Bangkok. Currently 4 AIGS students are studying gem cutting after their AIGS classes: 4 months course for 80 dollars (but they have to buy their rough... Which is not a problem in Bangkok) and the school is 200 meters from AIGS building...

All the best,

 

[Richard Sherwood]

Mogok, I will live vicariously through your travel posts whilst I lift a beer to you from my lazyboy recliner.