Gemstone identifier
Gemstone identifier: is your stone real, and what is it worth?
Gemstone identifier for loose stones and rings: upload a photo to see the likely gem, whether it looks natural, synthetic or treated, a conservative value range, and whether a lab report is worth it.
The result
What the gemstone identifier report shows
One stone or one ring per photo, read in this order: what it is, how it was made, what it is worth, and what to do next.
The most likely gemstone, with how confident the match is, and the stones it is most often confused with.
The signs the photo shows of a lab-grown stone, a treatment or an imitation, each with its confidence.
Color, clarity and cut as the image shows them, and an approximate carat weight when the photo has something for scale.
A conservative range based on the market, retail and resale apart, with the source and the date of the results. Never an offer.
Whether a lab report is worth its fee, what resale to expect, and where to go next.
- Keep it
- Get a lab report
- See an appraiser
- Sell it
Method
How the gemstone identifier works
- 01
Upload a clear photo
Daylight, no flash, face up on a plain background; for a ring, a three-quarter angle that shows the setting. A coin or a ruler beside it gives the size.
- 02
It identifies the gem
The most likely gemstone and its look-alikes, from the color, the luster, the cut and what the photo shows inside the stone.
- 03
It looks for synthetic, treated or imitation
Signs of a lab-grown stone, heat, glass filling or dye, and of glass or cubic zirconia sold as something else.
- 04
It estimates quality and value
Color, clarity and cut from the image, then a conservative retail and resale range from the market.
- 05
You get an action plan
Keep it, get a lab report, see an appraiser or sell it: the report says which, and what to bring.
Reference
How to tell if a gemstone is real: natural, synthetic, treated or imitation
Real or fake is really four questions. A gem can be natural, grown in a lab, treated, or an imitation made of something else, and each changes its value.
- Natural
- Formed by geological processes and mined. Even natural gems are often treated to improve their color or clarity.
- Synthetic, or lab-grown
- The same material as the natural gem: a lab-grown diamond is pure carbon with the same chemical and physical properties as a mined one. Labs tell them apart with instruments.
- Treated
- A natural stone whose color or clarity was improved by heating, irradiation, dyeing, oiling or filling. The type and extent of treatment can affect its value.
- Imitation, or simulant
- A different material that looks like the gem. The most common diamond simulants are high-leaded glass, known as rhinestones, and cubic zirconia.
Source: Wikipedia (Gemstone; Synthetic diamond; Diamond simulant), as of
Reference
How to tell if a ruby is real: what sets a real ruby apart
Ruby is the red variety of the mineral corundum, colored by chromium. These are the facts the ruby check reads from the photo, and the ones that need a gemologist.
- Silk
Natural rubies have imperfections, including needle-like rutile inclusions called silk. Gemologists use them to tell natural rubies from synthetics, simulants and substitutes.
- Too clean can be a clue
A ruby with no needle-like inclusions at all may have been treated.
- Heat treatment
Almost all rubies are treated in some form, most often by heat. Untreated rubies of high quality command a large premium.
- Glass filling
Fractures filled with lead glass make a ruby far more transparent. Such fillings are fairly easy to detect.
- Red spinel
Red spinel is sometimes found with ruby and can be mistaken for it. The Black Prince's Ruby in the British Imperial State Crown is a spinel.
- Hardness
Ruby is 9 on the Mohs scale: among natural gems, only moissanite and diamond are harder.
Source: Wikipedia (Ruby; Gemstone), as of
Reference
How much is a 1 carat diamond ring worth? What sets the price
There is no single price for a carat. The diamond's four Cs and whether it is natural or lab-grown decide it, so the valuation reads each one; the metal of the setting is for a jeweler.
- Carat
A unit of mass: one carat is 200 milligrams, divided into 100 points.
- The four Cs
Carat, cut, color and clarity: the basic descriptors of a diamond, set out by the Gemological Institute of America in 1953.
- Price per carat
It rises with carat weight, and not in a straight line: it jumps at milestone weights, so a stone just under one carat can cost less per carat than one just over.
- Clarity
Inclusions graded under 10x magnification. Diamonds with no inclusion visible to the eye are called eye-clean.
- Natural or lab-grown
A lab-grown diamond is chemically, physically and optically a diamond. Labs such as GIA and IGI laser-inscribe the girdle of the lab-grown diamonds they certify, visible at 10x.
- Total carat weight
On a ring with more than one stone, t.c.w. is the weight of all the diamonds together, not of the center stone.
Source: Wikipedia (Diamond (gemstone); Carat (mass); Synthetic diamond), as of
Reference
Engagement ring value: retail and resale
The same ring has different values for different jobs. The gemstone identifier says which one it is estimating.
- Retail
What similar stones cost new in a shop.
- Resale
What buyers have paid for similar stones on the secondhand market.
- The stones, not the metal
The value range covers the stones the photo shows. The gold or platinum is not valued: its weight and purity need a jeweler.
- Paperwork
A grading report or a receipt that states the weight and the grades narrows the value more than any photo; keep it for the jeweler.
Photos
How to photograph a gemstone or ring
Clear photos give the best results. These guides take a minute and work for loose stones and rings.
- Daylight, no flashNear a window, out of direct sun. Flash gives a very harsh light and loses the shadows.
- Face up, or three-quarter for a ringA loose stone face up; a ring at a three-quarter angle that shows the stone and the setting in one photo.
- Something for sizeA ruler or a coin beside the stone shows how big it is, which the carat estimate needs.
- A plain white backgroundA clean sheet of white paper keeps the picture uncluttered and helps get the color balance right.
- Fill the frameGet close enough that the stone fills most of the photo, still sharp: the color and the inclusions are what it reads.
- Keep the paperworkA receipt or a lab report that states the weight narrows the value more than any photo; keep it for the jeweler.
Scope
What the gemstone identifier can and cannot tell
A photo can show
- The likely gem and the stones it is confused with
- Signs of a synthetic, a treatment or an imitation that show in a photo
- Color, clarity and cut as the image shows them
- A conservative retail and resale range
- Whether a lab report or an appraisal looks worth its cost
Only an expert with it in hand can tell
- Prove a stone is natural or untreated: a gem lab can test for it
- Every treatment: some need a lab's instruments
- The exact carat weight, and so the exact price
- The weight and purity of the gold or platinum
A gem type alone does not say what a stone is worth. This identifier adds natural or synthetic, a conservative value range and what to do next.
Next
After the gemstone identifier
The action plan points to one of these.
- 01
Get a lab report for a valuable stone
A gem lab identifies the material and the treatments it can detect, and reports a lab-grown diamond as lab-grown. Bring the identifier's notes and photos.
- 02
See a credentialed appraiser
For insurance or a sale, an appraiser who examines the piece in hand puts the value in writing. Ask what the fee covers before you go.
- 03
Ask the seller in writing
Before you buy, ask whether the stone is natural or lab-grown and whether it was heated, filled or dyed.
- 04
Keep it in your collection
Keep the photos, the notes and any certificate together, so the next jeweler sees what you know.
A gemstone value estimate is not an appraisal
The estimate is a starting point for a talk with a jeweler, a gemologist or a buyer, not a written appraisal. An in-person appraisal examines the piece physically. Before you insure, sell or buy a valuable stone, have it tested in person: a gem lab report or a credentialed appraiser settles what a photo cannot. Trying the form is free: your first checks need no card and no account.
Limits
What a gemstone identifier cannot promise
Values are conservative estimates from the market, not an offer, an appraisal or a certificate. A photo cannot prove a stone is natural or untreated: a gem lab can test for it. We do not buy or sell stones or jewelry.
FAQ
Gemstone identifier questions
How do I identify a gemstone I found?
Upload a clear photo in daylight, face up on a plain background. The identifier names the most likely gem and its look-alikes. A rough stone found outdoors may be a rock or a crystal first: what type of rock is this? is the check for that.
How can I tell a real gemstone from a synthetic?
Often you cannot by eye: a lab-grown stone is the same material as a natural one. The identifier flags the signs a photo can show, and a gem lab settles it with instruments.
Is gemstone identification from a photo reliable?
It narrows the answer and says how confident it is. Look-alikes such as ruby and red spinel can need a gemologist's tests, and the report says when.
Can the gemstone identifier get a stone wrong?
It can, and the report shows when it might: each match comes with how confident it is and the stones it is most often confused with. Glass and cubic zirconia can pass for diamond in a photo, and red spinel for ruby, so when the confidence is low, take the stone to a jeweler or a gem lab before you insure, sell or buy it.
What if my gemstone photo is blurry or too dark?
Take it again: the identifier reads the color, the luster and what shows inside the stone, and a blurry or dark photo hides them. Daylight near a window, no flash, a plain white background and the stone filling the frame, still sharp, give the clearest answer. It runs in your browser, so there is nothing to install.
How to know if a diamond ring is real?
Glass and cubic zirconia are the most common imitations. Cubic zirconia is usually flawless and colorless, and it scratches with wear; jewelers test with a thermal probe. The identifier flags the visual signs, and a jeweler's tester or a lab settles it.
How much is a 2 carat or 3 carat diamond ring worth?
It depends on the four Cs and on whether the diamond is natural or lab-grown; the metal of the setting is for a jeweler. The price per carat jumps at milestone weights, so the report gives a range for your diamond's own grades, not a figure per carat.
How do I find out my diamond engagement ring value?
A grading report or a receipt with the weight and the grades narrows the value more than any photo; keep it for the jeweler. Then upload a photo: the identifier reads the stones and gives retail and resale ranges for them apart.
Where can I get a diamond ring appraisal near me?
A credentialed appraiser or a jeweler who appraises in person. The identifier does not replace that visit; its report helps you decide whether the visit is worth it and what to bring.
How can I tell if my ruby is a real ruby?
Look for silk, the fine needle inclusions of natural ruby, and be wary of a stone that is perfectly clean. Red spinel can be mistaken for ruby, and many rubies are glass-filled or heated. The identifier flags what the photo shows; a lab report confirms it.
What is a Burmese ruby worth?
Origin is a factor alongside color, clarity, cut and carat weight; the Mogok Valley in Myanmar was for centuries the world's main source of rubies. Country of origin is harder to determine than cut or clarity, even for a gem lab, so the value range does not assume it.
Can it tell gold necklace value?
It reads the stones in a necklace. The value of the gold depends on its weight and purity, which a photo cannot measure: a jeweler weighs and tests it.
Can I scan jewelry, or only loose gemstones?
Both. Photograph a ring, a pendant or an earring at a three-quarter angle that shows the stone and the setting in one photo.
Why do gemstones lose resell value after purchase?
Retail and resale are different markets, and the report gives both so you see the gap for your stone. Some gems also lost value over time: amethyst was counted among the most valuable gems until large deposits were found in Brazil.
Are these gemstones actually worth anything?
Upload one photo per stone. The identifier says what each one most likely is and gives a conservative range, so you know which ones deserve a closer look.
Is the gemstone identifier free?
Your first checks are free: trying the form needs no credit card and no account, and there is nothing to download.
Does it work on precious stones and blue gems like sapphire?
Yes. The precious stones of the trade are diamond, ruby, sapphire and emerald; the identifier also covers semi-precious gems; for a rough crystal, the crystal identifier is the closer check. Blue stones such as sapphire, topaz and glass are compared side by side.
Inherited a ring, or found a stone in a drawer?
Upload one clear photo in daylight and see what it most likely is, how it was made and what to do next.