Indian Institute of Gemology

To Buy Certified Gems , look for stones that are both natural (formed geologically, not lab-grown) and certified (scientifically tested by a qualified gemologist, with a documented report confirming identity and treatment status). The two terms aren't the same — a stone can be natural but undisclosed-treated, or certified but not natural. The safest purchase combines both: a natural, certified gemstone backed by a proper Certificate of Authenticity, ideally from an institute with real gemological testing infrastructure, such as the Indian Institute of Gemology in Delhi. What "Natural & Certified" Actually Means These two words get used together so often that buyers assume they mean the same thing. They don't. Natural describes how a gemstone was formed — through geological processes over millions of years, as opposed to being grown in a laboratory (synthetic) or made from an entirely different material (imitation). Certified describes whether the stone has been ...