Frequently asked questions

Yes. Ask for a Verbal Color Analysis upon submission.

Ask for a Verbal Color Analysis* at submission and we’ll tell you how we would describe the color on the report. This could include what color type it would get on the report (Pigeon’s Blood, Royal Blue, etc), and/ or what hue, tone, and saturation will appear on the report.

We will contact you with the result by the next business day. If you choose to do a full report on the stone, the color check is complimentary. If you would like to withdraw the stone without doing full report, we’ll charge ฿321 (~ US$10) for the color check.

Things we can check for:

• Will the report say Pigeon’s Blood, Padparadscha, Royal Blue, etc?
• Will my stone get a vivid saturation?
• Is my stone a color change?
• Is my spinel Cobalt Blue?
• Will my stone be “purplish red” or just “red?”
• Will you mention the term “Paraíba” on my report?

*Important Limitations of Verbal Color Analysis
The verbal color analysis is a strictly verbal, non-binding visual check of a stone’s color. The final color call on a report is still contingent on further gemological testing.

We issue a variety of color types on ruby & sapphire including Pigeon’s Blood, Royal Blue, Cornflower Blue, Padparadscha, and more. We also issue a Cobalt Blue color type for spinel and Imperial Green for jadeite.

Fillers in emerald
Emeralds treated with colorless fillers will be disclosed as FF-O (fissure filling with colorless oil/resin) with a rating of 1/2/3 (minor/moderate/significant) on the report, and will be issued a silver report.

Fillers in other stones
Stones other than emerald treated with colorless fillers will also be disclosed as FF-O (fissure filling with colorless oil/resin) with a rating of 1/2/3 (minor/moderate/significant) on the report, and will be issued a silver report.

However, in stones other than emerald, clients will be given two opportunities to clean the filler out. If testing reveals that the filler is cleaned out, we will issue a gold report. If after the second cleaning the filler is still detected, we will issue the silver report mentioning the filler.

In most cases, yes. Both will have an origin stated as Myanmar (Burma). Additionally:

A ruby from Mong Hsu will usually have the comment:
In the early 1990s, rubies of extraordinary quality were unearthed at Mong Hsu, in Myanmar’s Shan State. Stoplight red in color, they rank among the finest rubies ever found.

A ruby from anywhere else in Burma, including Mogok, will usually have the comment:
Since ancient times Myanmar has produced gems of extraordinary quality, including some of the finest rubies, sapphires and spinels in the world.

We do not make a distinction between stones from Mogok, Namya, Mansin, etc.

We cannot guarantee an origin report; the final result depends on our testing. If the gemological evidence is sufficient, we will issue an origin at no extra charge to the client.

Because we don’t charge for origin determination, there are no discounts for reports that don’t include an origin.

In some cases it may not be possible to provide an exact origin determination on a stone. We can often eliminate some possibilities, even if we cannot provide an exact country of origin. In these cases, we will provide as much information as we can.

Sapphires from basalt related sources tend to grow in iron-rich environments at higher temperatures. Basalt related sapphires commonly seen in the market often come from Australia, Ethiopia, Laos, northern Madagascar, Nigeria, Rwanda, and Thailand.

Sapphires from metamorphic sources tend to grow in more iron-poor environments at relatively lower temperatures than basalt related sapphire. Metamorphic sapphires commonly seen in the market often come from Burma (Myanmar), Kashmir (India), southern Madagascar, and Sri Lanka.

Ruby & sapphire are the most likely to get an origin. We also frequently issue origins on spinel, emerald, and Burmese jadeite.

We issue origin reports when testing reveals sufficient gemological evidence to make an origin determination. Origins are issued at no additional cost to the client.

We offer a premium hardcover report starting at ฿10,700 (~ US$330) per stone, with additional customizable options, including extra photos, available. Our hardcover reports are crafted with the end user in mind and provide additional information to help them appreciate the rarity and beauty of precious gems.

See our full price list here.

Gold reports are issued for gems that show no indication of treatment of any type. They show no signs of heat treatment, oiling, irradiation, glass filling, dye, or other treatments.


Silver reports are issued for natural gems that show evidence of enhancements. Stones enhanced with heat treatment (H), heat with fissure healing (H-FH, or “flux” or “borax” heat), fillers like oil or resin (FF-O)

Black reports are issued for synthetic and/or heavily treated gems. This includes lead glass-type hybrid (LGH) stones and assembled stones.

Our standard turnaround time usually runs 3–5 business days after the day of submission, but can fluctuate with our workload. When a stone is submitted, we’ll provide an exact due date. Contact our staff for the most up-to-date schedule.

If you need a faster turnaround, we offer express service for an additional ฿3,745/stone (2 business days turnaround) and super express service for an additional ฿7,490/stone (next business day turnaround).

We recommend that stones be submitted loose to facilitate the greatest accuracy in testing and measurements. This is particularly important when you are planning to mount the stones in jewelry.

However, in most cases we are able to accommodate stones that are mounted in jewelry. We will make our best attempt at testing any mounted stones without having to unmount them. If in our testing we find that we are unable to accurately test the stone in the mounting, we will contact you.

Yes, pre-paid membership discounts are available for volume clients. Starting from ฿100,000 (~ US$3,000) clients get a 10% discount on standard report fees, and discounts go up to 30% depending on the amount pre-paid. Consult our full price list for details.

Duplicate Report • A copy of a previously issued report. It is the same as the original report, with the addition of a note that it is a duplicate. Limit one duplicate per report.

Re-ID • Get a new report on a stone that Lotus has previously tested. This can be done whether or not a stone has been re-cut. Complete testing will be done, and a new report will be issued with a new date and new report number. If a stone is submitted for Re-ID within one year of the original report, a 50% discount will be applied.