IIGJ Lab (A Project by GJEPC) simplifies ruby treatment description to align with Global Standards

By Jewel News Desk
November 15, 2025

IIGJ Lab is committed to serve the Gem & Jewellery Industry by providing independent quality assessment of Gemstones & Jewellery. IIGJ’s Ruby Identification service is well known and is availed by gemstone manufacturers, traders, and retailers.

Effective 6^th November 2025, IIGJ Lab (A Project by GJEPC India) sponsored by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Govt. of India, has updated the description for ruby treatments to harmonise with major gemmological laboratories, maintaining the highest levels of scientific analysis and transparency.

Rubies are commonly heated using substances like fluxes (e.g. borax), which are often is mixed with silica-based materials or high-density glass containing elements like lead (Pb), bismuth (Bi), barium (Ba), yttrium (Y), zirconium (Zr), etc. Under the current policy, all these components are mentioned separately, which is now updated to reflect more unified and simplified descriptions on the ruby reports issued by the IIGJ Lab.

Shri Kirit Bhansali, Chairman, GJEPC said, “GJEPC is committed to serve India’s Gem & jewellery Industry by providing world-class Grading, Identification, & Certification services. Jaipur is an important centre for Coloured Gemstones and is growing rapidly as a jewellery manufacturing centre. We believe the revised description of treatment in Ruby Reports will become an important sales tool for the coloured gemstone industry to gain the confidence of the Customers. We continue to invest in building skills and Lab infrastructure to meet the growing needs. “

Following are the updated description / treatment comments mentioned on the ruby reports issued by IIGJ Lab:

Treatment Type and Features	Description
Indications of heating with residues and silica-based substance in fissures or, high-density glass (Pb, Ba, Bi, Y, Zr) in fissures where no flash effect is observed	Var.: Natural Ruby Spe.: Natural Corundum Comments: Indications of heating and clarity enhancement with residue in fractures and cavities. Extent: (TE1-TE5) / (F1-F3) – as applicable Remarks (if lead is detected): Lead glass was detected.
Presence of High-density glass in fissures / cavities with flash effect, numerous gas bubbles, indistinct single crystal	Var.: Glass-Filled Ruby Spe.: Natural Corundum Comments: Indications of clarity enhancement by lead/bismuth/barium glass in fractures and cavities. No quantification in this case
High density coloured glass in fissures with flash effect, numerous gas bubbles, colour concentrations	Var.: Glass-Filled Ruby / Sapphire Spe.: Natural Corundum Comments: Indications of clarity enhancement with coloured glass in fractures and cavities No quantification in this case

IIGJ Lab is a project of the Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council – sponsored by The Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India. The mission of the Lab is to help trade and consumers make informed choices.