Start at the issuing laboratory
Open the laboratory's official website and enter the report number. Check that the document and returned record agree. A seller's screenshot or a lookalike website is not enough to establish that a report is genuine.
Read the identity and measurements
Check the report number, shape, weight, dimensions and the statement of natural or laboratory-grown origin. Then review colour, clarity, relevant cut information and comments. Treatments or qualifications may be described outside the headline grades.
Connect the report to the stone
Where a laser inscription is present, its number should match the report. It may require magnification to read. A valid number alone does not prove that the physical stone is the one described; professional examination may be needed.
Pause on inconsistencies
Different measurements, unclear origin, missing comments or an unexplained mismatch should be resolved before payment. A grading report describes characteristics; it is not automatically a monetary valuation or a promise of resale value.
Sources and further reading
This English edition draws on the source material referenced below.