Many lab graded diamonds are laser inscribed along the girdle edge of the gem with the number of the corresponding diamond grading report issued for that diamond.  The inscriptions are often referred to as laser inscribed diamond registry numbers which might cause people to believe that the numbers are similar to a vehicle identification number.  However more often than not, the numbers inscribed on the girdle edge of a diamond merely reference the lab report issued for that diamond.

Laser inscriptions come in many different formats, the most common of which reference a diamond grading report and look like this:


This particular inscription refers to a diamond grading report issued by the American Gem Society (AGS) Laboratory.  Note that there is no reference to the AGS Laboratory within the inscription, thus it is not possible to identify the fact that this is an AGS diamond grading report number without the prior knowledge of that fact.  As you might imagine, such an inscription would be of little use to a law enforcement agency in terms of getting this diamond back to its rightful owner in the event that the diamond was lost or stolen and recovered.

Fortunately in this particular instance, the inscription of the lab report number is accompanied by the laser inscribed logo of the cutter “Crafted by Infinity” which looks like this:

The combination of the Crafted by Infinity™ logo and the lab report number would enable the diamond cutter, Infinity Diamonds of Antwerp to identify the diamond and determine which of their authorized retailers purchased the diamond.  And it might be possible for the retailer to determine which of his many customers purchased the diamond so that the diamond might eventually be returned to the rightful owner.  The second picture is an inscription used on Nice Ice® brand diamonds which incorporates both the Nice Ice brand name and the number from the corresponding lab report.

But what if the diamond is recovered by a law enforcement agency which is not familiar with brand name diamonds and the various company names and logos which are frequently inscribed on the girdle edge of a diamond in combination with a registry or lab report number?  Well if the diamond is registered with GemTrace we would be able to identify the likely owner of the diamond based on the lab report number inscribed on the girdle edge of the diamond.

Unfortunately many retail jewelers and diamond cutting firms do not maintain truly detailed records and only record the basic details of the items they sell.  Many retail jewelers use handwritten receipts and state only the basic details of each item, such as “ladies diamond ring” so it may be practically impossible for some retailers to assist law enforcement with identifying a particular customer off of a lab report number inscribed on the girdle edge of a diamond.  This is of course assuming that the law enforcement agency is able to identify the diamond as coming from a particular source.

GemTrace makes it possible for your diamond to be identified as belonging to you based on the information inscribed on the girdle edge of the diamond whether it is the lab report number which coincides with your diamond, a brand name registry number or something unique like an anniversary date.  By registering your diamond with GemTrace you make it possible for law enforcement agencies, jewelers and pawn shops all over the world to determine ownership of a diamond within seconds using the search feature on this site.