“I have already seen the pyramids of Giza in diamonds and immersed myself in the Milky Way.”
A look under the microscope makes Adeline Lageder go into raptures: Inclusions that are invisible to the naked eye and only show up under the microscope normally reduce the value of gemstones. However, if they appear extraordinary “like a small universe”, cavities with gas bubbles or rutile needles can create beautiful and unique inclusion images. This makes collectors’ hearts beat faster and this freak of nature can increase the value of the gemstone for them.
Adeline Lageder’s fascination with jewelry began in her childhood. But back then, Lageder would never have dreamed that one day she would be holding the historic diamond rings of the Natural History Museum Vienna in her hands to appreciate their value.
Originally, the managing director of the Gemmological Laboratory Austria (GLA) wanted to devote herself to jewelry restoration. Instead, Adeline Lageder learned the craft of gold and silversmithing and became a master of her trade. In order to delve even deeper into gemology – the science and study of gemstones and precious stones – she trained as a gemmologist at the renowned FEEG Institute (Federation for European Education in Gemmology).
Chance led Lageder to the renowned Austrian gemologist Professor Walter Mican, who became her personal mentor. His 50 years of professional experience were invaluable to Lageder, who found her true calling in gemmology. When Walter Mican retired, Adeline Lageder finally took over the Gemmological Laboratory Austria in 2006. This decision not only entailed a great deal of responsibility, but also a high level of investment in modern laboratory instruments.
Under her leadership, the laboratory established itself as an independent and objective authority in the valuation of diamonds and gemstones in Austria. Her personal credo – based on honesty and transparency – has made the Gemmologisches Labor Austria what it stands for today: high-quality and trustworthy appraisals that are valued internationally.
What customers value most
- Independent laboratory with an excellent reputation among experts
- High credibility in the valuation due to the liability of the experts
- Rapid preparation of high-quality gemmological reports
- Modern, state-of-the-art equipment
- Transparent and performance-based fee structure
Milestones of MSt.in Adeline Lageder
- 2002: Master goldsmith and silversmith examination
- 2004: FEEG-Gemmologist (Federation of European Education in Gemmology)
- 2006: Takeover of Gemmologisches Labor Austria as managing director and establishment as an independent and objective authority in the evaluation of gemstones
- 2010: Sworn in as a sworn and court-certified expert for jewelry, precious metals and gemstones and regular recertification every five years since then
- Scientific cooperation with the State Gemstone Institute of the Natural History Museum Vienna and the University of Vienna, Institute of Mineralogy and Crystallography
- Collaboration on the auditing standards of the specialist area 54 Precious metals
- Publication of specialist articles in the journal “Sachverständige”
State-of-the-art laboratory equipment according to international standards
The Gemmological Laboratory Austria (GLA) has enjoyed an excellent reputation among gemstone connoisseurs and jewelry lovers for decades – far beyond Austria’s borders – thanks to the outstanding quality of its gemmological appraisals. The grading and evaluation of diamonds, colored gemstones and precious jewelry is carried out by competent experts who have mastered the demanding craft of goldsmithing, silversmithing and gemmology and are very familiar with the use of gemmological and scientific instruments.
Before the quality and value of gemstones and jewelry can be determined, they have to pass through a large number of measuring instruments – in sometimes time-consuming work steps. This requires far more than a laboratory with state-of-the-art technical equipment – it also requires precise and expert handling of special gemmological equipment, such as that used at the Gemmologisches Labor Austria, which is always state of the art.
Standard gemmological equipment and instruments:
- Refractometer for determining the refraction of light
- Polariscope for the determination of single and double refractive gemstones
- Special lighting in laboratories with standardized light from 6,500 Kelvin (daylight) to 3,600 Kelvin
- Calibrated precision scales and hydrostatic scales
- Precise measuring instruments for the digital and analog measurement of set and loose diamonds and gemstones
- Horizontal and vertical microscopes with various illuminations
- Various color filters
- Color systems for the exact determination of colors for gemstones and diamonds
- Color comparison set for the color determination of diamonds and gemstones
- Extensive specialist literature
Scientific equipment and instruments:
- Leica high-resolution precision microscope with reflected light, polarized light and transmitted light as well as software for inclusion measurement and inclusion photography
- Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR) for the analysis of diamonds and gemstones
- Raman spectroscopy for the determination of materials
- Photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL) for the detection of treatments in gemstones and diamonds
- Fluorescence spectrometry especially for the determination of small, set diamonds
- UV-VIS-NIR spectrometry (spectrometry in the ultraviolet, visible and near-infrared range)
- Upgrade for analysis at 77 Kelvin (minus 196 degrees) using liquid nitrogen for UV-VIS-NIR spectrometry and PL spectrometry
- Energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometer (ED-XRF/ED-XRF) for precious metal and gemstone analysis
- DiamondView™ fluorescence microscope for analyzing natural and synthetic diamonds and their treatments
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