Meet the staff

AMERICAN GEMOLOGICAL LABORATORIES, LLC
America's First and Most Highly Respected Origin Laboratory^TM

History of Innovation and Expertise
Founded in 1977, and located in the heart of New York's gem and jewelry district, American Gemological Laboratories (AGL) is an international gemstone testing facility specializing in comprehensive colored gemstone analysis. AGL provides identification reports, detailed enhancement reports, country-of-origin or provenance reports, as well as complete colored stone analysis documents tailored to gems of unique importance.

AGL was a pioneer in the colored gemstone industry as the first gemological laboratory in the USA to issue country-of-origin reports. Additionally, it was the first in the world to quantify colored stone quality in a clear and comparative manner. In addition to its position of leadership in gemstone documentation, AGL has extensive experience in consumer protection programs.

AGL has a long tradition of acquiring staff who are experts in the field of gemstone testing and reporting, and proper characterization and disclosure are the cornerstones of every AGL report. The Laboratory is equipped with state-of-the-art instrumentation, and applies standard gemological, as well as advanced analytical, techniques to each high quality determination it makes.

Throughout their careers, AGL's gemologists have advanced the cause of comprehensive gemstone reporting, encouraging full and accurate representation of every gemstone tested. This has included, but has not been limited to, complete disclosure of gemstone treatments, as well as developing clear and understandable reporting formats. On numerous occasions, AGL has advanced gemological understanding and procedures to address challenges facing the gemstone and jewelry industry while developing methodology to put these findings into practice.

In 2006, AGL was acquired from original founder C.R. "Cap" Beesley by Collectors Universe, a leading provider of value-added authentication and grading services for high-value collectibles. At that time, Collectors Universe injected tremendous resources into AGL to expand its services and team of experts, as well as to bring all of its analytical, research and reporting instrumentation up to the highest standards currently available. In 2009, AGL was purchased and re-privatized by Christopher P. Smith, who had been Vice President and Chief Gemologist of the laboratory while under CU ownership.

AGL and Christopher Smith are members of the International Colored Stone Association (ICA) and the American Gem Trade Association (AGTA). Since early 2007, AGL has significantly expanded its work and collaboration with other industry, government and research organizations to promote a broader familiarity, better understanding and proper representation of gemstones and gem materials.