An IGI report number is the unique identifier printed on the grading report. Enter it at igi.org/verify-your-report to see the record IGI holds for that number. A match confirms the report exists and shows its stated grades; it does not by itself prove that the stone in your hand is the stone the report describes.
Last updated: August 2026
What is an IGI report number?
It is the serial number the laboratory assigns to one grading record. Everything else on the report — shape, measurements, carat weight, colour, clarity, cut — describes a stone; the number is what lets anyone ask the laboratory whether that description is the one it actually issued. Without the number, a report is a printed page and nothing more.
The number is also the reason a certificate cannot quietly be reused. It is unique to one record, so a report and the stone it describes are meant to travel as a pair.
Where do you find the report number on the report and on the diamond?
On the report it is printed on the face of the document, usually near the top with the issue date. Note both together: the date matters when you compare an old report against a stone that has since been recut or reset.
On the diamond it may also appear on the girdle — the thin band around the widest part of the stone. IGI’s LaserScribe service etches alphanumeric characters there, and IGI’s stated reason for putting the report number on the girdle is that it permits fast identification and verification of the stone’s gemological details. That inscription is a service, not an automatic feature, so its absence is not evidence of anything on its own. When it is present, the characters are far too small to read unaided; a jeweller rotates the girdle under magnification until they catch the light.
How do you check an IGI report number online?
Go to IGI’s own report-check page at igi.org/verify-your-report, type the report number into the field and submit it. The page also accepts a SKU lookup and can read a QR code, either from your camera or from an image file, if the paperwork carries one. IGI’s own guidance says the same thing in one line: enter the report’s unique number on the IGI website to confirm its validity and details.
Do the lookup on the laboratory’s site rather than on a page the seller sends you to. A verification link controlled by the seller verifies the seller.
What does an IGI report lookup actually prove?
Less than most buyers assume, and more than nothing. The table sets out what each step in the chain settles and what it leaves open.
| What you check |
How |
What it proves |
What it leaves open |
| The report exists |
Enter the number on IGI’s site |
IGI issued a record under that number |
Whether that record describes your stone |
| The report is unaltered |
Compare every field on screen to the paper |
The printed document matches the lab record |
Whether the paper travelled with this stone |
| The stone matches the specs |
Weigh and measure the loose stone |
Shape, weight and dimensions agree |
Colour and clarity, which need a grader |
| The inscription matches |
Read the girdle under magnification |
The number on the stone equals the number on the report |
Whether the inscription itself is genuine |
| The stone is what it claims |
Submit it to a laboratory for re-testing |
Origin, treatment and grades, independently |
Nothing material — this is the strongest check |
| The mounting is as described |
Compare the metal stamps to the report |
The article matches, if a jewellery report was issued |
Any part replaced after the report was written |
What does a lookup not prove?
It does not prove the stone in the box is the stone in the record. That gap is not theoretical. IGI published a case in 2021 in which a 6.18 carat round brilliant arrived for checking accompanied by a report describing a natural diamond of matching quality; IGI’s gemologists determined the stone was lab-grown, and a fake laser number had been inscribed on it to complete the deception. Every part of the paperwork checked out. The stone did not.
A lookup also does not value anything. IGI states on the verification page itself that the report is an opinion, that it is not a guarantee, appraisal or warranty, and that opinions from different laboratories may vary depending on when, how and by whom an article was examined. That is the honest ceiling on what any certificate does, and it is worth reading before treating a grade as a price. The IGI vs GIA comparison covers why two laboratories can land a grade apart on the same stone, and the 4Cs explainer covers which of those grades you can actually see.
What should you do if the number is not found or the details do not match?
Start with the boring causes. Re-key the number, watching for a 0 read as an O or a 1 read as an I. Check you are on the right laboratory’s site — a report from a different lab will never resolve on IGI’s. Very old records are sometimes not in the online index, in which case contacting the laboratory directly is the next step rather than the last resort.
If the number resolves but the details differ from the paper you hold, stop and treat that as the finding it is: something in front of you does not match the laboratory’s record. Raise it with the seller in writing, quote the specific fields that differ, and check your return window before you spend a week negotiating. Beyond Carat’s window, for comparison, is 65-day returns measured from the date your order ships, and every Beyond Carat diamond is graded by IGI with the report in the box. The concession attached to that: it is IGI only, with no GIA option, so if your appraiser insists on a specific laboratory, that constraint is real and worth knowing before you buy.
Frequently asked questions
How do I verify an IGI certificate is real?
Enter the report number on IGI’s own report-check page at igi.org/verify-your-report and compare every field on screen against the printed report. A match confirms IGI issued that record. It does not confirm which physical stone the paper is sitting next to.
Why is my IGI report number not found?
Most often a mistyped character, a report from a different laboratory, or an older record that is not in the online index. Re-key the number carefully, confirm which laboratory issued it, then contact the laboratory directly if it still does not resolve.
Does the IGI number have to be inscribed on the diamond?
No. Girdle inscription is a service rather than an automatic part of grading, so a stone can be genuinely graded and carry no inscription. When the number is inscribed, it ties one stone to one report — which is useful, but an inscription can also be faked, so it is a check rather than a proof.
