As a reflection of Bahrain’s pearling history and the strong desire to protect this heritage, the Pearl & Gem Testing Laboratory in Bahrain was established in 1990 and became part of a Directorate within the Ministry of Commerce and Agriculture (now the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Tourism) via Amiri Degree No. 10 (The same law prohibits anyone from altering a testing certificate issued by the Laboratory, issuing a testing certificate which is falsely attributed it to it the Laboratory, effecting a change or replacing any pearl after testing and then selling it with the original certificate issued by the Laboratory).

 

It was the first such Laboratory to be established in the Middle East and since establishment has developed a positive reputation within the Middle East and beyond. The Bahrain Institute for Pearls and Gemstones (Danat) was established in 2017 to take over, enhance, and expand upon the excellent work of the Pearl & Gem Testing Laboratory of Bahrain.