Translating the old GCCF breed numbers into the current GEMS codes catches everyone out at first. This is a plain-English guide to how the codes work for Siamese and Balinese, with a full conversion table further down the page.
When you enter a show, all you really need to do is copy the code straight off the registration document — it’s the poor show manager who has to translate them! But when you register a litter you’ll need to get the code right, so it pays to understand the system.
A quick note on names: the GCCF now calls its system GEMS (the GCCF Easy Mind System), its own version of the international EMS codes. The old numeric breed numbers (24, 32a, 61 and so on) are now historical — current registrations use GEMS codes — but plenty of older paperwork still shows them, which is why the conversion table below keeps both.
How GEMS Codes Work
The point of GEMS is that every breed uses the same system, so a code tells you breed, colour and pattern at a glance. For Siamese and Balinese a code has up to four parts:
1. Breed
The first part is the breed. All Siamese codes start SIA; all Balinese start BAL.
2. Colour
The next letter is the colour. For example SIA n or BAL n (n = noir/black) is a Seal point; SIA b or BAL b (b = chocolate) is a Chocolate point.
3. Tabby Pattern
Add 21 for a tabby (lynx) point. So SIA n 21 is a Seal Tabby point and BAL n 21 is a Balinese Seal Tabby point. (21 is used for all tabby-pointed cats.)
4. Modifiers and Variants
Some cats carry an extra modifier code — most importantly 121, which now denotes caramel or apricot (see below). A trailing v marks a Balinese variant, e.g. BAL nv (Balinese Seal Variant) or BAL n 21v (Balinese Seal Tabby Variant).
Important change: caramel and apricot are no longer single colour letters. GCCF now codes them with the 121 modifier added to the base colour. The old codes (SIA m for caramel, SIA em for apricot, SIA k for caramel tortie) are superseded.
Breed Number → GEMS Conversion Table
Standard self and tortie colours, recognised in both Siamese and Balinese. Add 21 for the tabby-point version (e.g. SIA n → SIA n 21). A dash in the old number columns means there was no legacy breed number — the colour was recognised later, under GEMS.
| Colour | Old Siamese no. | Siamese GEMS | Old Balinese no. | Balinese GEMS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seal | 24 | SIA n | 61 | BAL n |
| Blue | 24a | SIA a | 61a | BAL a |
| Chocolate | 24b | SIA b | 61b | BAL b |
| Lilac | 24c | SIA c | 61c | BAL c |
| Cinnamon | 24k | SIA o | — | BAL o |
| Fawn | 24r | SIA p | — | BAL p |
| Red | 32a | SIA d | 61d | BAL d |
| Cream | 32c | SIA e | 61f | BAL e |
| Seal Tortie | 32b1 | SIA f | 61e | BAL f |
| Blue Tortie | 32b2 | SIA g | 61g | BAL g |
| Chocolate Tortie | 32b3 | SIA h | 61h | BAL h |
| Lilac Tortie | 32b4 | SIA j | 61j | BAL j |
| Cinnamon Tortie | 32b7 | SIA q | — | BAL q |
| Fawn Tortie | 32b9 | SIA r | — | BAL r |
Caramel & Apricot — the 121 Modifier
Caramel and apricot are caused by the caramel modifier acting on a dilute base colour, so they are no longer single colours in their own right. GCCF codes them as the base colour plus 121:
| Colour | Current GEMS (Siamese) | Old code |
|---|---|---|
| Apricot (cream-based) | SIA e 121 | SIA em / 32fn |
| Caramel (blue-based) | SIA a 121 | SIA m / 24n |
| Caramel (lilac-based) | SIA c 121 | |
| Caramel (fawn-based) | SIA p 121 | |
| Caramel Tortie (blue-based) | SIA g 121 | SIA k / 32b8 |
| Caramel Tortie (lilac-based) | SIA j 121 | |
| Caramel Tortie (fawn-based) | SIA r 121 |
Caramel and apricot are also recognised in the Balinese, coded the same way on its base colours (e.g. apricot Balinese = BAL e 121, blue-based caramel Balinese = BAL a 121). Add 21 as well for a tabby-point version (e.g. SIA e 121 21 for an apricot tabby point).
If you’d like to see what these colours actually look like, my Siamese colour chart shows every point colour side by side, and each has its own page within the Siamese breed profile.
Not sure what colour your cat is?
My Siamese colour chart shows every recognised point colour side by side — the quickest way to match a cat to its GEMS code.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does SIA n mean?
SIA is the breed code for Siamese and n is the colour code for seal (from the French noir, black). So SIA n is a Seal point Siamese — historically breed number 24.
What is the GEMS code for an apricot Siamese?
Apricot is cream plus the caramel modifier, so it’s SIA e 121. The old code SIA em is no longer used.
What does the 121 modifier mean?
121 is the GCCF code for caramel or apricot, added after the base colour — for example SIA a 121 is a blue-based caramel. It replaced the old single-letter caramel and apricot codes.
What is the GEMS code for a tabby point Siamese?
Add 21 for the tabby pattern. A Seal Tabby point is SIA n 21, a Blue Tabby point is SIA a 21, and so on.
Do I need the GEMS code to enter a show?
No — for show entry you just copy the code from the registration document. Understanding it is most useful when registering a litter.
I’ve bred and shown Siamese for many years — more about me and this site here.
