AGS COLOR GRADING QUESTION

[babyhaley]

should i be worried if a diamond only has a AGSL report? does AGSL grade diamond color less strict as GIA would? im not sure if this is a dumb question but some diamonds have GIA certs only and some have AGS report

 

[vishke8]

From my experience, AGS is a reputed Lab, but GIA is mostly preferred because they are most accurate with their results.
Some prefer AGSL and some like me would go for GIA.

 

[jstarfireb]

This question comes up a lot here, and I can only repeat what I've heard from the experts. Color grading has been a bit of a moving target, with AGS and GIA being the most accurate labs, but there have been slight variations from year to year. What I've heard is that in the past, GIA graded about 1 color grade more strictly than AGS. However, since the late 2000s (2006-7 or so?) they have been on par with each other. As for clarity, I've heard the opposite - that AGS was previously more strict than GIA, but now they're equivalent as well.

Please correct me if I'm wrong, experts!

 

[denverappraiser]

I find AGSL grading to be excellent and am happy to endorse the lab. That said, GIA is a MUCH larger lab. My guess is its on the order of 50x the volume or more. That means that, in the marketplace, there are a lot more GIA goods to choose from. It's a lot easier to compare GIA to GIA and there's a lot bigger selection for picky shoppers to choose from. Can you trust AGSL if you find a stone you like? Yes. Are they preferable? In the case of cut grades on rounds and princesses, yes I think they are. In terms of weight, color, clarity and other details I find them equally reliable.

(Note: I'm a full member of AGS, which means in a sense that I'm one of the owners of AGSL. That doesn't make me wrong but I suppose it does mean I have a conflict of interest on this question)

 

[diamondseeker2006]

What I will say is this. I have bought both AGS and GIA diamonds. My most recent diamonds were AGS Ideal cut. What I believe from being here is that AGS can be softer on color when the diamond's color is borderline. I do not think that AGS deliberately grades color inaccurately. But you need to know there have been examples here where people took their AGS diamonds to highly regarded appraisers and the stones were graded lower by the appraisers. I personally had a diamond that was originally graded by GIA as H and the vendor told me that it graded G on his color machine. So when I decided to sell it to get a different kind of stone, it was sent to AGS to be regraded. It came back as a G. I have seen an AGS I color diamond that had visible tint and I believed it would have possibly been graded J by GIA. I have not seen these issues with GIA graded stones. Most people do not have their diamonds independently appraised so we never know about most of them. But I have seen enough here to know to be aware. I continue to buy AGS graded stones because some of the finest cut stones are sent to AGS for grading, but some of the finest cut stones are also graded at GIA. So I always consider both when buying for myself.

 

[babyhaley]

yes this is want im worried about. i dont want to buy a H color diamond graded by AGSL and have it looked at and they told me it was an I. the only reason im considering is because of its IDEAL cut and eyeclean SI1 (need to double check with vendor)

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I color can really vary. I have seen stones that had no detectable tint and others that did. So you really need to see the stone or send it to an independent appraiser who can check color for you. Or ask the vendor if they have a colorimeter and will check it for you. I know Good Old Gold can do it. If you feel that you are color sensitive, then I would go with G-H color.

 

[Rhino]

I find AGSL grading to be excellent and am happy to endorse the lab. That said, GIA is a MUCH larger lab. My guess is its on the order of 50x the volume or more. That means that, in the marketplace, there are a lot more GIA goods to choose from. It's a lot easier to compare GIA to GIA and there's a lot bigger selection for picky shoppers to choose from. Can you trust AGSL if you find a stone you like? Yes. Are they preferable? In the case of cut grades on rounds and princesses, yes I think they are. In terms of weight, color, clarity and other details I find them equally reliable.

(Note: I'm a full member of AGS, which means in a sense that I'm one of the owners of AGSL. That doesn't make me wrong but I suppose it does mean I have a conflict of interest on this question)

I'm not a full member of AGS but I'd concur with Neil's assessment.

 

[Dancing Fire]

I find AGSL grading to be excellent and am happy to endorse the lab. That said, GIA is a MUCH larger lab. My guess is its on the order of 50x the volume or more. That means that, in the marketplace, there are a lot more GIA goods to choose from. It's a lot easier to compare GIA to GIA and there's a lot bigger selection for picky shoppers to choose from. Can you trust AGSL if you find a stone you like? Yes. Are they preferable? In the case of cut grades on rounds and princesses, yes I think they are. In terms of weight, color, clarity and other details I find them equally reliable.

(Note: I'm a full member of AGS, which means in a sense that I'm one of the owners of AGSL. That doesn't make me wrong but I suppose it does mean I have a conflict of interest on this question)

I'm not a full member of AGS but I'd concur with Neil's assessment.

Rhino...so you are a 1/2 member of AGS?...

 

[Dancing Fire]

What I will say is this. I have bought both AGS and GIA diamonds. My most recent diamonds were AGS Ideal cut. What I believe from being here is that AGS can be softer on color when the diamond's color is borderline. I do not think that AGS deliberately grades color inaccurately. But you need to know there have been examples here where people took their AGS diamonds to highly regarded appraisers and the stones were graded lower by the appraisers. I personally had a diamond that was originally graded by GIA as H and the vendor told me that it graded G on his color machine. So when I decided to sell it to get a different kind of stone, it was sent to AGS to be regraded. It came back as a G. I have seen an AGS I color diamond that had visible tint and I believed it would have possibly been graded J by GIA. I have not seen these issues with GIA graded stones. Most people do not have their diamonds independently appraised so we never know about most of them. But I have seen enough here to know to be aware. I continue to buy AGS graded stones because some of the finest cut stones are sent to AGS for grading, but some of the finest cut stones are also graded at GIA. So I always consider both when buying for myself.

i'd agree with your post...

 

[Laila619]

I had an AGS H diamond, and it looked a bit tinted to me. I suspect GIA might have given it an I. As a result, I am a bit more, er, skeptical I guess of AGS's color grading. I have heard on PS that AGS is actually a bit more strict with clarity grading though. Not sure if that's true.

 

[CharmyPoo]

I am not a professional but my experience has left me believing AGS is softer in color than GIA by about a color grade. Unexpected, I have recently sent a few stones to both EGL-Toronto and GIA-New York, the difference is 1 color grade off and clarity was the same.

 

[Rhino]

I am not a professional but my experience has left me believing AGS is softer in color than GIA by about a color grade. Unexpected, I have recently sent a few stones to both EGL-Toronto and GIA-New York, the difference is 1 color grade off and clarity was the same.

I've found the same too Charmy but then again it does depend on which EGL lab the diaimonds are sent to but I've found them more correct with clarity than anything else.