shape
carat
color
clarity

Biggest labs in the world

Status
Not open for further replies. Please create a new topic or request for this thread to be opened.

Yupi

Rough_Rock
Joined
Feb 8, 2003
Messages
74
Which are the biggest (Big 2, 3, 4?) labs in the world ?

Please advise with reference to number of certs issued per annum, number of employees, number of offices/branches, and growth rate.

I have not included profitability/ turnover above because I am being told some labs are not for profit organisations. Also, I have not referred to reputation of labs because it is a subjective matter.
 
Date: 11/17/2004 6:54:37 AM
Author:Yupi
...
I am being told some labs are not for profit organisations...
Hi Yupi,

I''m sorry, I don''t know the answer to your question.

However, I think all of the major labs are not only ''for profit enterprises'', I think they are ''Cash Cows''
 
Yupi,

The most reports are issued by IGI.
The highest total value examined is by GIA
The most workers is IGI. I wouldn''t have a clue if they are employees or if they hafve some other relationship. No one has ever asked this before.
I recall Zales has an in-house program in many of their stores that they call a lab. This would probably qualify as the most locations unless Wal-Mart has started something like this. I haven''t been in either variety of store lately.

Are you writing a paper?

Neil Beaty, GG ISA
Independent Appraisals in Denver
 
Brian,

Thank you for your input. Huum......interesting comment.

Neil,

Thank you. You have mentioned 2 names, so I guess they are the Big Two?

No, I am not writing a paper but am hoping to become a GG and interested in the industry as a whole. Like you said, no one has really asked about this and on this basis, it appears that not many ppl are interested in this aspect of the industry?
 
Yupi,

It gets a little difficult to define things like ''lab'' and ''bigger'' for this kind of discussion. Symantics become terribly important. EGL, for example, is not the same company as EGL-USA although many people count their products as being from the same lab. GG is a GIA product. Many customers are under the mistaken impression that an examination by someone with a GG is somehow endorsed by GIA when they grade a stone.

Some other big players are PGS and AGS. There are dozens. Non-profit status involves their relationship with IRS, not their relationship with their clients. As Brian points out, some non-profit organizations produce quite a bit of revenue.

Neil Beaty, GG ISA
Independent Appraisals in Denver
 
EGL would be probably the third. You'd have to defferentiate, however, EGL USA and EGL oversees

{Added} Neil, you were 1 min ahead with more detailed answer
21.gif
 
Dont quote me on this but I read someplace the top 6 by volume would be:
igi
gia
hrd
egl-non usa
egl-usa
ags


I dont recall where I read it or know how accurate it is.
 
Status
Not open for further replies. Please create a new topic or request for this thread to be opened.
GET 3 FREE HCA RESULTS JOIN THE FORUM. ASK FOR HELP
Top