EGL USA

[wwwang]

I was told a few years ago here on this site, that EGL USA is a good lab but the name was dragged by out of the country EGLs, therefore buying an EGL USA certified stone would get a GIA quality but EGL price. Is this true, at least to some degree?

 

[neatfreak]

No. EGL USA is the best of the EGL bunch, but they are still are often a far cry from the reliability of GIA or AGS. I WOULD however buy an EGL certed diamond as long as I could return it after an appraisal if it didn't appraise at the same color/clarity as the cert stated.

Just my .02 though!

 

[rainydaze]

not sure if this will be of any help to you, but it has often been noted here that EGL certed stones can be off by a color grade. my stone came with an EGL cert that graded it as G (loose of course). it's a princess cut, btw. it has always looked nice and white face up in it's platinum setting, however before remounting i decided to get an appraisal just to be sure (i was getting sidestones and an eternity band so i wanted to know if i was working with the right color grades). lo and behold, my when removed from the setting and graded loose my stone was really an I!!!!!! yikes!! it's ok, it's still beautiful but imagine being off two grades, and i saw this for myself.

i made sure to ask if this meant DH had overpaid for the stone, paying for a G when in fact he purchased an I. i was assured he did not, it was explained that EGL stones sell for less to the sellers and thus the consumers than GIA or AGS stones for the very reason that EGL has a reputation for being more lax in grading. i wish i could explain it as well as it was explained to me, but this is the best i can do.

at any rate, as they say you will probably get a better deal on an EGL stone than a GIA or AGS, but either have it appraised before finalizing the deal or just know you may be getting a warmer stone than the cert says, and you/she is ok with that.

ETA: EGL's clarity grade and other aspects held up to the new (GIA standard) appraisal.