Experts please help 2.0 GIA or 2.5 EGL ???

[Georgianight123]

Hi ladies,

This is one of the most important decisions that I’ve ever made in my life. Bling experts please help. I have never own an diamond in my life, and I hope with your expertise I will have a happily ever after with my soon to be husband ….. and my ring

So, My fiancé soon to be took me to the jeweler last Friday check out some stone. Meanwhile, we also found a couple stones on the Internet and jeweler agreed to price match and will bring it in for us to look at. So on this Tuesday, which is 36 hours from now, I will get to see my potential “ bling for life”. The only problem is that one of the rings is GIA 2.04/ I/ VSs2 or the other one is EGL 2.56 F/ VS1.

I cannot make a decision because the 2.5 looks much larger than the 2.0, but the GIA maybe better clarity than the EGL. I just hope that I will not make a decision that I may regret later.

THANKS LADIES

 

[proto]

Is it EGL-USA?

This makes a big difference

 

[Georgianight123]

yes it is. and a princess cut

 

[proto]

Pricescope will want more info to give more advice, but can you list the GIA and EGL-USA grading report numbers or copy all of he details into a post?

 

[Georgianight123]

sorry, I just confirmed with my BF it is EGL euro but please give the the report

 

[arkieb1]

EGL International - don't do it!!!! This means it was graded in places like Israel, India, and Asia which ALL have much much lower standards than GIA. So you think you are getting a bargain when in reality the stone is highly likely to be 3, 4, 5 (it can be up to 6 or 7) grades incorrectly graded in colour and 2 to 3 (it can be more) out in clarity. If you like the larger stone you will be better off going down in colour and clarity and getting a larger GIA graded princess cut so you know what you are REALLY getting. So your F/VS1 could in reality be a I/J/K SI1/SI2.... or lower.

 

[proto]

Unless you are on a strict timelimit, let us have more info on your circumstances and I am sure the other forum members can provide suggestions.

What is your budget?
Are you purchasing your setting from this jeweller?
Date the ring is absolutely needed by?
etc

 

[Georgianight123]

wow.. the spread is that much different.. I would never known. Based on what you are suggest, then GIA I/Vvs2 is a very good clarity then. how about the color?

 

[WinkHPD]

Hi ladies,

This is one of the most important decisions that I’ve ever made in my life. Bling experts please help. I have never own an diamond in my life, and I hope with your expertise I will have a happily ever after with my soon to be husband ….. and my ring

So, My fiancé soon to be took me to the jeweler last Friday check out some stone. Meanwhile, we also found a couple stones on the Internet and jeweler agreed to price match and will bring it in for us to look at. So on this Tuesday, which is 36 hours from now, I will get to see my potential “ bling for life”. The only problem is that one of the rings is GIA 2.04/ I/ VSs2 or the other one is EGL 2.56 F/ VS1.

I cannot make a decision because the 2.5 looks much larger than the 2.0, but the GIA maybe better clarity than the EGL. I just hope that I will not make a decision that I may regret later.

THANKS LADIES

About the only thing that we know for sure is that it is a pretty good bet that the diamond is NOT actually an F-VS1. Now, since you are in the wonderfully rare position of being able to actually see the two diamonds side by side, you will get to decide with YOUR eyes whether or not you like the look of the "mystery diamond" better than the look of the 2ct with the GIA report.

If you were having to buy by paper alone I would join the chorus singing the, "Run Forrest, Run" song. Since you get to see it side by side with a diamond that does have a top tier report, you can let your eyes tell you which one you like best.

If you go into this with your eyes wide open and your mind too, then you can make a decision based on how the stones look rather than the paper they have been graded with. Then you can look further into pricing and what it might be if the diamond were legitimately graded by a top tier lab instead of a paper factory. Of course, if it looks like a lifeless lump of crystallized carbon, then you need look no more at it.

The trouble with princess cuts is that the GIA diamond might also look like a lifeless lump as the GIA report will tell us NOTHING about the cut of the diamond. So actually, you will be looking first at both diamonds to see if one or both are actually worth owning, and then from there to decide which one and at which price. Since your local vendor is going to price match he will have little room to further bargain, but if the stones are both ugly it matters not. If they are both breath taking, then you have more work to do in deciding which one.

Wink

 

[proto]

Is "I" a good colour? - how long is a piece of string.

To clarify, is the stone VS2 or VVS2? VSS2 doesnt exist. VVS2 is overkill in my opinion since above a certain clarity grade, your eye cant see any inclusions anyway. Whether you need a magnifying glass or microscope to see it, is irrelevant because you are going to look at it with your eyes. The price does however change significantly.

Can you provide the information previous requested above about your circumstances?

 

[treasurehunter]

I Colour in a princess is too low in my opinion and an F(EGL) which is probably an I or J as the vendor is showing stones in your price range will also be too low in colour, go to VS2 and improve the colour and most importantly look at the cut .. be patient there are many princess cut diamonds out there , they are not burmese rubies so hold out be patient .

 

[TC1987]

The I color in a princess will probably look more like antique white than bright white / near-colorless. You may or may not like the tint.

Round brilliant diamonds in excellent cut grade "wash" color much better than a princess or most fancy cuts do.

I think AGS lab has cut standards/grades for princess. I could be wrong. I'm not a princess fan.

 

[RandG]

If you really like the larger stone, I would ask the vendor to have it GIA graded for you. Should the cert come back inconsistent with the EGL cert, AND you still love the stone, I would go back to the bargaining table and ask for a price concession based on the lower grading by GIA. A good vendor is confident in the item its is selling and should not shy away from your request for a GIA cert. If they do, you have your answer. However, don't be surprised if the stone costs more because it is GIA graded.

While I will occasionally accept an EGL NY (only NY) cert, generally speaking, EGL is not nearly as reliable as GIA. I would never buy a stone based solely on an EGL NY cert. There would have to be other variables to compel me.

Finally, you should always consider resale value when buying. Within the industry, a GIA certified stone is always worth more.

Good luck.

 

[msop04]

If you really like the larger stone, I would ask the vendor to have it GIA graded for you. Should the cert come back inconsistent with the EGL cert, AND you still love the stone, I would go back to the bargaining table and ask for a price concession based on the lower grading by GIA. A good vendor is confident in the item its is selling and should not shy away from your request for a GIA cert. If they do, you have your answer. However, don't be surprised if the stone costs more because it is GIA graded.

While I will occasionally accept an EGL NY (only NY) cert, generally speaking, EGL is not nearly as reliable as GIA. I would never buy a stone based solely on an EGL NY cert. There would have to be other variables to compel me.

Finally, you should always consider resale value when buying. Within the industry, a GIA certified stone is always worth more.

Good luck.

I tend to agree with RandG. If you've seen both stones and like the way the EGL looks, then why not have it GIA graded?? It can only help your case by knowing what it really is AND to use as a bargaining tool (since it will likely come back with lower grading).

OP, what is your budget? There's a really good chance we can help you find a stone in between 2-2.5ct of great quality that will offer a really nice compromise on size, as well as give you peace of mind that you got the best/most stone for your money.

 

[proto]

the stone is EGL graded for a reason.

the vendor knows if it gets graded by GIA, it wont come back as graded by EGL, so they would never agree to that.

 

[msop04]

the stone is EGL graded for a reason.

the vendor knows if it gets graded by GIA, it wont come back as graded by EGL, so they would never agree to that.

...if they wanted to sell it badly enough, they would. It's not like there are tons of people ready to buy a 2+ ct stone walking through the doors day in and day out... I would let them know that it's not comparable to other GIA/AGS graded stones, therefore cannot be compared to diamonds with loose grading labs. It's worth a try.

 

[WinkHPD]

If you really like the larger stone, I would ask the vendor to have it GIA graded for you. Should the cert come back inconsistent with the EGL cert, AND you still love the stone, I would go back to the bargaining table and ask for a price concession based on the lower grading by GIA. A good vendor is confident in the item its is selling and should not shy away from your request for a GIA cert. If they do, you have your answer. However, don't be surprised if the stone costs more because it is GIA graded.

While I will occasionally accept an EGL NY (only NY) cert, generally speaking, EGL is not nearly as reliable as GIA. I would never buy a stone based solely on an EGL NY cert. There would have to be other variables to compel me.

Finally, you should always consider resale value when buying. Within the industry, a GIA certified stone is always worth more.

Good luck.

The main problem with this is since he is already price matching an internet site. This means that the jeweler is working o a 6 to 8% margin most likely, depending on the site that he is matching. He is also fronting the shipping costs to bring these diamonds in for our OP to look at which further reduces his margin in relation to the internet sight which is most likely a drop shipper who has never, and never will, see the diamonds in question.

It is very likely that this jeweler knows this and can have an intelligent discussion with his potential clients about what he thinks the diamond is from his grading. If not, then I would be inclined to think that the clients should look for someone who actually knows and understands the diamond market.

The deal I used to make with my clients when I had a B&M store was that if I sent a diamond to GIA and it came back with the grade I said it had, (or better) they paid for the cert. If the diamond came back graded below what I thought it was, I paid. In those days I got more than a 6 to 8% margin and it did not take four months to get a GIA report. This idea is, sadly, a non starter unless the jeweler actually owns the diamond, as no one is going to leave it on memo with him for four months.

Wink

P.S. I believe it has been ten years or more since I sold a diamond with an EGL cert. I do not bother to even look at them any more since I deal with an incredible diamond cutter who I can trust and do not need the wasted expense of bringing in toilet papered stones. However, the market is on top of these garbage papers and discounts them heavily, so now it is up to our OP to look at the stones and decide which she likes. If she likes the larger EGL papered diamond and she feels that the price is fair when compared with GIA papered diamonds of that size and the true likely color and clarity of the diamond, then she has a decision to make. If she does not like the diamond or feels it is too highly priced, then she has an easy decision.

 

[RandG]

If you really like the larger stone, I would ask the vendor to have it GIA graded for you. Should the cert come back inconsistent with the EGL cert, AND you still love the stone, I would go back to the bargaining table and ask for a price concession based on the lower grading by GIA. A good vendor is confident in the item its is selling and should not shy away from your request for a GIA cert. If they do, you have your answer. However, don't be surprised if the stone costs more because it is GIA graded.

While I will occasionally accept an EGL NY (only NY) cert, generally speaking, EGL is not nearly as reliable as GIA. I would never buy a stone based solely on an EGL NY cert. There would have to be other variables to compel me.

Finally, you should always consider resale value when buying. Within the industry, a GIA certified stone is always worth more.

Good luck.

The main problem with this is since he is already price matching an internet site. This means that the jeweler is working o a 6 to 8% margin most likely, depending on the site that he is matching. He is also fronting the shipping costs to bring these diamonds in for our OP to look at which further reduces his margin in relation to the internet sight which is most likely a drop shipper who has never, and never will, see the diamonds in question.

It is very likely that this jeweler knows this and can have an intelligent discussion with his potential clients about what he thinks the diamond is from his grading. If not, then I would be inclined to think that the clients should look for someone who actually knows and understands the diamond market.

The deal I used to make with my clients when I had a B&M store was that if I sent a diamond to GIA and it came back with the grade I said it had, (or better) they paid for the cert. If the diamond came back graded below what I thought it was, I paid. In those days I got more than a 6 to 8% margin and it did not take four months to get a GIA report. This idea is, sadly, a non starter unless the jeweler actually owns the diamond, as no one is going to leave it on memo with him for four months.

Wink

I think its more than fair to ask a client to pay for the GIA cert, with the caveat that the seller picks up the expense if the stone grades lower. For a purchase this significant, and because the buyer is a first time diamond buyer of this size, I would insist on a GIA cert, no matter how long it takes. I had a stone graded same day, a month ago. I paid a premium, but if you call GIA NY, and explain the situation, they will try to accommodate a quicker turn time. An EGL cert is simply not reliable, unless you really know what you're buying.