GIA vs. AGS vs. EGL

[Bright]

Are these all equally respected diamond certifications?

Are GIA certified diamonds more valuable or respected than say an EGL diamond?

Are they just as accurate as one another? Or, does one tend to be stricter than an other?

Just trying to understand if this should be a determining factor in selecting diamonds.

Thank you all,
Bright

 

[StevL]

The AGS and GIA are the more respected labs between dealers. The AGS document gives more information about cut than the GIA report. Get a GIA document with a Sarin or OGI report and you have the same as the AGS offers. Many feel the EGL is a little easy on their grading at times (I happen to agree), but an EGL report is certainly better than a few others are and very much better than having none at all.

Pricing (most expensive diamond to least);
AGS graded stone
GIA graded stone
EGL graded stone

 

[pricescope]

I spoke to Mark Gershburg, EGL USA director. He insisted that EGL USA today is more strict than GIA.

I will email Mark about this thread and ask to share his view on the subject.

 

[lookingforastone]

Was there any response or conclusions on this issue?

 

[SYR]

I have an EGL but not from the USA and it is not laminated. I dont think it is authentic. We really need to be careful and informed about the scams. Was this a scam?

 

[JohnQuixote]

Since this thread was started a very insightful survey was performed by Leonid and Garry Holloway. Here.

SYR, I realize this may not pertain to your authenticity query, but it's pertinent to the initial questions raised in this thread in 2002/2003.