GIA vs. EGL

[met]

Could I say that EGL is softer so my color and clarity should be 2 grades higher to be "kind of" equivalent with the GIA grading??? ---That of course, the cut is both the same as in ideal cut, with 3 excellents, no cutlet, no fluorescence in a round brillant?

Thanks.

 

[stone-cold11]

For example, if your stone is graded H VS2 by EGL, it could be a J SI2 by GIA. Could being the operative word here. Get it independently appraised if you want to be sure.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 8/23/2009 3:06:43 PM
Author:met
Could I say that EGL is softer so my color and clarity should be 2 grades higher to be 'kind of' equivalent with the GIA grading??? ---That of course, the cut is both the same as in ideal cut, with 3 excellents, no cutlet, no fluorescence in a round brillant?

Thanks.

No hard and fast rules, some EGL labs are said to be softer than others so which EGL lab in particular can make a difference. EGL USA are said to be the strongest lab with the overseas divisions sometimes being less so, this page explains further if you haven't already seen it.

http://diamonds.pricescope.com/grading.asp

 

[John P]

Date: 8/23/2009 3:06:43 PM
Author:met
Could I say that EGL is softer so my color and clarity should be 2 grades higher to be 'kind of' equivalent with the GIA grading??? ---That of course, the cut is both the same as in ideal cut, with 3 excellents, no cutlet, no fluorescence in a round brillant?

Thanks.

Yes. No. Maybe.

EGL is considered softer and less consistent as a general rule - the degree depends which lab location. But general rules aren't meaningful to individual cases... For example we can predict that diamond #1 which was GIA D-FL will also receive D-FL at a notably softer lab...but if we take 100 diamonds graded D-FL at the softer lab we have no way of knowing how many would receive GIA D-FL or how wide the range of variance will be case-to-case (D-F? D-H?). Polish & sym standards vary too. As do fluorescence judgments.

Also, in terms of cut, the GIA does not issue an "ideal" cut grade, and EGL's cut grade is nowhere as strict or proven as the industry leaders'.

Manufacturers and sellers are smart people who send a given diamond to a given lab for a reason. The decision not to send to the strictest labs may be based on a number of considerations including color/clarity borderlines, cut/finish grading or the diamond's target market. Whatever the reason, the trade internally discounts diamonds accompanied by non-GIA or AGS grading reports so you can be sure there was thought put into the decision.

We often say "buy the diamond not the paper." At the same time it's best to gain an understanding of "why" a diamond may have been sent to receive the paper it did. Sometimes those reasons are not in the consumer's best interest.

 

[makemepretty]

Don''t believe that. EGL can be just as accurate at GIA and some people can even disagree with GIA as being always accurate or sometimes ''soft'' too. Take a look at this thread to set your mind at ease:

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/pictures-of-your-egl-diamonds.122876/

 

[Tuckins1]

Not necessarily. You should have it appraised independently to be sure.