How reliable are IGI certs?

[AChiOAlumna]

Just curious as I was in Costco last night and perusing the jewelry counter. There was an IGI certed 1.06 EC solitare with the following specs:

1.06 carats
F
VS2
Depth: 68%
Table: 65%
Polish/Symmetry: VG/G
Girdle: Med - STHK
Cutlet: none
Fluorescence: None
$5000 - approximately I can't remember the actual price right now, but I know it was cheaper than my EC...

So what is the likelihood that this is a good deal? It's hard to know HOW good the diamond is in sunlight as it was under Costco's infamous lighting, but the specs on paper seem fairly decent...which is why I'm wondering how IGI compares to GIA/AGS??

Thanks in advance!

 

[AChiOAlumna]

*BUMP* I''m hoping someone can give me some info on this as a friend was asking me about it and I couldn''t give him any info as I was in the dark about IGI grading....THANKS!!

 

[Kaleigh]

IGI is no GIA or AGS, but there was someone here a while ago that got a lovely ring from Costco and it appraised very well. Sorry I can''t be of more help. It was a 3 stone emerald cut if memeory serves me correctly. Maybe someone else will remember it???

 

[lumpkin]

I can''t answer to the color, but with EC''s the inclusions are much easier to spot.

I don''t think I''d rely on IGI. I saw some IGI stones at a mall store that were clearly, clearly off. They had a 1 carat round that was graded F and it had a LOT of body color. It was noticable in their lighting. I would have said just by written definition of the colors it had to be in the faint yellow range. Although, I''m not sure if they maybe had the wrong card with it (but there were several examples of this -- could all the cards have been with the wrong diamond)? That''s how off it was. The other thing is that seems to be the lab of choice with the mall jewelers.

That being said, my .57 diamond was graded H VS1 by IGI 17 years ago. Two years ago when I sold it, three jewelers looked at it and said G/H VS, so apparently it was fairly accurate in that case.

I don''t know if that''s helpful, much. It''s just anacdotal.

 

[diagem]

GIA??? GIA seems like they are having a bad DAY!!!!!

All Labratories are based on OPINION only!!!

IGI seems to be acepted in most of the \european Block

 

[strmrdr]

IGI can be accurate sometimes but they dont seem to be very consistant.
Also they will grade stones mounted which can make a very large difference.
I wouldn't trust an igi cert at all.

 

[Bagpuss]

There was a thread comparing the accuracy of different lab grading but I can''t remember which one it was. Can anyone else find it?