Question?

[JiltedGen]

Is AGS standard more stringent than GIA?
What does a "Pricescope" discount mean?

 

[Jenna51580gr]

I was wondering the same thing is GIA more strigent than AGA. To your second question (other PSers please tell me if I am wrong) you receive a discount if your buy a diamond and mention that you are a memeber with this forum with some of the vendors if not all the vendors.

 

[iheartscience]

AGS is definitely viewed as more stringent than GIA. Apparently GIA Excellent cuts are not always that excellent, whereas an AGS 0 ideal cut is probably always going to be a great performer. The numbers for an AGS 0 are a lot stricter than a GIA Excellent cuts.

The Pricescope discount varies from vendor to vendor, but most Pricescope vendors offer a smallish discount on diamonds (all adds up when you''re spending that much $, of course) if you are a PS member and you mention it. Plus most vendors offer a discount for wire transfer, so you can potentially save a fair amount by combining a PS discount and a wire transfer discount.

 

[oldminer]

The color and clarity standards of GIA and AGS are supposedly identical. The application of these admittedly subjective standards differs slightly between the labs. There is no way two labs, even under a single management protocol, could produce identical results on all diamonds. Color grades have about a 65% degree of repeatability between graders when it comes to calling the same grade on a given diamond. I would doubt clarity grading is better, and it might even be worse. I don't have any data to say anything factual right now. It is the limitation of our eyes and brains which prevents a higher level of calling grades identically anywhere near 100% of the time.

Technology can provide levels of color grading repeatability exceeding 95%, but the market has not as yet accepted this concept in a broad way. There are small inroads being made by HRD, IDL and ImaGem, all overseas, with color grading and progress is also being made with automating clarity grading at a nearly commercial testing level. None of the labs offering automated color grading is a large factor to the USA diamond market at the present time. If GIA, AGS, GCAL, EGL, HRD, IDL, IGI and many others want to operate on a global level, they will adopt digital grading as HRD, IDL and ImaGem are doing. The leaders in this are currently labs few of us know a lot about. When the two to five biggest USA players want to compete and operate cleanly as global firms, they will see the merit is what they currently view as "untried" or "unproven". Right now, one or more lab is very global, but the grading is all over the place. Their customers don't care and in fact, it suits them to have virtually meaningless grading. It is just matter of time when this BS won't work anymore. The sooner the better, as far as I'm concerned.

AGS has garnered a very nice following in the upper tiers of cut quality in the US market. The AGS cut grade system is more highly defining of best performance than the GIA. AGS has gone into princess cuts and emerald cuts where GIA is stuck with rounds only. AGS has one lab with as good a consistency as can be attained. I think most dealers think AGSL is strict, but correct. GIA is running a very, very close race with AGSL. GIA offers a more liberal round cut grade, but the color and clarity are very similar to the AGS grades. Some may say there is a greater difference, but the market does not show very much in the overall. I tend to trust the free market more than any particular single dealer opinion.


The PRICESCOPE DISCOUNT: I did a quick search and here are the applicable PRICESCOPE DISCOUNTS for that search:
Edited for fariness.

Prices marked with * are specials for Pricescope visitors only! S- shipping included. P- price match policy. F- financing available.
» 10%off the setting of your choice with any branded stone from vendor xxxxxxx diamonds
» Pricescope special prices from vendor XXXXXX - Use code PSxxx at checkout
» $150 off on loose diamonds above $2,500 at vendor xxxxxxxx.Coupon Code: xxxxxx
Tell dealers that you found them on PriceScope!