What''s the deal with EGL?

[Kaje77]

EGL sells much cheaper diamonds. Is it worth the money to buy one of those?

I''ve heard two stories:
1) They aren''t accurate
or
2) They used to be inaccurate, but over the past 5 years they''ve been great.

Thoughts?
KJ

 

[belle]

if you are a bargain hunter they are probably right for you.
diamond dealers don''t send their well cut diamonds to egl for grading. they go to gia or ags where they can get a ''cut grade'' that proves the diamonds pedigree. egl is more or less a place to get a good color/clarity grading to prove the diamond is real (with a nod and a wink)

if color and clarity are all that are important to you (within a few grades) go with egl.
that''s not to say you can''t find a very nice egl graded diamond. you just have to know exactly what to look for and how to be certain you are getting it.

 

[Kaje77]

Thanks Belle!

 

[Agent3Civ]

If you are looking for a good comparison between the labs, here''s a good place to look. Link

 

[Lorelei]

Belle is right, you can find a great EGL graded diamond ( I know because I have one

) and they are definitely an option for those who want maximum bang for the buck but enjoy the hunt, are prepared to be patient and know what to look for. My best advice is to study up on what makes a well cut diamond - the best proportions, use the HCA to aid your search and above all use your eyes!

 

[kenny]

I must beg to differ.
Based on what I read here over and over again, EGL stones do not give you more bang for the buck, and they are not a bargain.

A bargain is getting the *same* thing for a lower price.
Yes, EGLs do go for less bucks but that's because there is less bang (a few grades less in fact.)

They simply have lower grade standards than GIA or AGS.
This is unfortunate and is misleading to the public but it's just the way it is.

If you really think your EGL E VS1 is the same stone as an AGS E VS1, just cheaper, you are misinformed.
(But hope springs eternal, they say.)

I think the people who sort and sell diamonds know what they are doing and work the system of labs with different standards to optimize their profits on a range of stones for a range of customers.
I think you get what you pay for.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 4/21/2006 7:45:42 AM
Author: kenny
I must beg to differ.
Based on what I read here over and over again, EGL stones do not give you more bang for the buck, and they are not a bargain.
I think you get what you pay for.

Sorry to disagree Kenny, I have a fantastic EGL graded diamond which I love! It is a fabulous performer and my professional thinks it is an incredible deal. I do concur about some of the things that are said about EGL, but for me buying the diamond and not the paper worked out so well, I would do it again in a heartbeat. I am more than happy with my diamond. However I am more educated with what to look for than most buyers, but I disagree that my diamond doesn't give me more bang for the buck and wasn't a bargain - it does all those things and more. If the grading isn't as accurate or strict as other labs, it honestly doesn't worry me - I go by what my eyes tell me. Sure if you want an undisputed D VS super duper cut then an EGL certed diamond isn't the best choice possibly, but for me wanting size and beauty at the right price it is the best choice for me.

My diamond makes me very happy regardless of who graded it - isn't that the point after all of buying one?????

 

[denverappraiser]

An accurately graded EGL diamond is not an oxymoron. I agree that they have more lenient standards, that they use different scales from both GIA & AGS, that they apply their standards less consistently and that the dealers will do their best to take advantage of these differences, but it doesn’t mean that there are no bargains available for sufficiently diligent shoppers. This is especially true in the ‘lower’ grades (I-1, I-2) and smaller sizes because the fees charged by the labs become a more important consideration in these stones and very subtle distinctions are far less important.

Neil Beaty
GG(GIA) ISA NAJA
Professional Appraisals in Denver

 

[Modified Brilliant]

My diamond makes me very happy regardless of who graded it - isn''t that the point after all of buying one?????
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

YES!! And we shouldn''t lose sight of the fact that a diamond will usually sparkle more than a laminated document.

EGL diamond grading will always be an interesting topic for discussion.

www.metrojewelryappraisers.com

 

[fire&ice]

Date: 4/21/2006 7:45:42 AM
Author: kenny
I must beg to differ.
Based on what I read here over and over again, EGL stones do not give you more bang for the buck, and they are not a bargain.

A bargain is getting the *same* thing for a lower price.
Yes, EGLs do go for less bucks but that''s because there is less bang (a few grades less in fact.)

They simply have lower grade standards than GIA or AGS.
This is unfortunate and is misleading to the public but it''s just the way it is.

If you really think your EGL E VS1 is the same stone as an AGS E VS1, just cheaper, you are misinformed.
(But hope springs eternal, they say.)

I think the people who sort and sell diamonds know what they are doing and work the system of labs with different standards to optimize their profits on a range of stones for a range of customers.
I think you get what you pay for.

Actually, this is not true. EGL stones are cheaper and do have more bang for the buck. I looked at AGS & GIA stones. When this one came up & it was EGL, I was hestitant. I was also hestitant that is was quite a bit cheaper than my budget. My jeweler was operating on a percentage - it wasn''t in his best interest to order in a cheaper stone. He thought this one fit all the bill I was looking for - med/strong blue, very good make, no feathers, 3c - somewhat elusive. He called it in. It was the first stone that swept me away the moment I saw it. In his appraisal of the stone, the color was much closer to an H than the I on the cert. He thought the stone to be closer to an SI2 than SI1 on the cert. Since, my eyes didn''t mind the flaws, I was fine with it. Also, I was paying less than an SI2 grade.

All in all, I''d go the EGL route in a heartbeat. But, you have to sort through them. They will have their flaws - as will any graded stone.

Good luck!

 

[moon river]

Date: 4/21/2006 9:12:23 AM
Author: Modified Brilliant
My diamond makes me very happy regardless of who graded it - isn''t that the point after all of buying one?????
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

YES!! And we shouldn''t lose sight of the fact that a diamond will usually sparkle more than a laminated document.

EGL diamond grading will always be an interesting topic for discussion.

www.metrojewelryappraisers.com

As long as your happy with your stone that''s what is important.

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

I have little faith in EGL outside USA and Canada - they are owned by different companies - and have had legal wars etc.

We sent 15 stones to EGL uSA, AGS and GIA and Leonid did a huge data comparision based on the grade differences on the reports (none got the same color and clarity from all 3 labs, EGL was a little softer on color but EGL was stricter on clarity.

So a lot of the myths we tried to clear up (the same onesIi believe exist for IGI) are still around - we wasted our time and efforts and lots of money because many of you regulars keep trotting out the same old same old.

EGL was the best buy in the case of these 15 stones!!!!

http://grading.pricescope.com/color-clarity.aspx

Please p[eople read the damm thing so I dont have to waste all this time all the time!!!!

 

[denverappraiser]

Garry,

Your study was a wonderful contribution and I hope you are only kidding about feeling that it was a waste of your efforts. There are several things that keep it from being the definitive answer to the EGL question but that doesn’t make it useless.

As you point out, the name EGL refers to two different companies and about 10 different labs that are not all equally reliable (as well as one that shut down a few years ago but stones with their reports are still in the marketplace). Which EGL did the exam turns out to be an important consideration. Even this doesn’t answer the question of whether a customer’s stone will have been accurately graded. Good graders make mistakes, bad graders get lucky and there’s a whole range of choices between. It’s a matter of deciding whose opinion to rely on.

EGL-USA has several different products that customers describe as resulting in a stone being ‘certified’. They are not all equally reliable. Your study involved only the flagship product line. The products they call ‘Diamond ID card’ and ‘Gem ID card’ seem to be the source of quite a bit of the difficulty. These involve a very different grading methodology from the product they call ‘Diamond Certificate’.

I agree with your assessment that there are bargains to be had on excellent stones by shopping for EGL graded goods but there is definitely a tradeoff in the reliability of using the grading information to make the decision. Diamond grading reports are often presented by dealers as a substitute for expert advice in choosing a suitable diamond, and for people who insist on buying paper instead of diamonds, it’s a prudent and important step to gauge the reliability of the lab/grader/appraiser before using their opinion as the basis for a decision. For this purpose, reports issued by GIA & AGS seem to be more suitable.

Neil Beaty
GG(GIA) ISA NAJA
Professional Appraisals in Denver