The difference between GIA and EGL (US)

GIA or EGL what is the difference?




I am only giving you my personal opinion and this is not based on any factual data of any sort. Both the GIA and EGL are premier labs of the jewelry industry and therefore have a great reputation. Unfortunately, the EGL logo is used by not only the US office but by many labs overseas. As a jeweler, I would only recommend purchasing a diamond that is certified by the EGL based in the US and not one from a foreign labs and this is because the overseas EGL labs do not come close to meeting the standards of the local US labs. As far as the GIA, it does not matter if the certificate comes from the US or overseas, they are all considered equal.

Now, how does the US EGL compare to the GIA? It is my opinion that if you are looking to purchase a high quality diamond, say D to I color and Flawless to SI1 clarity than you should consider a GIA certificate. The information that the GIA provides on their full certificates make the diamond slightly more valuable and because the GIA has a slightly more conservative grading standard you will pay more for a GIA certified diamond.

Therefore in conclusion, if two diamonds have the exact same color and clarity grading and are both certified, one by the GIA and the other by the EGL US, you need to be prepared to pay slightly more for the GIA diamond because in most cases it has been graded more strictly. And when it is time to trade up or sell your diamond, the GIA hold a lot more credibility all day long.

Hope this is helpful, please let me know what you think of this article............Sol Dunst

Labels: GIA or EGL, how do I pick?