All diamond labs charge a small fee for grading and reputable vendors are happy to pay this to ensure accurate grades. Diamond Grading Myths DebunkedĪ GIA certified diamond is more expensive.įalse. This can result in overspending thousands of dollars. The IGI falls foul to the same issues as the EGL – I have personally seen IGI graded diamonds that sit as far as 4 grades away from their true quality. However, this lab does nothing to uphold Antwerp’s rich history and impressive standing in the diamond industry. The International Gemological Institute are based in my home of Antwerp, Belgium. Each have their own approach to grading and with differing results. The four most popular grading labs are GIA, AGS, EGL and IGI. Sadly, they are not all equal and this can add an additional layer of confusion for buyers. Having just any diamond certificate is not enough. If you’re comparing two diamonds, both with GIA reports, you can see exactly which qualities are pushing the price up – for example, if one diamond has a higher color grade than the other.

This makes comparison, and decisions surrounding budget and spend much easier. The leading labs have invested millions into detecting synthetic diamonds, and this offers great peace of mind to the buyer.Ī certificate expresses the exact qualities of the diamond so you know exactly what you are buying. We aren’t just talking about sorting your cubic zirconia from your diamonds either synthetic diamonds are sophisticated and pose a real issue to the natural diamond market. The first advantage of a lab report is that it certifies that a diamond is real.

A diamond report from a good lab is of great value to buyers. If you’ve read my summary of the GIA vs AGS labs, you will already know that these are the top tier labs and represent the gold standard of diamond grading but why? And how do the other labs match up? This guide will cover everything you need to know. The best diamond certificates are provided by an unbiased party, who’s goal is simply to express the exact quality of the diamond.

A CUT ABOVE Diamonds® by Whiteflash ReviewĪ diamond report, sometimes referred to as a certificate, is an extremely important document that details the precise qualities and attributes of a diamond.Differences Between GIA, AGS, EGL, IGI Certification Labs.The Angular Spectrum Evaluation Tool (ASET).

Igi diamonds