EGL certificates are recognized around the globe for their accuracy and integrity, defining industry standards in evaluation and appraisal.
The company maintains a worldwide presence in the major diamond trading centers, cooperates with leading organizations including the World Federation of Diamond Bourses and runs an extensive educational program as part of its dedication to protecting public interest and raising the level of professionalism in the field.
EGL Certificates
Diamond dealers, jewelers and customers who submit their precious stones for certification at EGL can receive the following grading reports (click on any report for an expanded view):
A Diamond Certificate is official documentation of your gem’s quality and main attributes: its Color, Clarity, Cut and Carat weight, which are known in the diamond industry as the 4 Cs. The Diamond Certificate lists all the vital data contained in the 4 Cs, which represent the essence of your stone’s actual DNA. Hence, the sought-after Diamond Certificate is in effect the 5th C.
A Diamond Certificate is your gem’s official credentials delivered by a team of expert gemologists. EGL, which does not have a financial interest in the diamond trade and is not in any way involved in the buying and selling of diamonds, ensures impartial grading and certification. This professional objectivity complements the expertise of its qualified gemologists, validating your diamond’s natural origins, character and class and placing EGL among the world’s leading independent gemological laboratories.
Certification Benefits
Certifying a diamond at the hands of an independent source is a vital step for diamond traders, jewelers and consumers alike, offering benefits such as:
- Authentication of your diamond’s attributes, including the 4 Cs as well as fluorescence, polish and symmetry
- Verification of the parameters that influence the true value of your diamond
- Disclosure of color enhancement by means of treatment processes such as High Pressure-High Temperature (HPHT) and clarity enhancement by means of fracture filling and internal laser interventions, among others.
- Security protection against theft, fraud and stone switching
- Assurance that the diamond was not assessed by a company with a vested interest in setting its value, or by a company offering a better deal.
- Stamp of credibility from an independent team of professional gemologists.
For these reasons, diamond dealers acknowledge that in today’s competitive diamond market obtaining independent certification is a must.
Certificate Content
All EGL Certificates contain information about the 4 Cs, measurements and fluorescence. For detailed explanations of the various data on EGL Certificates, see our Diamond Grading Lexicon.
In addition, all diamonds submitted for grading at EGL that have undergone color and clarity enhancement treatments are recorded as Clarity Enhanced or Color Enhanced in your EGL Diamond Report, Mini-Cert or CertiCard.
All EGL Certificates contain the EGL hologram for additional security.
Grading Before Certification
With its commitment to professionalism, EGL offers its customers a pre-certification grading option. This ensures that you are informed of the diamond’s grading on the 4 Cs and other vital information such as measurements and symmetry by mail or fax prior to giving the EGL lab the go-ahead to issue a certificate, as opposed to the more common practice of requiring full payment for certification regardless of the grading results. With EGL’s pre-certification grading option, the decision on proceeding with certification rests with the customer.
Unique Grading Options
EGL certificates provide grades that are unique to the diamond industry:
SI3 – Step grade between SI2 and I1. This clarity grade was conceived by EGL to describe top-end I1 diamonds which are still eye clean, as we considered the SI2 range to be too wide ranging. In fact, when our gemologists need to grade a diamond in this range they have to first decide whether the diamond is an SI2 or an I1. And then, only if the stone is designated as an I1 our gemologists must decide whether the diamond can qualify as an SI3. This takes place only if the diamond is eye clean, among other factors.
Good to Very Good – Step grade for symmetry, for diamonds of all shapes.
Excellent – Symmetry grade also for “fantasy” diamonds, i.e. all shapes other than round brilliant.
