EGL USA director Mitch Jakubovic recently launched US-based GHI Gemological Laboratory. The business was officially introduced at the end of May and specialises in the identification and evaluation of loose white and coloured diamonds.
Jakubovic confirmed that, unlike EGL USA – which he still heads – the new gemmological venture welcomed diamond submissions from customers located anywhere in the world, and that GHI grading reports could be listed on international diamond trading platforms.
“EGL USA operates exclusively in North America,” he said. “GHI was created, in part, to address that. It’s a fresh, global alternative, offering modern, consumer-centric reports and services that are available internationally.”
As previously reported by Jeweller, EGL USA grading reports have been barred by major trading platform RapNet as a result of the high-profile diamond over-grading debate that captured international headlines in September last year.
Protecting the brand
The decision by RapNet was based on concerns that European Gemological Laboratories (EGL) affiliates were misrepresenting Gemological Institute of America terminology to “overstate” the quality of the diamonds they graded.
Despite Jakubovic pointing out that EGL USA was an entirely separate business entity and had no association with the international EGL network aside from sharing the same name, RapNet deemed that the “confusion and inconsistency” among reports warranted the removal of all EGL-branded grading certificates.
“The entire diamond industry, including EGL USA, has been unfairly impacted by the actions of other EGL-named laboratories,” Jakubovic told Jeweller. “But, make no mistake – EGL USA is alive and well, and supported by legions of long-standing customers.”
Jakubovic added that given EGL USA’s name had been “well-respected for decades” there were no plans to change it in order to distinguish the US business from the overseas EGL laboratories, although he noted that legal battles to protect the brand were ongoing.
“EGL USA worked with the US Bureau of Customs and Border Protection to establish a border ban on all EGL overseas reports [and also] filed suit against the overseas labs in federal court, for both their inflated grading practices and improper use of the EGL name in the US,” he said.
“That court battle lasted 10 years, and we’ve been waiting for the judge’s decision for over two years. We are confident that there will be a positive, final resolution.”
Jakubovic emphasised that EGL USA and GHI would operate independently; however, he noted research findings would be shared. “Ideally, all labs would collaborate in this way, to offer the best evaluation and identification techniques to customers everywhere,” he said.
Jakubovic added that he planned to expand GHI services to encompass coloured gemstones and jewellery, and to open more offices in other locations in future. GHI laboratories are currently located in New York, Los Angeles and Miami.
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