Events & AwardsJun 05, 2025
The 12 Fresh Faces in Couture’s Design AtelierDiscover the dozen up-and-coming brands exhibiting in the Design Atelier for the first time.
GradingOct 02, 2018
Attorney: Grading report class action is coming
Early next year, a class-action lawsuit will be filed against EGL International and “major retailers” charging that the lab systematically over-graded diamonds that the retailers then knowingly sold to consumers, National Jeweler has learned.
New York--Early next year, a class-action lawsuit will be filed against EGL International and “major retailers” charging that the lab systematically over-graded diamonds that the retailers then knowingly sold to consumers, National Jeweler has learned.
Nashville, Tenn.-based attorney Brian Cummings said Monday that the suit will be filed within the next 60 days by a “major national plaintiffs’ class-action firm,” which he is not yet authorized to name because the firm is still working on the case.
Expected to be filed in California, the main causes of action in the suit will be violations of state consumer protection acts, breach of express warranty and civil RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations), which allows those impacted by organized crime to collect treble (triple) damages.
Cummings said the suit will be filed in California because of the strength of that state’s consumer protection act and the volume of business done in California by the retailers that will be named as defendants.
While the exact number of defendants is unknown at this point, there are expected to be between 10 and 20 plaintiffs to start, though that number could grow. He said the intention is for the lawsuit to be limited to large retailers and not target small independent jewelers so it can be “more effective” and move more quickly.
News of a pending major class-action against EGL International and large retailers in the United States is the latest blow to the EGL International brand, which will cease to exist shortly.
While over-grading has been a much-discussed issue in the industry for years, it exploded in 2014.
There were a total of four individual lawsuits filed over EGL International grading reports in Tennessee alone, and they made headlines. Local NBC affiliate WSMV followed the story closely and, later, touted its role in helping to change the industry.
Several months after this news emerged from Nashville, Rapaport Group announced its decision to pull stones graded by any EGL lab from RapNet, its vast diamond trading network, and Polygon removed reports from EGL International only.
Then came even bigger news out of Israel: the EGL labs outside of the United States would be reorganizing, homogenizing their grading practices and eliminating the EGL International brand name, all under the direction of a single, new global manager, Menahem Sevdermish.
Cummings is the attorney who handled three of the cases filed in Nashville involving
EGL International grading reports. His clients settled their cases against the Genesis Diamonds recently, though the terms of those settlements were not disclosed.
He also represented a plaintiff in a similar case in Georgia but it was settled before a lawsuit was filed.
Cummings said he and another Nashville attorney, Brian Manookian, who also represented a client who brought and settled a case against Genesis in Nashville, approached the national law firm regarding over-grading because they saw it as a potential class action best handled by a large, prominent firm.
“(We felt) the clients would be best served by having a prominent class-action law firm take an active role in that matter,” he said.
He said the goal of the lawsuit is two-fold: to shine a light on the “fraudulent practice” of selling over-graded diamonds and to recover money for consumers who might have been defrauded when they bought these diamonds.
Cummings added that while he would be involved in some aspect of the class action, his exact role is unclear at this time.
More on Grading
The Latest
SourcingJun 05, 2025
A Rare Suite of Rubies Has Arrived in Las VegasThe “Royal Ruby” Collection is a quintet of untreated rubies curated by collector Jack Abraham.
Events & AwardsJun 05, 2025
Daymond John to Give Keynote at JCK Las VegasThe entrepreneur and “Shark Tank” star will share his top tips for success.
Brought to you by
The True Power Behind the Counter: Why Sales Associates Are the Heart of the Jewelry BusinessWhen investing in your jewelry business, it's important not to overlook the most crucial element of success: the sales associates.
MajorsJun 05, 2025
Platinum Guild International Updates Leadership TeamTwo existing executives have been given new roles.
Weekly QuizJun 05, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
Events & AwardsJun 05, 2025
Zillion Announces 'Women in STEM' Scholarship RecipientMeredith Tiderington, an electrical engineering student, was selected for the award.
Lab-GrownJun 04, 2025
GIA Reverting to More General Terminology for Lab-Grown DiamondsIt will quit assigning the stones specific color and clarity grades in favor of applying “new descriptive terminology.”
Brought to you by
Clienteling Isn’t a Buzzword. It’s an Essential Business Model.More shoppers are walking out without buying. Here’s how smart jewelers can bring them back—and the tool they need to do it right.
Events & AwardsJun 04, 2025
As JCK Talks Returns, Don’t Miss These 12 SessionsFrom design trends to sustainability, here’s a roundup of can’t-miss education sessions at JCK Las Vegas.
CrimeJun 04, 2025
10 Safety Tips for the Las Vegas Shows The Jewelers’ Security Alliance offers advice for those attending the annual trade shows.
MajorsJun 04, 2025
Amy Curran Promoted at Hill & Co.Her new role is director of strategic initiatives.
CollectionsJun 03, 2025
In Her Latest Collection, Viviana Langhoff Is Leaning Into GoldThe designer is embracing bold pieces with weight to them in “AU79,” a collection she celebrated with a creative launch party.
FinancialsJun 03, 2025
Signet Jewelers Sees Turnaround in Q1 With Sales Ticking Up 2%On an earnings call, CEO J.K. Symancyk discussed what’s working for the company and how it’s preparing for the potential impact of tariffs.
SurveysJun 03, 2025
Consumer Confidence Improves in May The index partially rebounded after months of decline, due in part to the U.S.-China deal to temporarily reduce import tariffs.
CollectionsJun 03, 2025
Dakota Johnson Is Roberto Coin’s New Brand AmbassadorThe actress stars in the latest campaign set in Venice, Italy, and is set to participate in other creative initiatives for the jeweler.
SourcingJun 02, 2025
Gemfields’ June Auction to Include 36-Carat RubyThe large stone will be offered at its June sale along with a selection of secondary-type rubies from a new area of the Montepuez mine.
TrendsJun 02, 2025
Amanda’s Style File: Three Gems for June Those born in June have a myriad of options for their birthstone jewelry.
SourcingJun 02, 2025
David Allouche Joins Grandview Klein DiamondsThe diamond industry veteran has been named its senior sales executive.
FinancialsMay 30, 2025
Movado’s Q1 Sales Slip Amid ‘Challenging’ Retail Environment The company plans to raise the prices of select watches to offset the impact of tariffs.
Policies & IssuesMay 30, 2025
Tariffs & Designers: Navigating Pricing in an Unstable EnvironmentBetween tariffs and the sky-high cost of gold, designers enter this year’s Las Vegas shows with a lot of questions and few answers.
CollectionsMay 30, 2025
Piece of the Week: Renato Cipullo’s ‘Hematite Blaze’ NecklaceDesigned by founder Renato and his daughter Serena Cipullo, it showcases a flame motif representing unity and the power of gathering.
Policies & IssuesMay 30, 2025
Trade Court Declares Trump’s Tariffs InvalidHowever, the tariffs remain in effect in the short term, as an appeals court has stayed the U.S. Court of International Trade’s decision.
CollectionsMay 29, 2025
Britney Spears Files Trademark for New Jewelry LineThe pop icon is one step closer to launching her “B Tiny” jewelry collection, a collection she first began posting about last fall.
Supplier BulletinMay 29, 2025
Inoveo Platinum Grain, Exclusively Distributed by StullerSponsored by Stuller
SourcingMay 29, 2025
Grizzly Auctions 6,620-Carat EmeraldIt was featured in the miner’s latest sale, which brought in $24.8 million.
TechnologyMay 29, 2025
GemFind Launches AI Product Description SoftwareGemText AI uses artificial intelligence to generate tailored product titles, descriptions, and tags with jewelry-specific language.
MajorsMay 28, 2025
Graff Unveils New Las Vegas FlagshipThe 3,300-square foot location is the jeweler's largest store in North America.
