Guide to Buying a Lab-Grown Diamond Ring
A lab-grown diamond ring contains a diamond manufactured in a controlled environment using technology that mimics the natural diamond process.
Recently, these rings have become popular thanks to their ease of access and low prices.
Is this the first time you are thinking about buying the rings? Here is a guide to follow when making the purchase:
Difference Between Natural & Lab Grown Diamond
Whenever we ask people to choose lab-grown diamonds, they often hesitate. For some reason, lab-grown diamonds seem like a dupe or a fake. However, did you know lab-grown diamonds pass several quality tests and can look gorgeous as well?
The reason behind many picking lab-grown diamonds is not always affordability but the scarcity of the natural-grown rock itself.
Making of A Natural Diamond
Diamonds form deep within the Earth’s crust, under extreme pressure and high temperature. Yes, sometimes this rock can form through billions of years.
Even after that, a certain (huge) budget is required to extract these rocks from the depths of the Earth, not to mention the polishing process before the diamond can be placed in a ring.
This is why, even if you crave that unique, naturally sourced diamond, it could be difficult to get one. The amount you must spare for that one engagement ring could skyrocket.
At this point, it is almost not worth it. Especially when you can get a perfectly cut lab-grown diamond and customize it to your preference.
The Science Behind a Lab-Grown Diamond
Lab-grown diamonds as an industry began around 1950 to create more gems for industrial needs. However, by 2017, the quality of these diamonds increased by leaps & bounds. Don’t worry; you are not compromising.
Other than being readily available, there are other benefits to picking this gem (which we will discuss later).
If you want to know the exact mechanism of how a lab-grown diamond is made, then here is the procedure:
First, we take a diamond seed and place it in carbon. Then, it is heated to 1500 Celsius.
While this process is ongoing, the diamond seed is placed under a pressure of 1.5 million pounds (about 680388 kg) per square inch.
The final process is cooling the carbon, after which we get the unpolished diamond. Now, you can ask your vendor to polish & customize it as you please.
The Appeal of Lab-Created Diamonds
The reason we millennials are now planning to buy lab-grown diamonds is not just rooted in the scarcity of natural ones. There is a subtle connotation of sustainability and being environmentally mindful.
Mining can cause a high carbon footprint, leading to high environmental disruption. Thus, many couples choose lab-grown products, including engagement rings.
However, we cannot keep the price factor aside since ethically lab-grown diamonds are known to be 20% more budget-friendly than naturally sourced. This is an appealing factor for the new generation as they tend to mindfully invest for better ROI than spending thousands on jewelry.
Aesthetically speaking, there is no compromise either. The cut and craftsmanship will give your eyes the same satisfaction.
Pay attention to the four C’s
These are carat, cut, clarity, and color. You should pay attention to them when buying mined diamond rings, and you should pay attention to them when buying lab-grown diamond rings.
Carat:
Carat denotes the stone’s carat weight. Most first-time buyers prioritize carat weight and want the largest diamond possible.
While nothing is wrong with this, you should note that if you are on a tight budget, going with the largest carat will be too expensive.
You are looking to buy a lab-grown ring because you don’t have much money, so going for the largest carat will ruin your budget.
To save money, consider going a carat below the largest ring that you want. This will not make much of a difference, but you will save some money.
For example, the visual difference between a 0.89ct and a 1.0ct will be negligible, but the price (determined partly by carat weight) will be significant, which will save you a lot.
Cut:
Cut is the most crucial factor when picking a lab-grown diamond because it influences look and pricing. A diamond’s cut influences how it interacts with light, resulting in effects such as brilliance, fire, and scintillation.
Diamonds with a fair or poor cut are often cut deep and narrow or shallow and wide, leading them to lose the majority of light through the sides and bottom. You don’t want this, do you?
To be safe:
- Don’t be in a hurry when purchasing.
- Take your time and find reputable stores that stock high-quality lab diamond rings.
- Avoid stores that stock diamonds with fair or poor cut grades.
Clarity:
Clarity refers to a diamond’s purity or quality, such as the number of imperfections or blemishes it contains or its flawlessness. The better a diamond’s clarity, the larger its brilliance, and the higher its worth or price.
Clarity of diamond is graded on a scale from Flawless (FL) to Internally Flawless (IF) to Included (I1, II, and III).
Of course, you need one with high clarity levels when buying your ring.
Color:
Color refers to the diamond’s whiteness or lack of color. Most diamonds in engagement and wedding rings are colorless, with slight yellow or brown tones. The diamond color scale includes D, E, F (colorless), G, H, I, J (near colorless), K, L, M (faint color), N-R (very light), and S-Z (light color).
If you are a purist, aim for a diamond rated colorless in the D-F range to verify that it has no detectable color. A G-J color diamond can provide excellent value if you’re on a tight budget. With the naked eye, you will usually see little to no color.
Always ask for grading reports.
Lab-grown diamond grading reports are a vital item you should consider to ensure you acquire them as part of your purchase.
The report identifies your lab-created diamond as laboratory-grown and will include all measurements, proportions, finishes, and diamond-grade identifications.
These grading reports independently certify the technologies utilized and the quality of the lab-grown diamond you will get.
A reputable seller should be able to provide you with the reports without any problems. If you encounter a seller who is unwilling to furnish you with the report, you have a reason to worry, as they might not be selling you the high-quality diamonds you are after.
Buy from a reputable company.
As you can tell, choosing a reputable company for your lab-created diamond ring is critical. Before you place your order, you should conduct extensive research on the company’s history and reputation, business methods, nature of lab diamond growers, shopping experience, and consumer feedback.
As a rule, you should only buy from a reputable company with a proven track record. You can buy both online and from a brick-and-mortar business.
One of the most significant advantages of shopping online is that you may shop at your convenience while comparing options from different merchants in a pressure-free environment.
Online retailers provide competitive return policies, and most diamonds purchased online are less expensive than those purchased in-store, which means you save money.
There is also generally a much greater inventory selection because online items can be electronically listed rather than physically displayed.
Most online organizations include a live chat option, a convenient way to contact a salesman without leaving your house.
When buying from an online store, you should look for everything and ensure everything is on point.
When shopping online, pay particular attention to the return, repair, and warranty policies. Find a firm that will be your advocate in locating the greatest grade lab-grown diamond at the best price.
Consider your values and ethics.
Not all lab-grown diamond firms are made equal, and it’s up to you to research whether the company you are looking to buy from meets your values and ethics. As a rule of thumb, you must ensure the company is genuine.
You should consider the jewelry itself and how you want to feel when you gaze at it daily.
If you are conscious about the environment, you want to work with a company with environmental conservation projects.
The same thing applies to whether you are passionate about community impact. You want to work with a company that has CSR projects and also gives career opportunities to those living in the area.
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