Lab grown diamonds are identical in every way to earth-mined diamonds but they cost up to 40% less. What are some things to know when choosing the perfect lab grown diamond? There are a few major factors to take into consideration when shopping for lab created diamonds. Keep reading to learn more and begin your search today!
1. Choose the Right Company for You!
Lab grown diamonds have been increasing in popularity, and many diamond companies have begun to start producing and selling their own. Now that you have options, consider some of these points when deciding where to purchase your grown diamonds from.
The company you purchase your engagement ring, loose stone or lab grown diamond jewelry from is important! You should do plenty of research into the company’s background and refutability, their business practices, their lab diamond growers, the shopping experience and customer reviews. The process of picking out a lab grown diamond or engagement ring is different for each individual; some people know exactly what they’re looking for and some need more information to better understand their personal style and preferences.
When it comes to shopping online, one of the biggest pros is that you can purchase on your own time while comparing options between retailers in a no pressure situation. Online companies offer competitive return policies and most diamonds purchased online are cheaper than those in brick and mortar and allow for comparison pricing. There is also often a much wider inventory selection available, as online can be virtually listed versus having everything physically in person. Most online companies offer a live chat option for instant communication, which is an easy way to get in touch with a salesperson without the hassle of leaving your house. When online shopping, make sure you pay closer attention to policies regarding returns, repairs, and warranties. Find a company who will be your advocate to find the highest quality lab-grown diamond at the best price! The great option about shopping at MiaDonna is that you can either shop online at your own leisure, any time of any day, or you can visit us at our retail store located in Portland, Oregon either by appointment, or just walk in.
2. Understand and Remember the 4 Cs
The 4 Cs when shopping for diamonds are: carat, cut, clarity and color. These determine the look of each individual diamond, and are important factors to understand when shopping for your perfect lab grown diamond.
Carat represents the carat weight of the stone; the measurement used to describe the size of a diamond or gemstone based on weight. Most first-time buyers focus heavily on carat weight. They want the biggest diamond they can get and most often over 1.0ct. However, if you're on a budget, going just under a carat would be cost effective and you would most likely not physically see a big difference. For example, the visual difference of a 0.89ct compared to a 1.0ct will be incredibly minimal, but the price (which is based in part on carat weight) will have a significant difference; sometimes over a thousand dollars!
Cut is the most important aspect to keep in mind when selecting your lab grown diamond as it has the greatest influence on the appearance and price. A diamond’s cut determines how it interacts with light, creating effects like brightness, fire, and scintillation. At MiaDonna, we use the most standardized scale when pricing our lab grown diamonds. This ranges from Ideal, a desirable and rare cut that reflects nearly all light that enters the diamond to Fair (Poor), diamonds with a cut of fair or poor are typically cut deep and narrow or shallow and wide causing them to lose most of the light out the sides and bottom. MiaDonna does not carry diamonds with cut grades of fair or poor.
Clarity is the purity or quality of a diamond; how many inclusions or blemishes it has or how flawless it is. The better the clarity of a diamond is, the greater the brilliance and it also increases the value or price of the diamond. Diamond clarity is measured on a scale from Flawless (FL) or Internally Flawless (IF) to Included (I1, I2, and I3).
Color actually refers to the whiteness, or lack of color present in the diamond itself. Most diamonds used in jewelry and engagement rings are nearly colorless, with tints of yellow or brown. The diamond color scale ranges from D, E, F (colorless), G, H, I, J (near colorless), K, L, M (faint color), N-R (very light) to S-Z (light color). If you are a purist, look for a diamond graded colorless in the range of D-F to ensure your diamond has no discernible color. If you are budget conscious, you can get a fantastic diamond value by choosing a G-J color diamond. Most often you will notice little or no color with the naked eye.
3. Make Sure You Receive Grading Reports
An important item you should make sure you receive with your purchase, are lab grown diamond grading reports. All MiaDonna lab created diamonds will automatically come with a complimentary diamond grading report from either the IGI or GCal, who also grade earth-mined diamonds in the exact same way. Every lab grown diamond will be graded on its 4C's (color, cut, clarity, and color). The report will identify your lab created diamond as laboratory grown and will show all measurements, proportions, finish and identifications of the diamond graded. These grading reports independently verify the technologies being used, as well as the quality of the lab-grown diamond you are receiving.
4. Consider Your Personal Values and Ethics
Not all lab grown diamond companies are created equally, dive into research into how authentic the company is or if they're just trying to capitalize on the popularity of lab grown diamonds. You'll want to reflect on not only the jewelry itself, but how you want to feel when you look at it every day.
At MiaDonna, your purchase directly funds projects and initiatives through our foundation, The Greener Diamond, which works to rebuild the planet and diamond mining communities and provide career alternatives for individuals in those communities to avoid having to work in the diamond mining industry. Additionally, MiaDonna is a Certified B Corporation, which means that we're committed to meeting the highest standards for social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability.
When you begin your search for the perfect lab grown diamond, there will be countless factors to take into consideration before purchasing, but hopefully this guide will give you a base to go from! Learn more about the technology behind lab grown diamonds and how they compare to other stones.
