Anyone with a lab-grown diamond?

[diamondlillie]

If so, how do you like it?

I'm considering upgrading my engagement ring, bought 40 years ago when we had no money. DH is all up for this so that's not the problem.

I'm looking at a solitaire around 0.8ct or even 1ct and a good diamond (real) is anywhere from £3k-£5K+.

Here's the rub- a lab grown is half that price or less.

I'm old (60s) and I know my DD won't want it as an inheritance, 2nd hand diamonds are not worth much even if they are good quality, so is it more sensible and eco-friendly to buy a lab grown one?

I'd say buy it if you love it and will still love it even if in 5 years time it's only worth about £300 for the gold.

Lab diamonds are as good as natural ones but the sheer availability is already pushing prices down massively so be ready for something you paid £1.5 to £2K for in 2025 to end up as a £300 ring.

Whether mined diamonds hold their value is kind of unknown - the industry is trying to push them as "real" and "rare" and worth paying more for but who knows if that will stick.

(I do buy lab diamonds BTW. I decided I'm ok with knowing it'll probably be worthless in a few years, but if it's for a meaningful and special thing like a replacement engagement ring you might feel differently)

I'm considering doing the same @diamondlillie and I'm definitely going for a lab grown diamond. I follow Aardvark jewellers in Birmingham on insta and I'd love one of their rings.

I'm a bit superstitious about second hand rings, which is logically silly but I can't help it.

Look at both, if you can't tell the difference and I don't think many people can, buy the lab grown. There are also people selling lab grown as natural and since most people can't tell the difference you have to be very careful to be sure you get what you paid for.

Lab grown are a great choice, but if you want the real thing, what about finding a vintage diamond? My engagement and wedding rings are made completely out of diamonds from a jewellery set from the 1920s, they cost a bomb because they were in a full set, but simple vintage rings hold lovely diamonds.

Do you use instagram? Pre_ownedluxuries are great. They have lots of rings in small sizes and do resizing but also do custom orders.

Where are you getting your pendant from?

Me too. They seem great.

Am I allowed to recommend an online second hand dealer with a fabulous reputation? She’s absolutely brilliant and carries lots of stock. I would personally go for second hand for my bang for my buck!

@tothelefttotheleft Beards jewellers in Cheltenham. They will design and custom make anything, and its a really interactive process - with my eternity ring I did everything from sit with the designer and talk through my idea as he sketched, saw 3D CAD renders, then they 3D printed the design so I could try it on, and even got to choose the actual stones. We went through a few iterations till it was perfect. The pendant has been easier as I knew what I wanted in more detail. I can't recommend them enough

That's good to see.

I was considering an oval solitaire and wondered how it would 'sit' on a wedding band.

Is there a reason you're wearing yours behind your wedding ring? Is it anything to do with the placement of the stone?

No nothing to do with the stone, just an old photo taken when I first got the ring. It was a bit big so I sat the other ring on top at first, but both were a bit big so I had them resized. I wear the other way around now and have no issue with the placement :)

Where are you looking @diamondlillie@diamondlillie
Where have you been looking? I am looking to do similar but wary about some of the online shops.

I think mine was £1100. Just over 1 carat oval, platinum band, colour grade D, clarity VS1.

I started a thread here quite a while back because I was considering lab grown diamond earrings.
Thought you might be interested in some of the replies/info/advice I got:

www.mumsnet.com/talk/style_and_beauty/4763684-lab-grown-diamonds

Lab all the way.
There's no difference and gen z dont care there will be no market for diamonds in 50 years.

Buy a lab and go on a nice holiday!

I'm going against the grain here it seems but for me, for a special ring such as an engagement / eternity / wedding band my preference is real diamonds. My three rings were hand made & i adore them.

I'm curious about lab diamonds but don't have any desire to own one.

I have a 1 carat radiant cut lab diamond ring - it cost about £900. It is the sparkliest thing I have ever owned. I bought it as a present to myself for a milestone birthday, as, in my family, we only ever give token gifts and I just fancied having something a bit special for a change.

It's not a replacement for my engagement ring, which is a 1/5 carat solitaire in a twist setting, that I am very fond of.

I have a lab grown 3.10ct sapphire ring and I love it, it’s no one’s business whether it was lab grown or mined. I would love to upgrade my engagement & wedding ring but it’s very unique so for that reason I haven’t

I would do it!

I'm with you on this one!

A friend had a good experience with Samara James- one jewellers recommended here some time ago.

OP I know you don’t want a 2nd hand ring as you think the band won’t look as good resized, but just wanted to say what a school mum did a few years ago. She bought a 2nd hand ring and had it, along with stones from some stud earrings, reset into a new design. The original ring was pretty ugly so she said she got a good price for the stone. It’s an option if you were thinking in terms of environmental impact as lab grown do take a lot of energy.

However, we have a local jeweller who does do this sort of work so might be hard to find someone you trust to work with.

What a ridiculous comparison and insensitive post.

Thanks
There is a very well known jewellery company who does bespoke jewellery, and re-setting, near me. I've been once to ask about having my current engagement ring reset as a pendant. The cost was over £2k! It's not worth that (cost £250 many decades back.) So I'd assume it's a similar price for the setting of a stone.
I'd also be very wary of buying a 2nd hand diamond unless from a very established jewellers.

@CMOTDibbler

Thankyou.