How to Gift Lab Diamond Jewelry Your Partner Won’t Hate

Understanding Your Partner’s Style

Buying diamond jewelry for your loved one isn’t that different from buying any other gift. Ultimately, you’re hoping you didn’t need that gift receipt because you got the gift so right they wouldn’t dream of returning it. How to get there? Easy! Know your person.

When you’re buying lab-grown diamond jewelry, start by thinking about the style, metal and gemstone that suits your partner’s tastes. Hopefully, since you’re here, you’ve already figured out that they do, in fact, love jewelry. Check? Good. 

Now what’s their style? Are they classic and sophisticated? An understated minimalist? A pile-it-all-on trendsetter? You’ll want to shop for diamond jewelry that will fit right in with the rest of their wardrobe so they can wear it frequently and admire it often. Look at their existing jewelry to see if they have a metal color preference. Do they wear all yellow gold? White gold? Mix and match? And see if they’re into colored stones. Do they wear lots of blue sapphires? Do they love their birthstone? Do they only wear white stones? Finding out the answers to these questions will help you find the best diamond jewelry gifts without too much head-scratching.

Lab Diamond Jewelry vs. Traditional Diamonds

We know, you’re still wondering if lab diamonds are the way to go when buying jewelry gifts. Maybe you’re ok with them but not sure if your person would want a natural diamond instead. So here’s a quick rundown on the benefits of lab diamonds and how they compare to natural diamonds in cost, ethics, and quality.

So, what are natural and lab grown diamonds?

Natural diamonds are pure carbon, subjected to very high pressure and temperatures deep within the Earth’s crust. They are forced out of their resting place by volcanic eruptions, or found in alluvial areas, washed out of rock by bodies of water. Now, lab grown diamonds are also made of pure carbon, only when they’re subjected to high temperatures and pressure, it’s in a modern laboratory environment. Lab grown diamonds have the same chemical, physical, and optical properties of natural diamonds, only no one dug a big mine to find them.

What are the benefits of lab grown diamonds?

When it comes to budgets, lab grown diamonds can save you 40-60% when compared to a natural, mined diamond of the same qualities and size. But one of the other biggest benefits of lab grown diamonds is their ethical sourcing and lower environmental impact than mined diamonds.

Mining diamonds involves removing large quantities of dirt from the Earth. Every carat disrupts nearly 100 square feet, and creates thousands of pounds of mineral waste. Diamond production also affects water usage, carbon creation, and energy consumption. Mined diamonds consume more than 126 gallons of water per carat, whereas lab-created diamonds consume just under 20. Mined diamonds also produce more than 125 pounds of carbon for every single carat, whereas lab created diamonds produce just under 10 pounds. And everyone loves to critique lab grown diamonds for energy consumption (all those lasers and whatnot), but the reality is mined diamonds use a whopping 500 million joules per carat, whereas lab created diamonds use about half that. There are also labs using totally renewable energy, so if that’s important to you, just ask!

Selecting the Right Lab Diamond Jewelry

Now that we’ve covered the basics of lab grown diamonds, let’s talk jewelry styles and where to start. There are a few basic categories you can shop for diamond jewelry gifts. These include rings (and no, not every ring is an engagement ring), necklaces, bracelets, and earrings. Check out your person’s style. Do they love a big pair of dangly earrings? Do they stack the bracelets high up their wrist on the regular? Have they been hinting at wanting the perfect everyday diamond necklace? If you’re just super not sure, the go-to classic diamond jewelry picks are a pair of super sweet diamond stud earrings or a solitaire diamond pendant. Our Gift Guide can help you narrow down the playing field to find the perfect piece for your person.

Customization and Personalization

Personalizing your lab diamond jewelry can make your gift a bit more meaningful. How do you do that? There are countless ways. You can select the perfect pair of diamonds for your person, say champagne diamonds, or a specific shape. Many jewelry styles can be customized to your stone shape and size to make the perfect fit. You could also customize diamond jewelry with special details like adding a diamond halo, a unique bezel pattern, or making a single drop pendant into a double or even a triple drop! The custom jewelry world is your oyster. If you’re shopping for diamond rings or a diamond engagement ring, there are even more options. 

Nearly every diamond ring we make is customized specifically for our Frank Darling couples. Whether it’s picking a unique diamond, choosing a gemstone, adding a bit of sparkle, adding a special engraving, or going full custom, our design team is here to help you build custom jewelry for any budget. Just keep in mind that good custom diamond jewelry takes time. Give yourself at least 4-6 weeks (more, if you can spare it) to work with design on your special piece.

Budget Considerations for Buying Lab Diamond Jewelry

Speaking of budgets… We know diamond jewelry can be expensive. It’s one of the reasons we love, love, love lab grown diamonds. They can save you serious cash and because they’re still diamonds, you’re literally getting the exact same look. You can even get a higher grade stone than you could with a natural diamond because you’re saving all that money. Or a bigger diamond, if that’s your thing. When shopping diamonds there are a few tips for how to get the most for your money.

Budget, budget, budget

The first? Set your budget. Now, before you even ask, there are no rules here. No two months of salary, no life savings, just you taking a realistic look at what you can afford. It’s especially important to be honest with yourself about what you can and cannot afford as it can save you a ton of heartbreak down the line. Plus, knowing your financials? That’s hot.

Think small

Shop small. Literally. Diamond prices jump exponentially at the full-carat mark. So shop just under to save money. That means if you’re looking for a 1-carat diamond, shopping in the .90 carat range will cost you less and not be visibly different to the naked eye.

Got your mind set on a particular carat size but don’t have the budget? Consider shape! Round diamonds tend to be more expensive than other cuts of the stone thanks to the amount of roughage lost during the cutting process. By investing in a more economical shape you can also invest in more of a diamond.

You can cut corners (sort of)

You can also make some sacrifices elsewhere that won’t necessarily be noticed. If you’re shopping for a round brilliant or other heavily-facted brilliant stone, you can go lower on the clarity grade because those facets help hide inclusions. While, if you’re shopping for a step-cut emerald or Asscher cut diamond you’ll want a higher clarity stone because their larger rectangular facets show off what’s inside. When shopping for lab diamond jewelry, instead of one large stone, which will cost more, look for styles with a cluster of small stones that can give you the same amount of “look” for less.

Lab Diamond Jewelry Shopping Tips

When shopping for lab diamond jewelry online or in-store, make sure you know what you’re looking for, or at least what to ask. Finding a reputable diamond jeweler or diamond retailer is a good place to start. Make sure they’re transparent about their sourcing, that they’re selling certified diamonds, and that their pricing is consistent with the market. Prices seem too good to be true? They probably are. We have a Diamond Concierge service that is here to help you find the perfect gem and jewelry, with no commission, no fees, and no funny business. 

Explore the 4Cs, as cut, color, clarity, and carat weight are the industry standard for determining not only the quality but the price of any diamond. Once you have these under your belt, it’ll be a bit easier to understand how you can use these four factors as levers in your diamond search. Then check out a few diamond certificates (many places list them online with the diamond) so you know what you’re looking at, and learn which labs are the industry leaders.

Presentation and Surprise

Got your lab diamond jewelry gift in hand but don’t want to just hand it to them? There are tons of ways to creatively present your gift to your person. Mask your small jewelry box in a giant package, perhaps? Nothing says surprise like opening a crock pot box only to find something sparkly. Or time it perfectly to when their favorite song is playing. Or plan a special night out. If you’ve got a big family event or holiday party coming up, perhaps give them the gift ahead of that so they can wear it and show it off. Or make them a little scavenger hunt. The biggest rule of surprising someone with a jewelry gift though? Don’t lose the jewelry. Coming up with something creative is fun as long as you don’t hide it so well that it goes missing.

Addressing Concerns and Questions About Lab Diamond Jewelry

We know we’ve talked your ear off about the perks of lab made jewelry. And we know you’re bound to have some questions. We want to make sure we answer all of your questions, so let’s get started by going over the top three questions we’re asked the most frequently about lab diamonds.

Do lab grown diamonds hold their value over time?

First of all, no diamond, natural or otherwise, is a good financial investment unless we’re talking museum-worthy rare stones or massive auction items. Diamonds are more like cars. They lose major value as soon as you buy them, and even if a retailer offers a buyback program, that buyback price will always be significantly less than what you paid. Because, capitalism. Companies have to resell these diamonds and make a profit doing so. There’s even less of a buy-back market for lab grown diamonds. So darlings, don’t buy diamonds as a financial investment. They’re only an investment in your love.

Are lab grown diamonds real?

Babe, lab diamonds are indeed real diamonds. In fact, there’s only one key difference – the way the diamonds form. While natural diamonds develop under the earth’s surface over millions of years, lab diamonds are grown in a lab environment using advanced technology.

The end result is a diamond that is chemically, structurally, and optically identical to its natural counterpart. So, whether you opt for a natural or lab grown diamond, just know that both are equally dazzling and timeless.

Can you get a lab grown diamond appraised?

It used to be the case that diamond grading labs wouldn’t grade lab created diamonds or issue diamond grading certificates. Following suit, jewelry appraisers wouldn’t appraise lab grown diamonds, because they were kind of deemed worthless. But that’s quickly changing. Now even the most reputable grading labs accept and issue certificates for lab grown diamonds and appraisers are doing the same. And no matter what kind of diamond you’re buying, you better be getting it insured too!

Diving in the Lab Diamond Jewelry Deep End

Finding the perfect lab grown diamond jewelry gift that your partner won’t hate doesn’t have to be harrowing. Get to know their style, their jewelry preferences, your budget, and a bit about diamonds and you’ll be good to go.

When you’re ready to jump in, check out our diamond search where you can view 360-degree images of more than 10,000 diamonds and don’t forget to zoom out (because size can be deceiving), or book an appointment at our salon to view certified lab-grown and natural diamonds in person. 
Not finding what you’re looking for? We love hunting down the perfect diamond for your dream jewelry. Email us with what you’re looking for (and a bit about your budget) at hello@frankdarling.com. We’ll curate a list of 5-7 exclusive stones that are just right for you.