Lab grown diamonds?

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Farmer17

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So I've been dating this gal a while and getting pretty serious and starting to look at engagement rings. The jewelry store we went to in Tulsa said their two carat diamond rings are about 25 grand and their lab grown diamond rings are about $5,500. They said about 90% of people are now buying lab grown diamonds and I think my girlfriend is OK with one and she better be, cause I ain't pay'in $25K, I've been married twice already. Does anyone know about these diamonds or what to look for? Most jewelry stores seem to be a rip off and I'm not sure I totally trust what they say. Yes, I know most guys here will probably say skip the ring and buy a Registered Magnum but Jana really wants a ring.
 
Cubic Zirconias are a little TOO cheap for her and if I did save money I'm going to need it for my daughter wedding that will be coming up also.
 
Farmer17 said:
So I've been dating this gal a while and getting pretty serious and starting to look at engagement rings. The jewelry store we went to in Tulsa said their two carat diamond rings are about 25 grand and their lab grown diamond rings are about $5,500. They said about 90% of people are now buying lab grown diamonds and I think my girlfriend is OK with one and she better be, cause I ain't pay'in $25K, I've been married twice already. Does anyone know about these diamonds or what to look for? Most jewelry stores seem to be a rip off and I'm not sure I totally trust what they say. Yes, I know most guys here will probably say skip the ring and buy a Registered Magnum but Jana really wants a ring.
Click to expand...

As far as I know, "lab grown" diamonds are exactly the same chemically as natural diamonds, with one exception - they are TOO PERFECT. The major difference is the lab can use much more pure stock to create the diamond than you typically find in nature (it's only carbon, after all), leaving the final stone with much greater clarity and no inclusions. After that, it's nothing more than size, cut and setting.

All humor aside, I've know jewelers who can only tell the difference because the lab-grown gem is just too fine to be natural, and nothing more. It's like the difference between generic acetaminophen and brand-name Tylenol - the only people who will know the difference are you, the jeweler you are buying it from, and the guy your jeweler is making his boat payments to...:D
 
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Lab Grown Diamonds?

I just checked with the resident expert in my home. It’s not me. However, the price for the 2 carat Mossanite home grown diamond is too high at $5000. She priced the ring at 3 jewelers and all were less than $2000. At two carats , the HGD does not compare in looks to her real diamond 2 carat diamond . A smaller stone will not be as dramatic a difference. However, she still loves her two carat Cubic Zirconia ring. It just needs to be cleaned more often. Body oils dull the shine or sparkle.

Cheers!
Resident “Sugar Daddy”

Bill
 
Many gals will use high end lab grown diamonds as "travel jewelry" instead of the real thing (i.g. a $25K diamond). If it is lost or stolen then its a lot less than the real ring.
 
Your diamond should be as real as your love for the woman. 2ct is a big diamond. Maybe scale back on the size and get the real thing. If something has to be marketed “as good as” or “same as” then it’s not. All Registered Magnums are 357s. But not all .357s are Registered Magnums.
 
Farmer, Congratulations on your upcoming nuptials. I wish you and Jana a life of happiness together.

There wasn't a diamond large enough or cut well enough to convey my love for Ruthie.

On my proposal night we were at an upscale restaurant. It was a cold night. After the meal she ran to the powder room. While she was gone I slipped a small stone engagement ring into the ring finger of her glove.

The look on her face 😍.

She loves recounting that to others.

As Yoda the anastropheist would say: "A hopeless romantic am I".
 
OK here is what I know about diamonds, besides being too expensive. Color, cut and clarity. I took some man made diamonds to my jeweler and he wanted NOTHING to do with them. Said they were worth nothing and he will not deal in them. Somebody that wants 5500.oo for a lab diamond is selling you just the gold, according to my jeweler.

2Karat is overboard IMHO. I would be looking for a 3/4 to 1 K, Color D, VS1 rated if you want a fine stone, and that will cost you plenty.

Everybody knows a guy who knows a guy. Buy a loose diamond based on getting appraisal before you buy and have it set. If you can follow that and get the appraisal, you can save a ton of money. There is at least a 400% markup in jewelry. so think about in the 5500 fake diamond a 400% is worth just the gold. Gold is 1850.00 or thereabouts an ounce.

Do your homework!!!
 
Dave.357 said:
A cigar band will do, if every thing else is right.
Just Celebrated 44 years with my wife.
No, I did not use a cigar band but it was
Not a $25,000 ring either.
Click to expand...

My "first wife" and I will also celebrate 44 years on July 28.

As a newly employed chemist just out of grad school, I was too broke to afford an engagement ring when I proposed.

With life events - work transfers, kids, etc. - she waited 6 years before I was able to finally purchase her modest engagement ring; we "upgraded" (significantly!) on our 30th anniversary.

She's been the best...........

Back on topic - remember the 3 "C's" - carat, cut, clarity. Set a budget and buy the best "quality" diamond that fits the budget. Quality diamonds will give that much desired "fire" and will only increase in value over time.
 
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My girlfriend and I had little money to spend. And we wanted to buy a house to live in rather than an apartment. We chose a real diamond, but it was the smallest one they had.

A buddy bought his girlfriend a huge diamond, and had to mortgage it besides.

My girlfriend understood the dilemma. His wouldn't settle for less.

They loved poorly and we were solid middle class.

They divorced after about 10 years. We will soon be celebrating our 50th anniversary.
 
The ring should be around 3 months salary, that's it. If she wants more, she might have the wrong fella?
 
I find it ironic that almost all of my wife's jewelry is now in a safe deposit box. She feels it is too dangerous to wear it out in public unless it is a private party. Don't even get me started on fur coats. I am thinking of having VERY expensive fur converted to Teddy Bears for the kids.
 
First, Congratulations! That's really cool, I'm happy for you! Now, a little story.
My mother's engagement ring has the smallest diamond I have ever seen. Absolutley no exaggeration. They couldn't afford much at the start, she was going to nursing school, and he was working in a heavy equipment factory as a mechanic. They decided, together, to put the money towards "making memories and starting a family". They were married for 58 years until she passed. In all that time she refused to have it replaced with another stone or another ring. She never said why until a couple of years beforehand. She said it wasn't the size of the diamond that mattered to her, it was the planning for the future, together, that the ring represented. It was the promise that, not only would her voice be heard in this marriage, but that he would be there to hear it. That meant alot to her.
But that's just one couple's story. Whatever you decide to do, if it's done with love, it's probably the right thing.
 
In England, in 1952, dad gave mom an unadorned thin silver band as an engagement ring. The Crown Jewels wouldn't have made her any happier.



Dad would ask folks "why is my hand like a lemon pie?"

"It's got muh rang on it."
 
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