Lab Created Diamonds

[Deleted User]

My boyfriend and I are planning on getting engaged soon, but we are both students and therefore the ring budget is not very large. I would still like a nice ring and have been looking at a few other options, but everything has left me confused.

Does anyone have an experience with lad created diamonds? I don't want CZ or another gem stone, but I have no problem getting a lab created diamond if it will save us money because they are real diamonds. I just don't know what the price difference is.

We were also looking at getting my "wedding ring" first so that by the time we get married my significant other could get me an "engagement ring". Please help!

alitoglia

Appearance is not the only important quality though!!  CZ is lighter (weightwise) than a real diamond or other gemstone, and it also shows wear really quickly.  After a few months, even nice CZ that you get from department stores starts to look glassy and cloudy as it ages--it gets dirty, scratched or worn on the surface, etc. because it's not as hard as a real gemstone.  I agree that there are a lot of simulants out there that are overpriced--Dimamonart, Diamonore, etc that make claims about being "coated in diamond" and whatnot--but I have Diamond Nexus jewelry that looks just as nice as the day I bought it.  It has the weight and and sparkle of my real diamond jewelry, and has stood up really well to everyday wear.  Plus, the settings are really beautiful and good quality.  If you research their product, you will find that you're mainly paying for the setting anyway--the price of the stone itself is marginal in comparison to the going rates for 14 and 18k gold, platinum, etc., whereas you're paying full price and the extra amount for the "name brand" when you buy from a place like Zales or Littman (and I'm not knocking the big jewelry chains because I have stuff from there too).  I think DNL is a really great value and while it's true that many people might not know the difference between a diamond or a CZ or a DNL gem on sight, I think it's worth it to invest  a little bit more in a simulant if it's going to stand the test of time, instead of having to replace a stone in your engagement ring 100x...that just seems to cheapen the quality of the item to me.