Finding the Best Custom Lab Grown Diamond Engagement Rings
Have you scoured your local jewelry stores and mined through near-endless jewelry retail websites yet still can’t find the perfect engagement ring for your special someone? It might be time to consider custom lab grown diamond engagement rings.
There are two primary benefits to purchasing custom lab created diamond rings. One you get to design your own engagement ring for the perfect piece of jewelry for your fiancé to wear. Two, thanks to those lab grown diamonds, you’ll know your engagement ring is ethical and sustainable (and that’s not even mentioning the cost savings!).
What You Will Learn
The Benefits of Lab Created Diamonds
So why should you specifically choose lab grown diamond rings when creating a custom engagement ring versus a mined diamond ring? There are several good reasons to go this route.
1. You’ll Save Money
Custom lab grown engagement rings can be slightly more expensive than other rings because they’re, of course, custom. You’re not just picking any old ring from the jewelry counter. You’re creating a ring from scratch.
That said, a custom lab grown diamond ring is far more affordable than a custom natural diamond ring, as lab grown diamonds tend to be more affordable than natural diamonds overall. Whereas diamond mining is a costly business and natural diamonds are a finite resource, lab grown diamonds can be created endlessly in carefully controlled environments that produce high-quality diamonds with the exact same chemical composition as naturally mined diamonds.
2. You’ll Be Doing Your Part to Save the Planet
While growing a diamond in a lab requires a fair amount of energy to create the heat and pressure necessary to replicate the natural conditions under which diamonds form, the lab grown diamond industry is still more environmentally friendly than the diamond mining industry.
What Happens When You Design a Lab Grown Diamond Engagement Ring
Lab created diamond or not, what’s the process of designing custom diamond rings?
Luckily, you don’t need an eye for fashion or a deep knowledge of the jewelry industry to create a beautiful custom engagement ring. The pros will help you every step of the way. While the process will differ according to which custom engagement ring provider you shop with, here’s what you can more or less expect.
Step 1: Consultation
After you pick a custom ring provider, for the first step of the creation process, you’ll provide a range of information to the ring designer. You might provide them with information such as:
- What carat weight you’d like for the ring
- What diamond shape you’d like to see
- What precious metal you’d like to use for the band (rose gold, yellow gold, platinum, etc.)
- How much you’d like to spend
If you need to learn about any of the above, take some time before the design consultation to research rings and your options, so you can better tell the designer what you imagine your dream ring looks like.
Step 2: Design
The designer will provide rough drafts of your ring options during the design process. You’ll review these drafts and provide feedback until the draft is as close as possible to what you’d like to see. At that point, the designer will finalize a draft that meets your specifications.
Step 3: Creation
After you’ve approved a design, the designer will source the materials needed to create your ring, whether a custom lab grown diamond, natural diamond, or anything other gemstone or precious metal you requested.
Step 4: Delivery
Once the ring meets your specifications, they’ll ship it to your home
Custom Diamond Jewelry FAQs
The above four-step process is a very surface-level, big-picture overview of the work that goes into creating custom lab grown diamond rings. Here are some of the questions we typically hear regarding the process to help you decide if this process, and a custom lab grown diamond ring, is right for you.
How Long Does It Take?
Designing and creating a custom diamond ring takes longer than simply buying an in-stock ring from your local jewelry store or an online retailer. However, you can expect your custom ring in about a month.
Where Can I Buy a Custom Ring?
An array of online providers exist specifically to help clients create custom jewelry. We recommend working with CustomMade, for lab grown diamond rings that come with various protections and guarantees that can help ensure the best shopping and designing process possible.
Is It Cheaper to Design a Ring Than Buy a Ring?
No, it’s typically more affordable to purchase a fully designed ring that’s in stock from a jeweler or online provider than to custom-create a ring from scratch. That said, you can save money on your custom ring using a lab created diamond rather than a natural one.
Do I Need to Know Diamond Terminology to Custom Order a Ring?
While knowing a few basic terms (such as diamond shapes and cuts) can be helpful, you do not need to know your round diamond from your center stone or your center diamond from your pavé setting. When you work with a reputable jewelry designer, they’ll offer their expertise to guide you through every step of the process.
Is It Bad Taste to Buy a Lab Grown Diamond for an Engagement Ring?
Not at all! Unlike diamond simulates such as cubic zirconia or moissanite, lab grown diamonds are entirely 100% real diamonds. They’re chemically and physically identical to any diamond that you would mine from the ground. The only differences are that the lab grown diamonds are more affordable, not as rare, and are more ethical and sustainable.
However You Purchase Your Engagement Ring, Protect It!
Whether you custom-design an entirely one-of-a-kind engagement ring, purchase a ring at a local jewelry store, or purchase a ring through any of the many online jewelry stores, ensure you protect your jewelry investments with specialized jewelry insurance.
When jewelry like an engagement ring is particularly susceptible to damage or loss (just think about how often your engagement ring is at risk if you wear it every day), you don’t want to risk it. With the right insurance, in the unfortunate event of damage, loss, or theft, you can get your beloved engagement ring repaired, if needed, or replace it with an identical ring.
See how BriteCo could protect your most prized jewelry with comprehensive engagement ring protection far beyond your average homeowners’ or renters’ policy. Getting a quote is quick and easy. You could be insured as soon as today.