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How people respond to your Lab diamond babies

Buttercookies

Buttercookies

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Jun 13, 2020
Messages
877
So a few weeks ago when Bloomingdale’s was purging their Lightbox product, I bought my mother a pair of white 1ctw stud which she eventually reset them in to 6 prongs 18k la pousette backings. They were very white, sparkly, and fiery. Still, mom doubt they were diamond because of the price. Must be moissanite. So her jeweler tested them. Yep diamond. Then she said that they are not like real diamond. Real diamonds are white in door, but super fiery in sunlight. These are too fiery indoor and outdoor. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Love her still
 
I had a fancy jeweler (to whom I had taken Lightbox diamonds for resetting) turn her nose up at them. She told me they couldn’t be and weren’t diamonds, and that she could only find the inscription in one of them. I was not impressed.
 
When I returned the Lightbox halos to Bloomingdale’s, I saw a 2ctw Princess cut stud in their glass display. The sale lady whom I returned the LB studs to, looked at me and said, “those are REAL diamonds. $12,000 on sale.” I just smiled at her and their overpriced frozen spits.
 
I took my lab diamond earrings to my jeweller today to be reset. He spent a while scrutinizing them before saying how nice they are. He was genuinely interested and impressed with what he saw - no sign of snobbery. He also appeared to know quite a lot about lab diamonds. He is a small boutique jeweller and always appears far more knowledgeable than the fancier larger establishments, which can be prone to snobbery.

My husband on the other hand - he was mortified by the price I paid and could not understand why I would spend so much on diamonds which 'aren't real' :lol-2:
 
Buttercookies said:
So a few weeks ago when Bloomingdale’s was purging their Lightbox product, I bought my mother a pair of white 1ctw stud which she eventually reset them in to 6 prongs 18k la pousette backings. They were very white, sparkly, and fiery. Still, mom doubt they were diamond because of the price. Must be moissanite. So her jeweler tested them. Yep diamond. Then she said that they are not like real diamond. Real diamonds are white in door, but super fiery in sunlight. These are too fiery indoor and outdoor. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Love her still
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If that was my mother I'd be inclined to 'borrow' her new earrings and forget to give them back! :mrgreen2:
 
These responses are kind of a downer. Is there any reason for that kind of reaction? I felt I bought at a decent price but man, I’m second guessing.
 
anangel said:
These responses are kind of a downer. Is there any reason for that kind of reaction? I felt I bought at a decent price but man, I’m second guessing.
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I think it's just ignorance. People who confuse simulants with lab-created. Doesn't bother me one whit! I've got real diamonds for a fraction of the price of earth-mined.
 
My jeweler sells lab diamonds and thought the LB were very nice! And of course way less expensive than his.
 
My jeweler love my princess from LB. she was fascinated with the quality for the price. She couldn’t believe it was from De Beer and is happy to reset them for me.
 
I dont take anything into account as far as what others think about my diamonds. I have real diamonds because I shopped wisely, both mined and lab grown. Though I laughed because a lady I did a haircut on's husband used to work in the jewelry industry and commented on my 0.86 solitaire thats near perfect...and when I told her it's specs and that it was lab grown she was floored.
 
Personally i would fuss and fawn over someone's lab diamond as much as an earth diamond - maybe even more
Jewlers peddle us lab grown saphires and rubbies so why should a diamond be any different
I bet if you didn't tell some of those snobby sales people they would be none the wiser

@Buttercookies this might turn out to be a learning experience for your mum and she will in time love and be proud to show off her beautiful earings
 
I think the lab market is going to explode. You watch.
Their reputation and cache will only grow.
 
Most of the higher end custom jewelers in my area also source lab diamonds. That's part of what made me feel ok with delving into the MMD world in the first place.

I took my ring to be resized by one of them and they positively gushed over my stone when I picked it up.

People who know know, and those who are uneducated....well it's not worth it.
 
My family are supportive because they see my enthusiasm, and my mom was so impressed with the earrings we ordered her a pair. The jeweler who reset my earrings was nice and very professional — no negative comment, but didn’t ask too much about them either. None of my friends are big jewelry enthusiasts so it doesn’t really come up.
 
I absolutely love my mined beauties but now that I own a pair of .50tcw lab studs that are just stunning, I'll be reconsidering how I buy diamonds in future. I have a lab Asscher on the way too :D Fortunately lab diamonds don't seem to have a bad rap in Australia since we aren't as savvy about mined stones overall either.
 
anangel said:
These responses are kind of a downer. Is there any reason for that kind of reaction? I felt I bought at a decent price but man, I’m second guessing.
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When we allow ourselves to base our happiness on what other people think, we lose the ability to live life for ourselves and are unlikely to ever be truly happy ;) :)
 
Bear in mind that a lot of people can be jealous. Of those who have criticized our lab stones - how many fall into that category? Quite a few, I'd imagine. It's easy to criticize what others have when you have nothing much yourself to compare it to, and when your aspirations are nevertheless unrealistic. Sales associates in high end stores often fall into that category, likewise family members who have made little of themselves (as per my own family).
 
Lindsay19 said:
Bear in mind that a lot of people can be jealous. Of those who have criticized our lab stones - how many fall into that category? Quite a few, I'd imagine. It's easy to criticize what others have when you have nothing much yourself to compare it to, and when your aspirations are nevertheless unrealistic. Sales associates in high end stores often fall into that category, likewise family members who have made little of themselves (as per my own family).
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For the jewelers, I think it’s less about jealousy and more about threatening competition. When I can get a beautiful 1 ct lab diamond for less than $800, that’s a huge threat to their business when they’re pushing mined diamonds at ~$3000 for an equivalent stone.
 
I don't think lab diamonds need be a threat at all - they are growing in popularity and have the potential to be huge money-spinners, given that they are affordable enough to reach mid-level customers. A jeweller might sell a two carat mined beauty infrequently, but he or she might well sell several two carat lab grown beauties in the same space of time with a greater overall return. Providing the prices are kept at the right point, lab stones might well prove more profitable given the much lower margins in their production. This will depend on a measure of agreement on cost per carat range within the industry (rather like mined diamonds).

As you allude, if the lab market grows and jewellers are intent only on pushing the much higher priced mined diamonds then their business may well be under threat. I think they'll need to adapt, and they may be better off for it.

On the jealousy side I was thinking more of the (often inexperienced) sales associates at large jewellers, who rarely have enough market knowledge to back up some of their comments!
 
Lindsay19 said:
Bear in mind that a lot of people can be jealous. Of those who have criticized our lab stones - how many fall into that category? Quite a few, I'd imagine. It's easy to criticize what others have when you have nothing much yourself to compare it to, and when your aspirations are nevertheless unrealistic. Sales associates in high end stores often fall into that category, likewise family members who have made little of themselves (as per my own family).
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(Some) Shop assistants in those high end stores p### me off
I used to work in Wellington and used to ocassional visit a high end dept store on my way to the train station on my way home - i was looking to buy - not tyre kick
But id be all dusty and a bit dirty/ sweety in my steel caps and hardwear store uniform
Not sure why those b###hes thought they were better than me just because they got to dress up to go to work i probably made more money than at least 3/4 of them
.but the ladies in the main street/ mall/ high end or what ever - jewlery stores were always nice and im talking quite genuinely nice not like the fake ones at the sworski crystal shop
 
I too think I would admire a lab diamond that someone was wearing. I would not be able to tell the difference from an earth mined diamond.
 
I had my lightbox 2 ct set by James Allen. The wedding set all together cost $2100 and although their website states that all finished jewelry valued over $1000 will come with an appraisal, they did not in fact give me an accurate appraisal that includes the value of the center diamond. What they gave me was only for the setting and when contacted they stated that is per their policy. Anyway, I took my ring to a local jeweler yesterday to have an appraisal done for insurance purposes. I had contacted them ahead of time to verify that they would appraise 1. A lab diamond and 2. A piece that I did not purchase there. The saleswoman definitely turned up her nose and couldn’t BELIEVE that there are actually LGDs that aren’t certified!? I honestly thought she was going to turn me away for a while but an older gentleman (possibly the owner?) said, “yes, lightbox. They’re owned by DeBeers” and I said “yep.” The lady just said “wow” and finished the paperwork. I definitely walked away embarrassed but then remembered that I spent $1440 on a 2 carat LGD that I think it gorgeous. Trying not to let it get me down!
 
I actually get very positive responses. I love fine jewelry but in my social circle it’s looked at negatively to spend lots on things like jewelry, and there’s the many issues with traditionally mined diamonds. At this point I try to purchase either vintage or lab diamonds, or mined if I can verify the source.
 
Angela Boldt said:
I had my lightbox 2 ct set by James Allen. The wedding set all together cost $2100 and although their website states that all finished jewelry valued over $1000 will come with an appraisal, they did not in fact give me an accurate appraisal that includes the value of the center diamond. What they gave me was only for the setting and when contacted they stated that is per their policy. Anyway, I took my ring to a local jeweler yesterday to have an appraisal done for insurance purposes. I had contacted them ahead of time to verify that they would appraise 1. A lab diamond and 2. A piece that I did not purchase there. The saleswoman definitely turned up her nose and couldn’t BELIEVE that there are actually LGDs that aren’t certified!? I honestly thought she was going to turn me away for a while but an older gentleman (possibly the owner?) said, “yes, lightbox. They’re owned by DeBeers” and I said “yep.” The lady just said “wow” and finished the paperwork. I definitely walked away embarrassed but then remembered that I spent $1440 on a 2 carat LGD that I think it gorgeous. Trying not to let it get me down!
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Boo! Enjoy your gorgeous rings and ignore the snootiness!
 
Angela Boldt said:
I had my lightbox 2 ct set by James Allen. The wedding set all together cost $2100 and although their website states that all finished jewelry valued over $1000 will come with an appraisal, they did not in fact give me an accurate appraisal that includes the value of the center diamond. What they gave me was only for the setting and when contacted they stated that is per their policy. Anyway, I took my ring to a local jeweler yesterday to have an appraisal done for insurance purposes. I had contacted them ahead of time to verify that they would appraise 1. A lab diamond and 2. A piece that I did not purchase there. The saleswoman definitely turned up her nose and couldn’t BELIEVE that there are actually LGDs that aren’t certified!? I honestly thought she was going to turn me away for a while but an older gentleman (possibly the owner?) said, “yes, lightbox. They’re owned by DeBeers” and I said “yep.” The lady just said “wow” and finished the paperwork. I definitely walked away embarrassed but then remembered that I spent $1440 on a 2 carat LGD that I think it gorgeous. Trying not to let it get me down!
Click to expand...

Oh boy, don’t let them rain on you. You got a gorgeous 2ct diamond ring and save tons of money. Enjoy and ignore the haters.
 
Angela Boldt said:
I had my lightbox 2 ct set by James Allen. The wedding set all together cost $2100 and although their website states that all finished jewelry valued over $1000 will come with an appraisal, they did not in fact give me an accurate appraisal that includes the value of the center diamond. What they gave me was only for the setting and when contacted they stated that is per their policy. Anyway, I took my ring to a local jeweler yesterday to have an appraisal done for insurance purposes. I had contacted them ahead of time to verify that they would appraise 1. A lab diamond and 2. A piece that I did not purchase there. The saleswoman definitely turned up her nose and couldn’t BELIEVE that there are actually LGDs that aren’t certified!? I honestly thought she was going to turn me away for a while but an older gentleman (possibly the owner?) said, “yes, lightbox. They’re owned by DeBeers” and I said “yep.” The lady just said “wow” and finished the paperwork. I definitely walked away embarrassed but then remembered that I spent $1440 on a 2 carat LGD that I think it gorgeous. Trying not to let it get me down!
Click to expand...

Thats nice the jewler knew at least
But shame on that bi*chy woman
Never mind we love your lab diamond
 
One of my closest friends got a sizeable moissanite engagement ring. I fussed and fawned as it was well set and beautiful. She was glowing. I would not buy moissanite but she clearly was thrilled and I was thrilled for her. I think of this when my lab diamonds are admired by others.
My parents noticed my 4ctw lab stud earrings while visiting. I told them I am selling the last of jewelry from ex and replacing, most likely with lab diamonds. (My mom has a 2.5 ctw natural diamond which is beautiful) They were very impressed at the sparkle(and size) but probably would not put the time and research into purchasing lab or any diamonds(they way PSers do).
When I took my Lightbox stones into my local jeweler to be set into studs, he and his female staff were super impressed. And impressed with online price options, saying that he'd have to charge at least three times more to make a profit.
I don't care what others think. As a single mom, with #4 child ready to head to university in the fall, I have found a (more) affordable option for my sparkly obsession. I am thrilled!
 
I took two 75 point lab diamonds to my jeweller a couple of years ago to be re-set (earrings). The jewellery thought they were lovely (he seemed to be a fan of lab diamonds). He hadn't seen many lab stones at that point and was pleased to have some to examine and work with.
 
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