Lab created diamond doubts

[romanagens]

i am about to propose to my girlfriend.
however i have one big problem, a small budget.
considering this i started thinking about a lab created diamonds.
i am whatching on several websites (77diamonds, jamesAllen, brilliantearth).

however i have several doubts, condiering all the discussion i read about the possibility of nouances or inclusion.

an IGI certification attesting the diamond is a D or an F, Triple Ex etc etc shouldn't be enough in order to be sure i am bouying something that will look trasparent and beautiful??
Heart and arrows certification would be a plus?
which CA/PA combination should i look for??

i also read about the two modalities CVD and HPHT, and now i am even more confused.
Considering the proportions, angles and this stuff what should I look for? i would like to buy a loose stone and then have it mounted by my jeweler.

I know there are many question, and probably mosto of them are nonsens, but i am not inside the diamond world and i would like to make a good decision.

please help me

 

[DejaWiz]

Hello and welcome to PriceScope, romanagens!
You are wise to have some reservations: even those of of us that have been looking at and recommending LGD for years still have to watch out for any potential drawbacks: striations and hue in CVD, color nuances in HPHT, etc.

I will point you in a direction that will make things very easy for you: GCAL 8X (for round diamonds). Look for colorless D-E, HPHT, no blue nuance, and one that fits your budget. We can even make some amazing recommendations to help guide you.

All in all, be very sure, without a reasonable doubt, that your significant other will be OK with owning and wearing an LGD. There is still some lingering stigma surrounding them that, thankfully, dwindles by the day as more and more facts about them become seeded in the minds of consumers.

 

[romanagens]

thanks a lot, i'll start right away.
i din't know Gcal, i was focusing on IGI and GIA, but the fact that CGAL contains optical brilliance and simmetry (in my case much more importante than the physical one i guess) is very helpfull.
any website you recommend?

Thanks a lot

 

[mayaINaU]

thanks a lot, i'll start right away.
i din't know Gcal, i was focusing on IGI and GIA, but the fact that CGAL contains optical brilliance and simmetry (in my case much more importante than the physical one i guess) is very helpfull.
any website you recommend?

Thanks a lot

Look at Adiamor to start. They have lots of GCAL 8x. To make it even easier, I would suggest using the pricescope diamond search function, limit it to excellent HCA score, select the color and clarity range that you want, select “no fluorescence,” and “Adiamor” as the vendor.

 

[DejaWiz]

Here's a pre-populated search.
The only thing you would need to manipulate and change is the maximum price and the minimum carat weight.
Some of these may not be GCAL 8X, so be sure to verify the report number with the GCAL website.

Diamond Search Results | Real-time Information on 1,000,000+ Diamonds | PriceScope

PriceScope's Diamond Search is the best place to find the best diamond prices. Search and compare over a million natural, lab and fancy color diamonds.

www.pricescope.com

 

[Kim N]

If you can tell us your budget, we'll provide specific suggestions.

 

[romanagens]

thanks you all, you are so supportive!!
my budget for the stone is less than 2000$.
i found this: https://www.pricescope.com/diamonds/redirect/20914122

but i am afraid it might be even too big for my girfriend hand (she is thin).
thanks a lot for everything

 

[lovedogs]

Before you get too deep into researching lab grown options, do you know if your GF is ok with a lab stone? That is hugely important

 

[DejaWiz]

thanks you all, you are so supportive!!
my budget for the stone is less than 2000$.
i found this: https://www.pricescope.com/diamonds/redirect/20914122

but i am afraid it might be even too big for my girfriend hand (she is thin).
thanks a lot for everything

When in doubt, always go bigger! LOL

 

[Austina]

It looks the perfect size to me!

 

[MightyDucks]

I had great luck filtering out for GCAL 8X using the pricescope lab diamond search and under labs click other. It brings up all GCAL 8X.

 

[DejaWiz]

This would be an exasperatingly beautiful choice, in my opinion!

1.32 Carat D VS2 Round Brilliant Lab Grown Diamond GCAL Certified 320556277 Affinity Cut - D51007183

www.adiamor.com

Gem Certification & Assurance Lab

www.gcalusa.com

1.02ct Round (6.45×6.48×3.96) vs 1.32ct Round (7.05×7.06×4.32)

Compare 1.02 carat Round (6.45×6.48×3.96mm) vs 1.32 carat Round (7.05×7.06×4.32mm) on actual diamond size and finger coverage (32.83mm² vs 39.09mm²)

www.diamdb.com

 

[romanagens]

Before you get too deep into researching lab grown options, do you know if your GF is ok with a lab stone? That is hugely important

oh well, not sure about it, but i gues it wouldn't be a problem.
especially if we think about what i could buy with my budget if i'd go with naturals...

 

[romanagens]

however now i will start monitoring.
I think that something about 1ct is perfect.
a bigger one, even if nicer, I think it might lead her not to wear it daily

 

[4Sophie]

Hello and welcome to PriceScope, romanagens!
You are wise to have some reservations: even those of of us that have been looking at and recommending LGD for years still have to watch out for any potential drawbacks: striations and hue in CVD, color nuances in HPHT, etc.

I will point you in a direction that will make things very easy for you: GCAL 8X (for round diamonds). Look for colorless D-E, HPHT, no blue nuance, and one that fits your budget. We can even make some amazing recommendations to help guide you.

All in all, be very sure, without a reasonable doubt, that your significant other will be OK with owning and wearing an LGD. There is still some lingering stigma surrounding them that, thankfully, dwindles by the day as more and more facts about them become seeded in the minds of consumers.

Hi, DejaWiz.

I was reading this post and I am curious as to why you seem to prefer HPHT stones to CVD. Don't you think that all stones from E to I face up white/colorless if they are cut correctly and especially in a Gcal 8x with optimum light return? I was sorry to post the Lab certificates to the stones I was looking at...my 2 favorites mysteriously disappeared before I could order them.....should have put a hold on them before my last post...Oh well. I am asking you the above questions because I have found 1,45 H CVD 8X stone.......do you think CVD is a bad choice?

 

[DejaWiz]

Hi, DejaWiz.

I was reading this post and I am curious as to why you seem to prefer HPHT stones to CVD. Don't you think that all stones from E to I face up white/colorless if they are cut correctly and especially in a Gcal 8x with optimum light return? I was sorry to post the Lab certificates to the stones I was looking at...my 2 favorites mysteriously disappeared before I could order them.....should have put a hold on them before my last post...Oh well. I am asking you the above questions because I have found 1,45 H CVD 8X stone.......do you think CVD is a bad choice?

Hi, 4Sophie!
It's merely my personal preference because HPHT mimicks the exact same way that the earth does it. A "true" synthesis of natural...a "perfect" replication. Grown as-is in a chamber just like rare gem quality natural diamonds are grown as-is . That's really what it boils down to.
In addition, my preference is also D-F with no odd color nuances, so hue is usually never a concern.

 

[4Sophie]

Hi, 4Sophie!
It's merely my personal preference because HPHT mimicks the exact same way that the earth does it. A "true" synthesis of natural...a "perfect" replication. Grown as-is in a chamber just like rare gem quality natural diamonds are grown as-is . That's really what it boils down to.
In addition, my preference is also D-F with no odd color nuances, so hue is usually never a concern.

Thanks for your reply....Since color is graded upside down in real diamonds, I am wondering if it is the same in lab diamonds. It is my understanding that diamonds face up white anyway and you cannot tell the color grade by looking at them from top. Is this true with lab diamonds as well? Would H color be ok from the casual observer?

 

[DejaWiz]

Thanks for your reply....Since color is graded upside down in real diamonds, I am wondering if it is the same in lab diamonds. It is my understanding that diamonds face up white anyway and you cannot tell the color grade by looking at them from top. Is this true with lab diamonds as well? Would H color be ok from the casual observer?

Yes, LGD are graded the exact same as EGD.
Since the light behavior and optics are the exact same between natural and lab, they will face up in a similar manner, all things being equal.
Unfortunately, "all things being equal" is nearly impossible to find between two different diamonds, so it's best to take it on a case by case basis for each individual diamond.
Let your eyes and heart guide you!

 

[gablovesahinies]

oh well, not sure about it, but i gues it wouldn't be a problem.
especially if we think about what i could buy with my budget if i'd go with naturals...

I think you should still ask. Some are fine with it and some are not. When I got engaged in 2020 my husband knew I would not have been ok with lbd. There are cluster rings and alt gem stones also that are more cost effective. She might also like if she doesn’t like big stones a petite emd.

 

[EClove]

Thanks for your reply....Since color is graded upside down in real diamonds, I am wondering if it is the same in lab diamonds. It is my understanding that diamonds face up white anyway and you cannot tell the color grade by looking at them from top. Is this true with lab diamonds as well? Would H color be ok from the casual observer?

Depending on the color and the setting, you may be able to see color from the top (especially if you are color sensitive). Colorless diamonds face up white and near colorless diamonds often face up *mostly* white if you're not color sensitive. Here's some info: https://www.whiteflash.com/diamond-education/diamond-color/

 

[joey_v]

OP

Check out my thread about the tale of 2 pears. Both F color. HPHT and CVD.

Of course there are cvd that look great, but my experience is you have to wade through a few before finding the right one.

 

[4Sophie]

OP

Check out my thread about the tale of 2 pears. Both F color. HPHT and CVD.

Of course there are cvd that look great, but my experience is you have to wade through a few before finding the right one.

Does the " wading " apply to Gcal 8X stones too? I am only looking at Gcal 8X.

 

[4Sophie]

Does the " wading " apply to Gcal 8X stones too? I am only looking at Gcal 8X.

I am also only looking at round brilliant cut which is why I think the way I do about G/H color.

 

[joey_v]

RB might be different.