Need Help---Big Purchase

[Gemma10]

Hi Everyone,
I really need all of your help, as many if not all of you, have more knowledge and experience than me in this area----diamonds/lab grown, the price for this is around 38,000.00.....should I pull the trigger?? what are your thoughts, please advise.....thank you so much for your time!!

My jeweller has found me this stone:

4.51ct E VS2 Ideal Cut Lab Grown Diamond, HCA Score of 1.3


Diamond Details

Measurements	10.62 x 10.66 x 6.57mm
Cut	Ideal
Polish	Ex
Symmetry	Ex
Fluorescence	None
Culet	none
Report	IGI
Table	55.5%
Depth	61.7%

 

[OoohShiny]

Firstly, wow This is one of the biggest MMDs we've seen considered for purchase on here (IIRC) so it would be awesome if we can help you get it or another similar stone

I note from the report (that you can get to through the IGI link in the table) that it's a HPHT stone - that's good news IMHO, because the CVD stones seem to more commonly exhibit 'stria' (layering), whereas HPHT don't seem to have any issues on that front.

E is a good place to be (again, IMHO) in terms of colour, because even if the non-GIA/AGS grading labs are a touch soft on colour, you should still be within Colourless territory.

The clarity plot on the report (https://igionline.com/viewpdf.htm?itemno=LG11487614) looks clean under the table, which I personally think always helps a stone be 'eye-clean', but if the picture of the stone above is the correct picture for the stone in question, I am struggling to see any inclusions at all!

A video would be super-useful to check for if/how they affect the stone 'in real life', but I think that although they might not be able to be totally hidden by a prong, the inclusions in the report clarity plot could be aligned with a prong, making them blend in (if they are visible at all!).

The HCA score under 2 indicates the crown and pavilion angles work well together, which is great. If it was possible to get an ASETscope image of the stone, that would help determine cut accuracy across the stone and whether there were any areas of leakage. (The measurements on the grading report will be averaged for each facet group, for example, so it's not outside the realms of possibility that a facet here and there is not quite as perfect as it could be for super-top-notch light performance, but a couple not being perfect should be just fine.)

The small table should help it throw a lot of coloured fire, which (personally speaking) I like


re: the pricing... the MMD market is all over the place at the moment, being partly indexed against the Mined stone market and partly based on what the market will bear (what the vendor can get away with? lol), and there is no central repository of pricing for each grade (like we have with Rapaport listings for Mined stones) so no hard-and-fast easy way to check if one is getting a good value price.

I believe that we may have an MMD search tool coming soon, like the Mined stone Search Bar at the top of the forum, but nothing is confirmed as yet!

I am therefore (personally speaking) thinking that Ritani's listings are a good place to investigate before any purchase - they are listing their costs, their profit margin, and the total stone price, so it could be useful in determining what room for negotiation you might have. The closest stone I can find on there to this stone at the moment is a 4ct G VS1, up for $33k, of which $5k or so is profit margin:
https://www.ritani.com/lab-diamonds/round-lab-diamond-4-0-Carat-G-color-IGI-certified/D-MY27W52

James Allen has a 4.03ct D VVS1 up for $86k, though!

Lab-Created 4.03 Carat round diamond

Lab-Created 4.03 Carat round diamond

www.jamesallen.com

It could be worth dropping @Rhino a line at August Vintage - he is able to source MMDs and has a diamond concierge service, so he may be able to find this one in the market or similar offerings. Of course, one does feel somewhat indebted to local jewellers when they have allowed us to take up their time and they have expended energy helping us, but it is useful to know all the options and, potentially, be able to bargain on prices.

 

[OoohShiny]

Wait... hang on a second...

Is your stone this stone? It links to the same IGI report:

4.51ct E VS2 Ideal Cut Lab Grown Diamond

This absolute stunner arrived today. We couldn't have asked for better. Diamond Details Measurements 10.62 x 10.66 x 6.57mm Cut Ideal Polish Ex Symmetry Ex Fluorescence None Culet none Report IGI Table 55.5% Depth 61.7%

www.augustvintageinc.net

Is the jeweller you refer to @Rhino/Jon at AV?

Or is your jeweller using the AV site as a resource?

Or does your jeweller have access to the same stones as AV? (The larger database AV references doesn't have the stone above/in your post on it right now, so I'm not sure he would/could have found it on there?: https://augustvintage.jewelershowcase.com/lab-grown-diamonds/ )


If your jeweller is AV, it's cool that he's offering a bit off the AV-advertised price.

If your jeweller isn't AV, they appear to be relying on AV doing the work to list stones and then undercutting them, which is less cool.

If the latter, it would seem polite to ask Jon if he would be willing to price-match.

(Don't forget to consider Returns and Upgrade policies no matter who you are ordering from.)


I would also comment that the stone in the picture does not (to my noob eyes) match the stone in the video in the AV listing, as the central circle (table reflection in the pavilion facets) is smaller in the picture than the video, and while the grading report says HPHT, it looks like there may be CVD stria/layering visible in the '2 o'clock' arrow in the video, so some checking may be needed to confirm which is correct??

 

[Gemma10]

Wait... hang on a second...

Is your stone this stone? It links to the same IGI report:

4.51ct E VS2 Ideal Cut Lab Grown Diamond

This absolute stunner arrived today. We couldn't have asked for better. Diamond Details Measurements 10.62 x 10.66 x 6.57mm Cut Ideal Polish Ex Symmetry Ex Fluorescence None Culet none Report IGI Table 55.5% Depth 61.7%

www.augustvintageinc.net

Is the jeweller you refer to @Rhino/Jon at AV?

Or is your jeweller using the AV site as a resource?

Or does your jeweller have access to the same stones as AV? (The larger database AV references doesn't have the stone above/in your post on it right now, so I'm not sure he would/could have found it on there?: https://augustvintage.jewelershowcase.com/lab-grown-diamonds/ )


If your jeweller is AV, it's cool that he's offering a bit off the AV-advertised price.

If your jeweller isn't AV, they appear to be relying on AV doing the work to list stones and then undercutting them, which is less cool.

If the latter, it would seem polite to ask Jon if he would be willing to price-match.

(Don't forget to consider Returns and Upgrade policies no matter who you are ordering from.)


I would also comment that the stone in the picture does not (to my noob eyes) match the stone in the video in the AV listing, as the central circle (table reflection in the pavilion facets) is smaller in the picture than the video, and while the grading report says HPHT, it looks like there may be CVD stria/layering visible in the '2 o'clock' arrow in the video, so some checking may be needed to confirm which is correct??

Omg!!! your response was so amazing!!!! do you have an email...I can send it to you...I cannot seem to upload the video....you have no idea how your response means to me!!!

 

[OoohShiny]

Omg!!! your response was so amazing!!!! do you have an email...I can send it to you...I cannot seem to upload the video....you have no idea how your response means to me!!!

No email or DM on this board!

You can upload to youtube if you have an account, or there is also vimeo - and other ones as well, I think?

To quote myself from last year, haha (because I couldn't remember):

CvB Peruzzi 7 stone ring

It's a beautiful ring and I hope it grows on you.

www.pricescope.com

Ummmm... I may have to admit defeat on that one! lol

The 'media' button that's in the options buttons above the Quick Reply box at the bottom of the thread says:

"You may embed media from the following sites:

• Dailymotion
• Facebook
• Liveleak
• Metacafe
• Vimeo
• YouTube"

I think you might want to 'Upload a File' using the button below the Quick Reply box (next to the 'Post Reply' button) - that gives me a pop-up window from which to attach files from my computer, so hopefully it will work for you!

You can also link an Instagram video and it will come up on here as playable, which I think is new since last year.

 

[Gemma10]

my jeweler is AV!!!! and the video you are referring to is the actual stone, it is hearts and arrow...whatever that means....I am so happy you are providing some insight, its a large purchase, but it seems like you like it?

 

[OoohShiny]

Ah, cool, excellent stuff

You are in safe hands with Jon!

I am no expert so I will have to be annoying and ask @Rhino/Jon if he's able to confirm why the picture and video seem to show different table reflection sizes in the pavilion - I am guessing it is just something to do with distance from the lens of the camera, but I may well also be totally wrong lol

Regardless of the technicalities and my paranoia, I think it will look great - the HCA score suggests the angles will be just fine, the small table should make it excellent for giving off coloured fire, and I really can't see any inclusions in the picture or the video, so I'm sure it will be totally eye-clean in real life.

It is difficult to find comparator stones or alternative options at this size, as there really aren't that many out there (either Mined or MMD) but if you know this one will be good, there's not really a need to consider other options!


As mentioned, make sure you are happy with the Returns and Upgrade policies (from wherever one purchases!).

One must also consider that the MMD market is very new, the secondhand market is even newer, and there have been postulations that say MMD will drop vastly in price due to the fact they can be produced, effectively, as desired, with no limitations such as those found with Mined stones.

Are those assertions true? We don't know, and if you do, pass me that crystal ball, I have six numbers I need to check for next week... lol.

On that basis, we must be prepared to write off all monies 'invested' into an MMD stone.

Mined stones have historically acted as a 'store of value' (rather than an 'investment') and enabled owners to get 10-80% of their purchase value back when sold (depending on speed of sale required, market demand, whether or not a 'Buy Back' agreement is in place...) but MMDs are so new that we don't know if 4ct rocks will be churned out at $1k a piece in a couple of years (I can dream ) or whether they will remain difficult/slow/expensive to grow.

If the former, anything bought now might be 'worthless' in a few years compared to the current purchase prices, but as long as we purchase in full knowledge that this might be the case, and are prepared to take that hit because it is a stone that we will wear for the rest of our lives (all being well) and represents more than just a financial investment, that is the best we can do

And even if things do drop in value over time, what is the value we have had out of the enjoyment of having/using them? We all know cars and computers and phones (and anything else) depreciates with time, but we buy them and use them and enjoy them, and any loss in value is offset against that pleasure

So be an informed purchaser, make your decisions with the full facts at hand, and know that you are making the best choice you can with the information you have!

 

[lovedogs]

Ditto @OoohShiny on all fronts!

 

[Bron357]

@OoohShiny = legend.

 

[OoohShiny]

@OoohShiny = legend.

You are far too kind

 

[Ada Diamonds CEO]

Are you buying the diamond locally or virtually?

Many HPHT grown diamonds on the market today have an unnatural blue tinge/nuance/discoloration, and more often than not it's not disclosed on the certificate. Also, the diamond may phosphoresce a chalky orangey-blue after exposure to sunlight or any UV light.

We reject a *lot* of HPHT stones because of this blue nuance.

Not saying that this diamond has it, but any time you see an E or F color HPHT stone you should be quite wary of unnatural blue undertones, and also be sure to check it for phosphorescence.

The underlying reason? Many HPHT diamonds have boron trapped in the crystal, as boron is one of the ingredients used in the growth cell. Thus the diamond is a Type IIb diamond, not a type IIa.

Take a look at Table 1 in this GIA research report. You'll see that most of these diamonds from this HPHT grower (who is the largest producer in the world) are Type IIb.

Large Colorless HPHT-Grown Synthetic Gem Diamonds from New Diamond Technology, Russia | Gems & Gemology

Examines a new source of colorless and near-colorless gem-quality HPHT synthetic diamonds using spectroscopic and gemological analysis.

www.gia.edu

 

[Gemma10]

Hi guys,
So my jeweller has the 4.50 in possession and I have seen a video of it outside and in sunlight and I do not see the blue tinge, is there a test to see if it's type IIa?

I am also now conflicted because there is this diamond and it is larger... dont know what to do, but I am told it doesn't have the hearts and arrow effect of the 4.5?

DiaCam360 Scan - RB503

ROUND BRILLIANT, D, 5.03 Carats, VS 2, IGI

up.diacam360.com

VS

4.51ct E VS2 Ideal Cut Lab Grown Diamond

This absolute stunner arrived today. We couldn't have asked for better. Diamond Details Measurements 10.62 x 10.66 x 6.57mm Cut Ideal Polish Ex Symmetry Ex Fluorescence None Culet none Report IGI Table 55.5% Depth 61.7%

www.augustvintageinc.net

please let me know thoughts asap! as the price difference is slight

 

[Polabowla]

Are you set on getting lab grown specifically? For that much money , why not go with mined?

 

[Gemma10]

These two options are under 40k

 

[Gemma10]

Hi guys,
So my jeweller has the 4.50 in possession and I have seen a video of it outside and in sunlight and I do not see the blue tinge, is there a test to see if it's type IIa?

I am also now conflicted because there is this diamond and it is larger... dont know what to do, but I am told it doesn't have the hearts and arrow effect of the 4.5?

DiaCam360 Scan - RB503

ROUND BRILLIANT, D, 5.03 Carats, VS 2, IGI

up.diacam360.com

VS

4.51ct E VS2 Ideal Cut Lab Grown Diamond

This absolute stunner arrived today. We couldn't have asked for better. Diamond Details Measurements 10.62 x 10.66 x 6.57mm Cut Ideal Polish Ex Symmetry Ex Fluorescence None Culet none Report IGI Table 55.5% Depth 61.7%

www.augustvintageinc.net

please let me know thoughts asap! as the price difference is slight

@Ada Diamonds CEO , @OoohShiny

 

[OoohShiny]

Are you buying the diamond locally or virtually?

Many HPHT grown diamonds on the market today have an unnatural blue tinge/nuance/discoloration, and more often than not it's not disclosed on the certificate. Also, the diamond may phosphoresce a chalky orangey-blue after exposure to sunlight or any UV light.

We reject a *lot* of HPHT stones because of this blue nuance.

Not saying that this diamond has it, but any time you see an E or F color HPHT stone you should be quite wary of unnatural blue undertones, and also be sure to check it for phosphorescence.

The underlying reason? Many HPHT diamonds have boron trapped in the crystal, as boron is one of the ingredients used in the growth cell. Thus the diamond is a Type IIb diamond, not a type IIa.

Take a look at Table 1 in this GIA research report. You'll see that most of these diamonds from this HPHT grower (who is the largest producer in the world) are Type IIb.

Large Colorless HPHT-Grown Synthetic Gem Diamonds from New Diamond Technology, Russia | Gems & Gemology

Examines a new source of colorless and near-colorless gem-quality HPHT synthetic diamonds using spectroscopic and gemological analysis.

www.gia.edu

Useful info on the Type IIb aspects, thank you for posting.

IIRC a lot are also Type IIa?

re: the blue tinge, some people would think that is cool lol. Is it not the case that the colour of a stone's undertones is not recorded on grading reports generally, including on GIA reports on Mined stones?

I think I'd like some phosphoresce myself, what a cool property

Hi guys,
So my jeweller has the 4.50 in possession and I have seen a video of it outside and in sunlight and I do not see the blue tinge, is there a test to see if it's type IIa?

I am also now conflicted because there is this diamond and it is larger... dont know what to do, but I am told it doesn't have the hearts and arrow effect of the 4.5?

DiaCam360 Scan - RB503

ROUND BRILLIANT, D, 5.03 Carats, VS 2, IGI

up.diacam360.com

VS

4.51ct E VS2 Ideal Cut Lab Grown Diamond

This absolute stunner arrived today. We couldn't have asked for better. Diamond Details Measurements 10.62 x 10.66 x 6.57mm Cut Ideal Polish Ex Symmetry Ex Fluorescence None Culet none Report IGI Table 55.5% Depth 61.7%

www.augustvintageinc.net

please let me know thoughts asap! as the price difference is slight

IIRC GCAL grading reports include whether a stone is Type IIa, so I guess one option could be to ask to send it away (I imagine at your cost??) to GCAL to see what it comes back as. You'd then have a dual graded stone (IGI and GCAL) which could also be interesting in terms of seeing if there is any discrepancies between the two labs in this instance.

The 5ct stone is a different 'flavour' to your current stone, being a '60/60' (60% table, 60% depth) stone. These tend to give more white light than coloured fire, but do face up larger for a given carat weight.

Has AV got both of these stones in-hand? If so, it could be useful if you could get a side-by-side video, to see if you prefer coloured fire or white light return, but if it's a Virtual stone, held elsewhere, it would involve costs to get it in-hand.


If you are tempted by the size... don't forget that the 4.51ct stone is NOT small... lol.

What size are your fingers? There is the Over 5Ct thread in Rockytalky that might be able to give you some idea of how the stones you are looking at will look on your hand

 

[Gemma10]

My finger is 5.5.... no AV has the 4.5 in hand and the 5 carat is somewhere else...AV said the stone they have is hearts and arrow and more brilliant than the 5 carat and according to them the size difference is .35mm

so conflicted... same price for both...

@OoohShiny

 

[xxxxxx]

If you value size go with the other. But I think long term you will be better served with the 4.51 as it’s big AND cut to maximize sparkle. Where as the 5 carat is cut for size.

 

[OoohShiny]

0.35mm size difference would be noticeable - 0.2mm is generally considered where one can see a size difference on here - but you wouldn't have the stones side-by-side on the finger, the 4.51ct would be standing proudly on its own!

I am tempted to agree with @Lessics - stones just over the boundary markers can be deliberately cut to be so, sacrificing some performance to hit the size marker, although it is not always the case.

In MMD stones it really shouldn't be so, as the rough is not as rare as Mined rough in that size! but it seems habits die hard and market price 'jumps' over the carat boundaries may still exist...


If AV says the smaller stone performs better, I would value that opinion - Jon is very experienced and adept at finding well-cut stones!

What are the Returns policies? Could you review at home and Return if you are not happy? Or is it Final Purchase conditions only?

 

[OoohShiny]

The 5ct thread:

#JOTW - The 5+ carat ring thread.

There have been so many delicious 5ct rings this last year. Ladies, you know who you are, please post your favourite pic and a link to your SMTB thread here. I'll wait a week or so then start trawling PS for the rings and add them as I find them. Blingasm! :o

www.pricescope.com

 

[yssie]

I'm going to be the wet dishrag in this thread and highlight something @OoohShiny has mentioned a couple of times:

The MMD market is very new, and is currently extremely volatile.
The MMD market does not have the stability that history, tradition, and inherent scarcity of natural resources yields the mined diamond market.
You risk spending $40k on a stone that is worth $10k or less in two years.
At most, this stone will be worth $40k in that same two years. The only direction for MMD prices moving forward is down.
No matter how much the market for mined diamonds oscillates, it has never been - and will never be - this unpredictable.

My strong recommendation: Do not spend this sort of money on a MMD until the MMD market stabilizes.

 

[OoohShiny]

Looks like Jonathon has uploaded a video!

View this content on Instagram

View this content on Instagram

 

[Rhino]

Greetings. Just some comments as many here may not be aware of the situation of dealing with lab growns in these size ranges.

Firstly ... the cubes that are grown, primarily can be done up to 9mm. Some sources I know can get up to 9mm but even up to that size in mm is not common. Getting 9.5mm and over 10 ... extremely difficult.

To find them in H&A? NEVER wold I promise that because everyone here knows that cut quality takes careful precision and serious attention to detail to finalize those results yet that's what I found. I was real happy about that.

Secondly ... the players in this game at the level at which I am acquiring are not like a store that gives people 2 weeks or even a month to decide. In fact many of them do not even consider this their primary business like those who participate here do. They expect a decision off of the paper and you either buy or you don't. No backsies. I insisted upon seeing the diamond on behalf of the client and my connections know my word is my bond and the client told me precisely the minimum specs budget range which this diamond met so based on that I was confident and was able to procure it on their behalf.

You can see from the stats and analysis ... a fairly graded VS2 (clean under the table a HUGE plus in this size), conservatively graded E, and the cut ... we couldn't ask for better. I literally got mesmerized gazing into the interior of this thing in natural daylight. In this size range the symmetry really draws you in and is captivating.

With regards to what you said @yssie ... purely speculative. The same exact thing could be said for earth grown. Lab growns have actually impacted the pricing of earth grown and 2 years from now they could be considerably less as well. Does that prevent us from getting engaged and enjoying beautiful diamonds because of what we speculate things may be in 2 years? Are consumers buying diamonds to enjoy and get engaged with or are they buying them for investment purposes? I would suggest that even buying an earth grown isn't necessarily the best idea insofar as investments go and I encourage both for engagements and enjoyment.

Peace,
Rhino

 

[OoohShiny]

Thank you for the additional info, @Rhino!

 

[yssie]

With regards to what you said @yssie ... purely speculative. The same exact thing could be said for earth grown. Lab growns have actually impacted the pricing of earth grown and 2 years from now they could be considerably less as well. Does that prevent us from getting engaged and enjoying beautiful diamonds because of what we speculate things may be in 2 years? Are consumers buying diamonds to enjoy and get engaged with or are they buying them for investment purposes? I would suggest that even buying an earth grown isn't necessarily the best idea insofar as investments go and I encourage both for engagements and enjoyment.

Peace,
Rhino

When spending $40k on any commodity, some evaluation of - and consideration of - future value is a reasonable expectation.

I don't think anyone can disagree with my and others' assessment of volatility of MMD market right now. And given that evaluation of and consideration of future value is a reasonable expectation, factoring current predictability into responsibility of a #RightNow purchase is a simple extension.

Any product that can be reproduced at will is a product whose sales price is only ever going in one direction over time: Down. People will get better at it, facilities will become cheaper to build, processes will be automated and automation will be improved, obstacles will be remediated. These sorts of products improve with time - I'm confident the current rarity of larger clear crystals will not be a problem for much longer, with technological improvements in this field.

Spending money you don't mind potentially losing is one thing - if OP was spending $4k I'd have kept my trap shut. But $40k is real money to risk no matter who you are.

Edit - I would have far fewer misgivings about spending $40k on a MMD stone from a vendor who offers generous buyback and 100% trade-in on upgrade policies, as that tells me that the vendor trusts the longevity of value of his products, and hugely mitigates risk of purchase from the consumer perspective. I checked August Vintage's policies and I don't see anything of the sort for any diamonds, mined or lab-created - am I looking in the wrong place?

Our Policies

100% Peace of Mind Money Back Guarantee Our policies are really very simple. At August Vintage Inc. your total satisfaction and complete peace of mind in your purchase is our #1 priority. Buying direct from August Vintage Inc. is pretty straight forward. On all our diamonds and moissanites you...

august-vintage-inc.myshopify.com

 

[yssie]

Edit - then again, @Texas Leaguer makes a good observation!

CVD diamond patents legal action

I have been waiting for De Beers to do this. But a US company got in first! https://www.diamonds.net/news/NewsItem.aspx?tc_dailyemail=1&ArticleID=64599 One of the complaints targets Pure Grown Diamonds (PGD) and IIa Technologies, which produces CVD goods for PGD. A second filing is against...

www.pricescope.com

 

[xxxxxx]

Diamonds are not a Commodity. They are a luxury. If one doesn’t plan on upgrading down the line and his financially in the place to „loose“ 40k there is nothing wrong with spending it on a beautiful rock (lab or earth grown).
Would you get your stone sold in the next 2 weeks for what you paid for @yssie ?

 

[yssie]

Yes

 

[Rhino]

I understand what you're saying @yssie but if one were to apply the same logic to all things within their own individual industries nothing would ever be purchased I don't care what the product is. The computer I bought for 3k 6 years ago is obsolete today yet I used and enjoyed it for 6 years (thing still isn't dead). It helped me accomplish the goals I set out to use it for. At that time it was the best tech for the money. I recently and finally upgraded and while I love what I bought now I know that in a few years it too will be obsolete. Does that prevent one from purchasing and enjoying it's fruits now?

 

[Ada Diamonds CEO]

Greetings. Just some comments as many here may not be aware of the situation of dealing with lab growns in these size ranges.

Firstly ... the cubes that are grown, primarily can be done up to 9mm. Some sources I know can get up to 9mm but even up to that size in mm is not common. Getting 9.5mm and over 10 ... extremely difficult.

To find them in H&A? NEVER wold I promise that because everyone here knows that cut quality takes careful precision and serious attention to detail to finalize those results yet that's what I found. I was real happy about that.

Secondly ... the players in this game at the level at which I am acquiring are not like a store that gives people 2 weeks or even a month to decide. In fact many of them do not even consider this their primary business like those who participate here do. They expect a decision off of the paper and you either buy or you don't. No backsies. I insisted upon seeing the diamond on behalf of the client and my connections know my word is my bond and the client told me precisely the minimum specs budget range which this diamond met so based on that I was confident and was able to procure it on their behalf.

You can see from the stats and analysis ... a fairly graded VS2 (clean under the table a HUGE plus in this size), conservatively graded E, and the cut ... we couldn't ask for better. I literally got mesmerized gazing into the interior of this thing in natural daylight. In this size range the symmetry really draws you in and is captivating.

With regards to what you said @yssie ... purely speculative. The same exact thing could be said for earth grown. Lab growns have actually impacted the pricing of earth grown and 2 years from now they could be considerably less as well. Does that prevent us from getting engaged and enjoying beautiful diamonds because of what we speculate things may be in 2 years? Are consumers buying diamonds to enjoy and get engaged with or are they buying them for investment purposes? I would suggest that even buying an earth grown isn't necessarily the best idea insofar as investments go and I encourage both for engagements and enjoyment.

Peace,
Rhino

To the other jewelers here - I want to reinforce something Rhino shared. To put it politely, you're playing with fire if you buy paper lab diamonds without an inspection period. We've sold stunners from the grower of the diamond in discussion, and we've rejected others with blue nuance that did not appear on the cert. Frankly, we've found the pushier and more rigid the wholesaler, the worse the goods (YMMV).

Rhino - To confirm, is the stone CVD or HPHT grown? I ask as I interpret your comments above to mean that it's CVD grown, but the cert says HPHT, and that grower's core production is HPHT. Out of curiosity, does the stone phosphoresce chalky orange or chalky blue after exposure to LW UV? If so, for how long?

As to the resale value question, I'll say this - it's very slim pickings for nice goods of 3+ carats in lab grown right now, and I'm far, far more worried about supply than I am for demand in the type of quality that PSers seek. Also, to quote the 2019 Bain Diamond Report, lab diamonds prices are stabilizing.

That's not to say that prices may not fall in the years ahead, but the notion that lab diamonds have no resale value or that they'll plumet to pennies on the dollar is not something that I see from the tea leaves I read.