Our reviewers evaluate products and services based on unbiased research. Top Consumer Reviews may earn money when you click on a link. Learn more about our process.
Saturday, November 9th
Order lab-grown diamonds online and try before you buy? That's Ritani's specialty, with over 130,000 man-made stones to choose from, all with 360 degree video previews and the ability to set up an in-person appointment to see them up close and personal before committing to the purchase. Although Ritani doesn't make it quite as smooth to browse lab-created diamond jewelry outside of engagement rings, this retailer earns our recommendation.
While Kay Jewelers' tagline is "Every Kiss Begins with K(ay)”, you may want your shopping for lab-grown diamond jewelry to begin somewhere else. Although there are some benefits to shopping at Kay, like picking up online orders in-store and a decent return window, too many people have reported problems with this retailer. We recommend checking out the higher-ranked jewelry stores in our evaluation if you're looking for the best selection of lab-created diamonds and a customer service experience to match.
Lab-grown diamonds, also known as synthetic or cultured diamonds, are man-made gemstones that are created in a laboratory environment using advanced technological processes that mimic the natural conditions under which diamonds form in the earth's mantle.
Sounds pretty technical, but the amazing thing is that these diamonds are essentially identical in chemical, physical, and optical properties to natural diamonds mined from the earth. They are also graded on the same 4Cs scale used for natural diamonds, which stands for cut, clarity, color, and carat weight. All of the same sparkle factor? Yes, please!
Better yet, lab-grown diamonds are generally less expensive than natural stones of the same size and quality. And, if you've ever been concerned by the idea of "blood diamonds”, lab-grown stones are perfect for you: they don't involve the environmentally damaging (and often unethical) practices associated with natural diamond mining.
However, lab-grown diamonds have a few small drawbacks. One major concern is that they may not hold their value over time as well as natural diamonds, since they aren't as rare or unique. Additionally, some people may prefer the idea of owning a natural diamond as a symbol of their love or commitment - even if lab-created stones are undetectable as such to the average person's eye.
When you realize that some jewelers offering lab-grown diamonds have an inventory of over 100,000 stones to choose from, you might feel a little overwhelmed. Take a deep breath, try to enjoy the process a little, and use these ideas to make your shopping easier:
Shopping for jewelry made with lab-grown diamonds can be an exhilarating experience, and Top Consumer Reviews has evaluated and ranked today's most popular retailers to give you an advantage as you browse. We hope this information helps take the edge off any nervousness you might be feeling, so that you can find - or create - the perfect piece of jewelry for that proposal, anniversary, or "just because” moment.
Select any 2 Lab Grown Diamond Stores to compare them head to head