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Lab grown diamond engagement ring vs natural?
AdmanPea
Posts: 107 Forumite
Hi
For the first time in my life I’m looking at getting engaged and came across the lab grown diamond rings. They are obviously more cost effective and, depending on how you look at it, more ethical (a factor I’d like to consider).
For the first time in my life I’m looking at getting engaged and came across the lab grown diamond rings. They are obviously more cost effective and, depending on how you look at it, more ethical (a factor I’d like to consider).
Would it be seen as ‘cheap’ to get one of these versus a traditional diamond ring? It’s difficult to ask my partner outright for obvious reasons but she’s generally a pretty socially conscious person.
What’s the general consensus?
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Comments
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I think for many it would be the one time in their life that social conscience might not come first. If its lab grown some people are likely to be able to tell so she not going to want ot show it off. Why not get a joke ring or something to propose and then let her decide."You've been reading SOS when it's just your clock reading 5:05 "1
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From the other 'side'...no, I wouldn't want a lab grown diamond, but I would be happy with a second hand ring.
Lab grown seems to me to be negating the point of having a diamond in the first place and you can get a really nice 'preloved' ring for 1/3 of the retail new price
Maybe ask her if she even wants a diamond? Given the option, I would choose a different stone1 -
FlorayG said:From the other 'side'...no, I wouldn't want a lab grown diamond, but I would be happy with a second hand ring.
Lab grown seems to me to be negating the point of having a diamond in the first place and you can get a really nice 'preloved' ring for 1/3 of the retail new price
Maybe ask her if she even wants a diamond? Given the option, I would choose a different stoneProud member of the wokerati, though I don't eat tofu.Home is where my books are.Solar PV 5.2kWp system, SE facing, >1% shading, installed March 2019.Mortgage free July 20230 -
onomatopoeia99 said:FlorayG said:From the other 'side'...no, I wouldn't want a lab grown diamond, but I would be happy with a second hand ring.
Lab grown seems to me to be negating the point of having a diamond in the first place and you can get a really nice 'preloved' ring for 1/3 of the retail new price
Maybe ask her if she even wants a diamond? Given the option, I would choose a different stone1 -
sammyjammy said:I think for many it would be the one time in their life that social conscience might not come first. If its lab grown some people are likely to be able to tell so she not going to want ot show it off. Why not get a joke ring or something to propose and then let her decide.
I don't think it's cheap at all. It is a valid and reasonable choice - quite apart from anything else, she may prefer to spend money on something she considers more valuable. Diamonds are only "a girls best friend" because of clever marketing and control of supplies. In engagement rings they aren't even "traditional" - in 1939 only 10% of engagement rings contained them, rising to 80% in 1990 due to the De Beers manipluation of the market and advertising campaigns.
Some people don't even like diamonds - my engagement ring is blue amber, far rarer than diamonds, bought directly from the miners and crafted by a local jeweller.
OP, I think "the right ring" is a very personal choice (some people I know actually didn't even want one, and others who hate the one that was chosen for them) so I would ditch the film inspired proposal with the ring cleverly hidden in the dessert (or whatever you had in mind) and come up with a romantic setting to ask her, and at that time tell her that you'd like to discuss what her preference is in terms of stones, ethics and value.11 -
FlorayG said:onomatopoeia99 said:FlorayG said:From the other 'side'...no, I wouldn't want a lab grown diamond, but I would be happy with a second hand ring.
Lab grown seems to me to be negating the point of having a diamond in the first place and you can get a really nice 'preloved' ring for 1/3 of the retail new price
Maybe ask her if she even wants a diamond? Given the option, I would choose a different stone10 -
AdmanPea said:Hi
For the first time in my life I’m looking at getting engaged and came across the lab grown diamond rings. They are obviously more cost effective and, depending on how you look at it, more ethical (a factor I’d like to consider).Would it be seen as ‘cheap’ to get one of these versus a traditional diamond ring? It’s difficult to ask my partner outright for obvious reasons but she’s generally a pretty socially conscious person.What’s the general consensus?
Some people think lab-grown are cool, some think the diamond trade is inherently unethical, some think small and understated is beautiful, some prefer sapphires or opals or titanium, some adore pre-loved.
If you have no idea on her opinions on any of that ^^ then buy a token ring and go shopping together for the real thing.
And ... congratulations4 -
At the end of the day a diamond is just an overpriced rock, with the prices artificially inflated by slick marketing campaigns and deliberate constriction of supply by the mining giants' monopoly!
Don't get sucked in by it all - just like gold and silver are just metals at the end of the day, there is no need to spend hundreds or thousands of pounds to line the pockets of the fat-cat mine owners.
Save the money instead and put it towards a deposit on a house!6 -
I wouldn't want someone to choose something so special for me without consulting me.
It's something that is going to be worn every day (mine is) so the stone and design must be right.
OP - why do you feel that you can't ask your intended? (no reasons are obvious to me).
For my first engagement ring, I had a tourmaline with diamond chips. I still wear it occasionally.
I love my solitaire .75 carat ring.
If it was me, I would be looking to choose a diamond (check out the 4 C's) unset so you can see the whole stone and then have it set in a design of my choice.
I've looked at lots of unset diamonds/sapphires, emeralds and rubies in various places in India and Sri Lanka
I referred my friend who wanted to buy a diamond ring for his wife's 40th birthday to a manufacturing jeweller in the nearby city.
He was amazed at the whole experience from choosing the diamond and setting to collecting the finished article.
I do understand the principles of buying lab-created diamonds (rubies, sapphires & emeralds are also created) but it is possible to buy a diamond that is not a 'blood diamond'.0 -
Personally I think it's better to propose with an inexpensive ring, and then go together (if she accepts) to pick the real one. I had mine made custom, so I saw the diamond out of the setting. But I proposed, spur of the moment so there was no 'ring' involved.
In the event I was to get engaged again (unlikely as I'm still married!) I'd probably pick a coloured stone and/or an antique/secondhand ring.0
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