Anonymous
Post 12/08/2025 19:25     Subject: Lab diamonds and engagement ring sizes
To be fair, often buyers of lab grown diamonds simply don't know better. They don't know what to look for or where to look. I know savvy jewelry collectors who spend their time collecting antique and vintage pieces where both the quality and aesthetic design stand out. Lang Antiques (www.langantiques.com) is a good resource for this, many beautiful and unique pieces.

Anonymous
Post 12/08/2025 18:12     Subject: Lab diamonds and engagement ring sizes
Anonymous wrote:I think the whole status symbol thing is ridiculous. Get what you like and is withinyour budget, the only thing to consider is stone durability (because rings Get a lot of abuse).

Diamonds were mostly marketing anyway.


Diamonds are a scam. They aren’t rare enough to charge what they do. Prices are also going down because the De Beers diamond cartel was finally broken up.

The De Beers Group is a South African–British corporation, that should give people clues on how the type of people who controlled the prices of diamonds. They owned 90% of diamonds and controlled the flow of diamonds to the public. How many were available and at what cost is was totally up to them.

Quality gold or platinum on a man made diamond is what I would choose.
Anonymous
Post 12/08/2025 18:08     Subject: Lab diamonds and engagement ring sizes
These threads always turn into the same thing. Older women who pretend they aren’t material but then bleat about lab grown diamonds because they think their old ring is now devalued.
Anonymous
Post 12/08/2025 16:28     Subject: Lab diamonds and engagement ring sizes
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Yeah, I think that the prevalence of lab diamonds has made me not care about big diamonds or big stones anymore. I still have my original engagement diamond, which is a 1.5 ct emerald cut stone that looks quite diminutive these days. I had it reset East to West and put in a plain gold setting and it's even more unobtrusive now....but somehow feels right because it's not trying to look aspirational. If I were getting engaged now, I would probably get an eternity or five stone bad ring and be done with it. The idea of a big solitaire just does not appeal to me anymore.


But it did at some point, hence the 1.5 carat stone!


NP. Aspirational has to have claws (prongs). Show-off rings are "proud of surface". That's designerese for "sticks up".
Anonymous
Post 12/08/2025 16:23     Subject: Lab diamonds and engagement ring sizes
When I see a big ass ring I assume it’s fake or lab. Not impressed. But glittery things are nice so I get the appeal
Anonymous
Post 12/08/2025 16:20     Subject: Lab diamonds and engagement ring sizes
Anonymous wrote:Yeah, I think that the prevalence of lab diamonds has made me not care about big diamonds or big stones anymore. I still have my original engagement diamond, which is a 1.5 ct emerald cut stone that looks quite diminutive these days. I had it reset East to West and put in a plain gold setting and it's even more unobtrusive now....but somehow feels right because it's not trying to look aspirational. If I were getting engaged now, I would probably get an eternity or five stone bad ring and be done with it. The idea of a big solitaire just does not appeal to me anymore.


So weird to say a 1.5 carat stone looks “quite diminutive” and claim a “big solitaire just does not appeal to me”.

1.5 carats is not diminutive unless perhaps you are just comparing to others’ (celebs?) rings.

I really don’t get the people who want to buy the largest ring possible and then not wear it because it’s too damn large to be practical and the only point of it was to flash it social media engagement photos (or IRL).

Just get a ring you want to wear, or don’t get one.
Anonymous
Post 12/08/2025 16:20     Subject: Lab diamonds and engagement ring sizes
Anonymous wrote:NP. Who the heck doesn't think a big diamond is a status symbol? Of course it is, and also a symbol of your partner's love. I treasure my 1 carat diamond. It cost five thousand dollars 25 years ago and it was a huge purchase for my DH. It means so much to me. I couldn't stop staring at it after I got it. I love, love, love it.

I worked with a girl engaged to an MLB player. Her rock was HUGE. It was kind of mesmerizing.

I'm pushing 50 now so not really attuned to the new diamond trends. But I always notice a big rock.


The bigger the rock, the more he loves you?

I know that’s a common viewpoint but it’s so messed up.

Anonymous
Post 12/08/2025 16:15     Subject: Lab diamonds and engagement ring sizes
I am on my second engagement and decided not to play that game. We did a sapphire band instead.
Anonymous
Post 12/08/2025 16:08     Subject: Lab diamonds and engagement ring sizes
NP. Who the heck doesn't think a big diamond is a status symbol? Of course it is, and also a symbol of your partner's love. I treasure my 1 carat diamond. It cost five thousand dollars 25 years ago and it was a huge purchase for my DH. It means so much to me. I couldn't stop staring at it after I got it. I love, love, love it.

I worked with a girl engaged to an MLB player. Her rock was HUGE. It was kind of mesmerizing.

I'm pushing 50 now so not really attuned to the new diamond trends. But I always notice a big rock.
Anonymous
Post 12/08/2025 14:29     Subject: Lab diamonds and engagement ring sizes
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Yeah, I think that the prevalence of lab diamonds has made me not care about big diamonds or big stones anymore. I still have my original engagement diamond, which is a 1.5 ct emerald cut stone that looks quite diminutive these days. I had it reset East to West and put in a plain gold setting and it's even more unobtrusive now....but somehow feels right because it's not trying to look aspirational. If I were getting engaged now, I would probably get an eternity or five stone bad ring and be done with it. The idea of a big solitaire just does not appeal to me anymore.


But it did at some point, hence the 1.5 carat stone!


Yeah. It’s easy to say it doesn’t matter when you’ve been married 25 years, but to 28 year olds shopping right now, 2-3 carats is the 1.5 of 2001.
Anonymous
Post 12/08/2025 12:54     Subject: Lab diamonds and engagement ring sizes
Anonymous wrote:Yeah, I think that the prevalence of lab diamonds has made me not care about big diamonds or big stones anymore. I still have my original engagement diamond, which is a 1.5 ct emerald cut stone that looks quite diminutive these days. I had it reset East to West and put in a plain gold setting and it's even more unobtrusive now....but somehow feels right because it's not trying to look aspirational. If I were getting engaged now, I would probably get an eternity or five stone bad ring and be done with it. The idea of a big solitaire just does not appeal to me anymore.


But it did at some point, hence the 1.5 carat stone!
Anonymous
Post 12/08/2025 10:45     Subject: Re:Lab diamonds and engagement ring sizes
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:So glad blood diamonds values are tanking.

This is a man made ridiculous obsession… big rings are so ugly.


They are ugly to you. Many mines are now owned by women. Interesting that as soon as the market starts to get cleaned up, lab diamonds take off.

Everyone has an opinion on this. I wouldn't wear a lab diamond if you gave it to me for free.

But that's just me.


You wouldn’t wear a diamond at all, or just not a lab diamond? If that’s the case, why?
Anonymous
Post 12/08/2025 10:35     Subject: Re:Lab diamonds and engagement ring sizes
Anonymous wrote:So glad blood diamonds values are tanking.

This is a man made ridiculous obsession… big rings are so ugly.


They are ugly to you. Many mines are now owned by women. Interesting that as soon as the market starts to get cleaned up, lab diamonds take off.

Everyone has an opinion on this. I wouldn't wear a lab diamond if you gave it to me for free.

But that's just me.
Anonymous
Post 12/08/2025 10:26     Subject: Lab diamonds and engagement ring sizes
Anonymous wrote:Yeah, I think that the prevalence of lab diamonds has made me not care about big diamonds or big stones anymore. I still have my original engagement diamond, which is a 1.5 ct emerald cut stone that looks quite diminutive these days. I had it reset East to West and put in a plain gold setting and it's even more unobtrusive now....but somehow feels right because it's not trying to look aspirational. If I were getting engaged now, I would probably get an eternity or five stone bad ring and be done with it. The idea of a big solitaire just does not appeal to me anymore.


But it did. Appeal to you. Lol. You know you are an aspirational striver -- trying to set it E/W now.
Anonymous
Post 12/08/2025 09:29     Subject: Lab diamonds and engagement ring sizes
Yeah, I think that the prevalence of lab diamonds has made me not care about big diamonds or big stones anymore. I still have my original engagement diamond, which is a 1.5 ct emerald cut stone that looks quite diminutive these days. I had it reset East to West and put in a plain gold setting and it's even more unobtrusive now....but somehow feels right because it's not trying to look aspirational. If I were getting engaged now, I would probably get an eternity or five stone bad ring and be done with it. The idea of a big solitaire just does not appeal to me anymore.