15th September 2023

For many people a 1 carat diamond is the ultimate gem. As we discussed in a recent post, for some women with larger hands, a 1 carat might not even be big enough.

Article: So many variables to get it right!

Especially when we get into larger natural/mined diamond sizes there are a few attributes that make it appealing to the eye and also increase its price/value greatly.

The basics after diamond size - colour and clarity

For most people they want a colourless diamond. If the diamond is graded correctly then the lowest grade you can go for that is “F” in my opinion. Many of the jewellery chains sell larger diamonds in the “K to M” colour grade range to meet price points.

For most of my customers they want at least a diamond that has flaws very difficult to see with the naked eye. This is referred to as an “eye clean” diamond in the trade. An Si1 diamond with the flaws in optimal positions is as low as I believe you can go in clarity to achieve an eye clean diamond.

Many Si1 diamonds will have flaws that are in more readily visible locations. It is important to note that finding an Si1 clarity diamonds that is eye clean is getting harder and harder to do. The reasons for this I think are two fold:

1. more and more professionals like myself are looking for them to meet customers budgets

2. the diamond laboratories are getting less strict with their grades. Some Si1 graded diamonds I see nowadays I do not consider Si1.

Were we not going to talk about Lab Grown diamonds?

The reason I wanted to point out how difficult it can be to source a colourless eye clean natural diamond in a size that meets many customers aspirations is that with Lab grown diamonds their price allows customers to simply buy better quality diamonds ……….and larger.

Article from 2020: My current thoughts on “Lab grown" diamonds

The above diamond is a 1.59 carat Lab grown diamond with the second highest possible colour grade of E. The clarity is Vs1 which in the case of this diamond, with the very small flaws out near the girdle, make it a 100% eye clean gem.

Okay so lets get to the money bit and I believe I got a great deal on this Lab Grown diamond. Below are the details and price for the above ring which is currently in stock.:

1.59ct round brilliant cut diamond
Lab grown/created
E colour - Vs1 clarity
Cut = Ideal (highest grade)
Polish & Symmetry both = Excellent (highest grade)
Fluoresence = None (highest grade)
Laser inscribed and Lab graded
18ct Palladium white gold setting
$2965

To set a natural diamond of the same quality into the same ring would be well over 10 times the price of the lab grown diamond above.

I custom make almost all my jewellery but moving forward I will have more Lab Grown rings on hand ready for purchase. That said if you have another design, diamond shape, size etc in mind for a lab grown diamond contact me to discuss it. Making custom jewellery is what I do.

Update 16/10/2023 - I have since writing this article created anther two designs that you can choose from for immediate setting of this diamond into. Details and prices are on this page.

Some final points

Since all the natural diamonds I sell are conflict free (Kimberly Process) and to my knowledge nearly all the Lab grown diamonds being created are still far from carbon neutral and making them use a lot of electricity, there are two main questions people need to ask about the diamond they purchase:

1. Can I afford a natural diamond in the size and quality that I will be happy with?

2. Do I care if the diamond is Lab grown?

I do not tell my customers what they should prioritise or value. I source the best diamonds I can within their budget in whatever they choose and then put even more effort into the setting.

In the end for most it comes down to budget.