2 cts. Lab grown or 1cts. mined diamonds?

[kobido]

At lightbox, they have 2cts solitaire earrings DEF VVS+(1ct per earring) at $1800 afrer promo code. My local jeweler is offering 1ct solitaire earrings D vvs+ (0.5 ct each earring) at the same price.

Which would you choose? Thank you!

 

[SeattleiteGirl]

I voted 1ctw because I think .5ct looks very tasteful in earrings!

 

[lulu_ma]

I vote Whiteflash 1 ctw bc you will get super ideal studs that you can easily upgrade in the future.

 

[ItsMainelyYou]

Depends on cut the jeweler is offering.
High color in a badly cut EG isn't worth paying for.
If you were to go for super ideal vendors the price doubles for matched cuts.

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Personally, I would find some really well cut labs and get the bang for the buck.

 

[dk168]

I chose 2ct LGD as that's what I would buy myself if I were to get another pair of studs as I already have a pair of near 1cttw MRB studs given to me by my mum in my early teens.

Personal preferences and all that.

DK

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

diamon shrinkage syndrome is real
id go for the bigger ones

 

[chere]

Both sizes in labs. DSS is real.

My 0.33ctw bezel set lab studs and 2ctw Lightbox studs.

 

[Dee*Jay]

I would go earth mined (but that's just the purist in me -- I wish I could get beyond this!). Is there a reason you want D VVS? If you went down in color and clarity you could have bigger earth mined and save some $.

 

[missy]

I would go earth mined (but that's just the purist in me -- I wish I could get beyond this!). Is there a reason you want D VVS? If you went down in color and clarity you could have bigger earth mined and save some $.

Yes this is my answer as well

 

[MissGotRocks]

Yes this is my answer as well

Me too!!

 

[missy]

Me too!!

And you know I love big and beautiful but I am a purist at heart. Give me earth mined diamonds all day long. I do wish I could get over the mind clean thing. Maybe one day

 

[Slickk]

I have both approximately the carat weights you’re asking about. I honestly have no mind-clean issues and happily wear my 2.7tcw carat lab diamonds every day now.
I also have long hair that I always wear down so they aren’t as visible as they could be. But I do love those bigger stones on me.

 

[DejaWiz]

It would depend on the cut precision, proportions, and angles of each option...to me, anyway.

 

[kobido]

Both sizes in labs. DSS is real.

My 0.33ctw bezel set lab studs and 2ctw Lightbox studs.

Beautiful!!

 

[oncrutchesrightnow]

I didn’t vote bc it is looking like you want a direct lab-to-earth vote and they are different sizes and I would prefer 1 ctw over 2 regardless of LG/EG. So my suggestion is if you want bigger, go with lab.

 

[canuk-gal]

Me too!!

+ a billion

 

[Asscherhalo_lover]

I suck at earrings. I lose them, I accidentally pull one out and send it clanking down the sink, etc. My favorite spot for earrings is lab grown 2-3cttw G-H VS-SI but close to top cut. Cut quality is still my priority.

 

[kobido]

Thank you everyone for voting and sharing your experiences

 

[headlight]

I would always choose natural. I prefer something finer and rare over the greater size of the lab grown (which, btw, are not grown in a lab). Just my position. I don’t know anything about your income/net worth/home/car/purchases/lifestyle… but based on your natural stone budget getting you half carat in each ear I will tell you that your friends and relatives will suspect they are not natural and talk amongst themselves about it. This may or may not be of concern to you… and you might actually come out and say they are not natural in which case you are comfortable with it and to that I would say going with the “labs” is a good choice for you.

 

[Tonks]

Earth mined with an upgrade policy.

But this is really such a personal thing. No wrong answer, but that’s what I would do.

 

[kobido]

Thank you for all your replies. Appreciate your suggestions and it is interesting to read different perspectives.

 

[croqueusedediamants]

I would probably choose the jeweler because I could presumably choose my setting and have greater control over the cut. (I prefer platinum settings.) That said, it doesn't bother me to have lab-grown diamonds for studs, especially as I am prone to occasionally losing an earring.

I'm not one who goes for very large stones. Though I think they are beautiful, most people in my area are rather low-key and I would be self-conscious about looking showy. I have small diamond studs that are about .7 total weight and another moderately-sized pair that are about 1.6 total weight. My earlobes are not tiny, so those are the sizes that seem small to moderate on me. Both sets have of lots of sparkle though. I would have to have a different lifestyle to go for the greatest size my budget would allow.