E-ring upgrade - use BGD upgrade policy or buy new lab diamond?

[cmnova04]

Hi all!

You all were a ton of help with my purchase of an engagement ring 10 years ago, and the last couple years I've thought about a proper upgrade. Haven't yet pulled the trigger as other costly projects have taken precedence. Here's the original thread if you are interested: Original Diamond Search

The current ring is a round Brian Gavin Blue 1.345 carat, H color, SI1. Setting is Sholdt half-bezel.

My first inclination was take advantage of the Brian Gavin lifetime upgrade policy and get more carats with at least equal color and eye clean. However, I also wondered about keeping the current ring/diamond for sentimental reasons, and getting the same exact setting with a larger lab grown diamond. The thought being, less stress of having a ~$25k stone to worry about being stolen / lost, while being able to enjoy a larger stone.

To be clear I discussed with my wife about the lab option. She never even heard of it so wasn't that eventful a convo, but she didn't seem to push back either way. To be clear, she isn't even asking for an upgrade. If anything she's more after a pool install haha, so if lab grown = savings she is probably in favor too.

Just curious if anyone has done something similar?

I saw this lab grown that seemed nice. The price variations on similar lab grown diamond is shocking though!

Lab:

2.49 D VS1 Brian Gavin Premium Lab Grown Round Diamond

Brian Gavin Diamonds

www.briangavindiamonds.com

Here's a couple natural options:
1.53 carat, so misses the mark on size as I'm guessing 0.2 carat improvement is negligible: https://www.briangavindiamonds.com/...ducts/1-53-d-vvs2-brian-gavin-signature-round

2.214 carat: https://www.briangavindiamonds.com/collections/diamonds/products/2-214-i-vs2-signature-round

2.08 carat which is above my desired budget and also only upgrades carat so not sure it meets criteria: https://www.briangavindiamonds.com/.../2-080-h-si1-signature-round-ags-104102258030

 

[RMOO]

I'm popping in here because I am currently in the same conundrum, and am curious what opinions you will get here. I'm guessing most will say that you need to figure out what is most mind clean for you and your wife. In my situation, besides the mind-clean issues of earth-mined vs grown and more vs less money, my life style is very casual and quite frankly I don't need another diamond ring (as it is I don't wear my e-ring daily.)

 

[cmnova04]

I'm popping in here because I am currently in the same conundrum, and am curious what opinions you will get here. I'm guessing most will say that you need to figure out what is most mind clean for you and your wife. In my situation, besides the mind-clean issues of earth-mined vs grown and more vs less money, my life style is very casual and quite frankly I don't need another diamond ring (as it is I don't wear my e-ring daily.)

Very similar here with my wife. With working from home and bulk of our social life revolving around our amazing neighbors, it just isn't worn everyday.

I'm sure it really is do what works best for each of us personally, but I do value opinions on the topic and if others did something similar with an upgrade. The fact that you are considering the same concept is helpful in it of itself!

The downside for the lab diamond route as a 'second' e-ring would be... when would my wife (or any others here) decide to wear the original one with the 1.3 carat? I guess if you want to be sentimental you could, but it also would be a shame if that just gets tucked away entirely.

 

[MissGotRocks]

She could always use the original as a pendant stone. However, I personally would use it as a trade for another earth mined diamond. Labs are not for me so I need not say more on that topic.
As for her wearing circumstances, things do change over time. Not sure jobs will always be stay at home jobs, some stay at home Moms do eventually go back to work, and life changes as the kids grow up. Not worn today doesn’t mean seldom or never worn forever. If this is not something that she really wants, why not put it on a back burner for now? It is a lovely gesture on your part to offer an upgrade, but if her heart isn’t in it, I would sincerely table it for now.
All the best to you both!

 

[DejaWiz]

Since you are open to LGD (and an extremely awesome BG LGD graded by AGS, at that), then why not?
You get the best of both worlds: bona fide BG in NGD and LGD flavors!
Plus you would still have your NGD that could always be upgraded at any time in the future should you ever decide to increase size, color, and/or clarity.

 

[Slickk]

Since you are open to LGD (and an extremely awesome BG LGD graded by AGS, at that), then why not?
You get the best of both worlds: bona fide BG in NGD and LGD flavors!
Plus you would still have your NGD that could always be upgraded at any time in the future should you ever decide to increase size, color, and/or clarity.

This ^ but I personally have no mind-clean issues with the labs. I just have bling issues I love that I have little worries about the 3 carat lab on my hand.

 

[Lisa Loves Shiny]

Since you are open to LGD (and an extremely awesome BG LGD graded by AGS, at that), then why not?
You get the best of both worlds: bona fide BG in NGD and LGD flavors!
Plus you would still have your NGD that could always be upgraded at any time in the future should you ever decide to increase size, color, and/or clarity.

This is a great reply. Most vendors also offer a 30 day return period so if a lab diamond doesn't knock the socks off your wife you can return it.

 

[RMOO]

Very similar here with my wife. With working from home and bulk of our social life revolving around our amazing neighbors, it just isn't worn everyday.

I'm sure it really is do what works best for each of us personally, but I do value opinions on the topic and if others did something similar with an upgrade. The fact that you are considering the same concept is helpful in it of itself!

The downside for the lab diamond route as a 'second' e-ring would be... when would my wife (or any others here) decide to wear the original one with the 1.3 carat? I guess if you want to be sentimental you could, but it also would be a shame if that just gets tucked away entirely.

There are differences in the details of our situations that contribute to my decision difficulties that my not apply to your situation: 1. My 1.3ct is not my original e-ring stone (I have my original in a pendant, so there is no sentimentality in the 1.3ct) 2. The upgrade policy at the jewelry store where I bought my 1.3 is to spend double the original price. And I pursued that option. Except that they wanted 35k for 2ct deeply cut GIA 3X and 50k for a 2ct Hearts on Fire stone. That left me with selling my stone to a PriceScope preferred vendor and loosing 8k of the original purchase price if I wanted a ideal or super ideal cut stone.

 

[tyty333]

I'm somewhat in the same boat but with a few different details that make the decision difficult. I have a "K" stone that I thought
I would continue to upgrade in the same size but go up in color. For what it would cost to move up to an "I", I could buy a really
nice lab stone (actually for a whole lot less). A couple of problems with that are...I dont know if a lab stone is mine-clean to me for an
engagement ring (but thinking once I got one it would be) and 2) I dont need another ring. I already have 2 engagement rings
(the other being my original Pear stone which is sentimental). Yet, the "K" is just a color shade too low for me...so ??? I owned
a smaller "J" that I was fine with. Dont know if just moving to "J" will fix my problem.

@cmnova04 Does your wife have a diamond pendant (like @MissGotRocks suggested)? A 1.3 would make an awesome pendant.

You could do the lab stone (I would move down in color some though because if she gets used to a D and wants to upgrade to an
Earth-mined in the future, a D would be expensive)...if in the future you want to upgrade again you can either upgrade
with another lab stone or use the pendant and get a larger Earth-mined (put the lab stone in the pendant).

Hope that makes sense.

 

[lovetodream]

Just curious if you've thought of another "milestone" piece of jewelry for your 10th, rather than an e-ring upgrade? It sounds like your wife isn't dying to go bigger (based on the convo you said you had with her) and if she doesn't wear the current smaller one every day, she may feel "obligated" (in a nice way!) to wear the upgrade when it's not super convenient. So why not consider an eternity ring, a pair of beautiful studs or a pendant instead?

All of that to say, it's lovely you've been considering a wonderful present for her.

 

[Mooshi]

To be clear, she isn't even asking for an upgrade. If anything she's more after a pool install haha, so if lab grown = savings she is probably in favor too.

Honestly this is the most important part of your first post to me. My husband and I celebrated one of our anniversaries with a duo-gift of a hot tub, and I was SO much happier than if he got me jewelry! At that time, that is what I wanted in life, so I was very happy.

If you always celebrate with jewelry though, I'd go with a totally different piece of jewelry than an ering, as well as a pool.

 

[0-0-0]

My wife was contemplating an upgrade in carat size and/or a change to a halo setting. What we ended up doing was buying a new lab diamond in similar size and color as the original natural diamond, set in the halo setting she wanted. Having both rings in hand allowed her to figure out her actual preferences with regards to carat size and settings, as well as whether lab is mind clean for her.

If she likes the new halo setting and lab is not mind clean for her, we would have simply reset the the original diamond in the new setting.

It turns out she likes the new ring so much that we no longer own the original diamond, but many more labs.

 

[cmnova04]

Since you are open to LGD (and an extremely awesome BG LGD graded by AGS, at that), then why not?
You get the best of both worlds: bona fide BG in NGD and LGD flavors!
Plus you would still have your NGD that could always be upgraded at any time in the future should you ever decide to increase size, color, and/or clarity.

Lab diamonds have me thrown for a loop. I figure one at BG is going to be phenomenal, but even within their own site it’s tough.

It seems right now they have 15% off the ones that are HPHT but not CVD.

So there is quite a deal for these 2. Not sure how they compare to the prior one?

2.3 E VS1 BG Premium Lab HPHT Round

Brian Gavin Diamonds

www.briangavindiamonds.com

This is a great reply. Most vendors also offer a 30 day return period so if a lab diamond doesn't knock the socks off your wife you can return it.

I assume the stone can't be set?

 

[DejaWiz]

Lab diamonds have me thrown for a loop. I figure one at BG is going to be phenomenal, but even within their own site it’s tough.

It seems right now they have 15% off the ones that are HPHT but not CVD.

So there is quite a deal for these 2. Not sure how they compare to the prior one?

2.3 E VS1 BG Premium Lab HPHT Round

Brian Gavin Diamonds

www.briangavindiamonds.com

Reach out to BG and ask for verification is this diamond is a Type IIa or IIb - very tough to tell in the videos if it has blue nuance or not.
Ask for pictures of it table-down pavilion-up in a white grading tray.

If it's a Type IIa non-blue nuance, then you've got a winner on your hands.

 

[cmnova04]

Just curious if you've thought of another "milestone" piece of jewelry for your 10th, rather than an e-ring upgrade? It sounds like your wife isn't dying to go bigger (based on the convo you said you had with her) and if she doesn't wear the current smaller one every day, she may feel "obligated" (in a nice way!) to wear the upgrade when it's not super convenient. So why not consider an eternity ring, a pair of beautiful studs or a pendant instead?

All of that to say, it's lovely you've been considering a wonderful present for her.

That isn't a bad idea. We'll have to discuss together!

 

[tomato]

I went through this recently. I have a beautiful one and a half carat round that was a family heirloom. I looked on and tried many diamonds over several months.

I ultimately decided that I really want to take some more expensive international trips, and my original diamond is too sentimental to consider selling toward an upgrade. It’s also a size I still feel comfortable wearing in daily life.

I ended up going with a lab asscher that’ll be a secondary RHR or for special occasions. I get the high color/clarity/cut bling I want, and I have a big budget leftover for taking 4 (yes 4!) international trips in the next 12 months. For you, this might be the pool your wife wants. It probably also helps that I am a scientist, I’ve visited the GIA and watched the instruments that create lab diamonds at work. I think the science behind it is really cool. I understand there are people that really want the “grown in the earth” thing though.

having an “extra” ring isn’t an issue, there’s quite a few girls in the family who’ll be the age to get engaged and I’ll pass some jewelry onto them if the time comes. If I knew it would just sit unused forever, that would be a different story.

 

[tyty333]

I went through this recently. I have a beautiful one and a half carat round that was a family heirloom. I looked on and tried many diamonds over several months.

I ultimately decided that I really want to take some more expensive international trips, and my original diamond is too sentimental to consider selling toward an upgrade. It’s also a size I still feel comfortable wearing in daily life.

I ended up going with a lab asscher that’ll be a secondary RHR or for special occasions. I get the high color/clarity/cut bling I want, and I have a big budget leftover for taking 4 (yes 4!) international trips in the next 12 months. For you, this might be the pool your wife wants. It probably also helps that I am a scientist, I’ve visited the GIA and watched the instruments that create lab diamonds at work. I think the science behind it is really cool. I understand there are people that really want the “grown in the earth” thing though.

having an “extra” ring isn’t an issue, there’s quite a few girls in the family who’ll be the age to get engaged and I’ll pass some jewelry onto them if the time comes. If I knew it would just sit unused forever, that would be a different story.

Wait! GIA makes lab diamonds???

 

[oncrutchesrightnow]

Very similar here with my wife. With working from home and bulk of our social life revolving around our amazing neighbors, it just isn't worn everyday.

I'm sure it really is do what works best for each of us personally, but I do value opinions on the topic and if others did something similar with an upgrade. The fact that you are considering the same concept is helpful in it of itself!

The downside for the lab diamond route as a 'second' e-ring would be... when would my wife (or any others here) decide to wear the original one with the 1.3 carat? I guess if you want to be sentimental you could, but it also would be a shame if that just gets tucked away entirely.

There are definitely times when someone might want to wear a 1.3 ct ring versus a much larger stone. Granted if she loves both then it can be hard to choose what to wear. But different events often call for different jewelry so having 2 relationship-related rings is a good thing.

If my husband gave me this choice, I would not trade a sentimental stone so I could end up with one ring. I would pick the “have 2 awesome rings“ option. If it were a non-sentimental stone, then it would be a rock collection question, e.g. owning a flawless earth diamond or some other reason why “earth grown” adds value.

She could always use the original as a pendant stone. However, I personally would use it as a trade for another earth mined diamond. Labs are not for me so I need not say more on that topic.
As for her wearing circumstances, things do change over time. Not sure jobs will always be stay at home jobs, some stay at home Moms do eventually go back to work, and life changes as the kids grow up. Not worn today doesn’t mean seldom or never worn forever. If this is not something that she really wants, why not put it on a back burner for now? It is a lovely gesture on your part to offer an upgrade, but if her heart isn’t in it, I would sincerely table it for now.
All the best to you both!

Agree. If your wife does not want a big jewelry purchase right now, then perhaps wait on a diamond upgrade. Get her a pool. She might want a diamond later.

 

[tomato]

Wait! GIA makes lab diamonds???

They were intended to be two separate statements. They had one of the large instruments for creating LGD on display at the GIA then *separately* I saw the process for making LGD (not at the GIA). Sorry for the confusion!

 

[DejaWiz]

They were intended to be two separate statements. They had one of the large instruments for creating LGD on display at the GIA then *separately* I saw the process for making LGD (not at the GIA). Sorry for the confusion!

Be a lot cooler if they did.

(even if it was just for research/training purposes).

 

[Lisa Loves Shiny]

I assume the stone can't be set?

Check with the vendor. Ritani does if you have the diamond set in one of their settings.

 

[nala]

Just buy a lab outright. They are super cheap. Keep your earth mined. Save it for a family heirloom. Labs are even cheaper preloved.

 

[Petalouda]

Just buy a lab outright. They are super cheap. Keep your earth mined. Save it for a family heirloom. Labs are even cheaper preloved.

+1

 

[DejaWiz]

Just buy a lab outright. They are super cheap. Keep your earth mined. Save it for a family heirloom. Labs are even cheaper preloved.

Good route to at least investigate...cmnova04 you can start a new thread in the LGD subforum and we'll show you some outstanding options, if you want to.

 

[cmnova04]

Reach out to BG and ask for verification is this diamond is a Type IIa or IIb - very tough to tell in the videos if it has blue nuance or not.
Ask for pictures of it table-down pavilion-up in a white grading tray.

If it's a Type IIa non-blue nuance, then you've got a winner on your hands.

No picture yet but they had responded:

Type lla is when there is no nitrogen found in the material.
Nitrogen causes yellow tint, warm tint in diamonds.
Our Premium Lab Diamonds in D and E colors are definitely Type lla.

 

[cmnova04]

Hmm okay maybe I will do that. Are there solid places to buy "preloved" lab diamonds?