Lab Grown Diamonds and Moissanite

Valencia engagement ring with 1.9 carat round brilliant cut moissanite

Diamonds are forever is a slogan that has been a part of popular culture for decades. As the industry grows, learns, and becomes more aware of the ecological impact mining has on the earth, technology has brought many alternatives to mined diamonds.

Diamonds are coveted for lots of reasons though. They are very strong ( a 10 on the MOHs hardness scale) and they maintain their brilliance over time. They are neutral, versatile, and a lovely metaphor for a love that will transcend a lifetime. They’re often one of the first large purchases couples make, and are often passed down over generations.

Everyone has a choice, and our role in the process is to help provide you with the right information on what stone is the right option for you. Here are the basics on lab created stones and diamond alternatives.

Lab Grown Diamonds

Lab grown diamonds are diamonds that have been created in a laboratory. The process can vary, but usually starts with taking a slice of natural diamond and applying extremely high heat, pressure, and pure carbon. Over about a week the carbon solidifies under the heat and pressure, bonding to the slice, creating a beautiful diamond.

The only way that natural diamonds and lab created diamonds physically differ is by the way they were created. They maintain their strength, a 10 on the MOHs hardness scale, and even have variances in color and clarity. Each stone is still completely unique.

Moissanite

Moissanite is a natural form of silicon carbide that was first found in Canyon Diablo in 1883 by Charles Moisan. Most moissanite is lab created, and naturally occurring moissanite is rarely found outside of meteorite crash sites. A tiny piece of the cosmos! The process to grow a moissanite in a lab is similar to that of a diamond, by applying high pressure and temperature to a host slice and carbon.

Moissanite is a 9.25 on the MOHs hardness scale, the second strongest mineral, and they are more brilliant than diamonds. This is what makes them extra sparkly! Moissanite costs about a third of what a natural diamond of the same carat weight would cost, so it’s a great option to get a big, blingy look for a lower price.

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 If you have questions, you can find our contact information HERE. If you want to start creating your own creation, you can make an appointment with us HERE. 

Designing Your Dream Ring

Custom designed wedding set in 14 karat rose gold and rainbow moonstone with diamond accents.

We love love! We strive to keep a diverse selection of engagement rings and wedding bands in stock, but sometimes your dream ring has yet to be created.  We have curated our custom process to be as seamless and stress free as possible. If you are curious about our process, please continue reading.

The first step in designing a custom ring is to gather inspiration. This can be as simple as saving ideas from social media, or trying rings on in the shop. Our staff is trained to help find common design threads to establish a greater idea of what you like. 

The second step is solidifying a center stone option. We have stones in stock to choose from, and we can also help search to find the perfect stone for you. If you have your own stone, we can use that as well. 

As we narrow down the features of your dream ring, we will mock up designs on paper with pencil as a visual guide to help you further narrow down your design ideas. If we have already developed a firm design idea, we may not need to review hand sketches and we can go straight into the CAD process. 

Next, we move into the CAD (computer-aided design)  phase. CADs present a color image to scale using your stones in the setting you have designed. If the CAD isn’t quite right, we can always make changes. The CAD will also provide an exact price for your one-of-a-kind creation.

We do the first CAD for free, and if we need to make any changes we require a $200 deposit that goes toward the overall total of your ring. When reviewing the CAD, keep in mind that our jewelers use the CAD to print the wax mold which is used to cast the ring, so certain features may look exaggerated, like prongs, and the color may not be exact.  

Once you are satisfied with the design, we take half down on the total, and let our jewelers take it from there! In 3-5 weeks you will have a brand new, one of a kind creation. 

How long does custom take? 

From start to finish, custom takes anywhere from 3-8 weeks depending on the complexity of the design.

How much does custom cost?

We price each piece based on the materials that are used, meaning each custom piece has its own price. We don’t have a minimum for custom, so the world is your oyster! If there is a price you are trying to keep in mind, let us know so we can best guide you in your options.

Do you offer a warranty?

We do not provide any extended warranties. We will clean and inspect your ring for free as often as you want and offer affordable repair and upkeep options as well. We always recommend insuring your pieces, and can help provide you with appraisals of your gold pieces to help the insurance process. You can itemize pieces under home owner’s insurance or Jeweler’s Mutual, who we highly recommend. As a small business, our goal is to provide you with as many tools as possible to set you up for success.

Can I wear my ring 24/7?

We do not recommend wearing any jewelry 24/7. Depending on the type of ring you have, it will sustain more aggressive activities, but we do not recommend washing dishes, showering/bathing, bike riding, rock climbing, weight lifting, or wearing your ring during any activity that may put an excess of pressure on your ring. This may cause the stones in your ring to shift in their settings. No ring is indestructible, however with the right care and upkeep it can easily become an heirloom that you can cherish for decades to come. 

Can you design jewelry other than rings?

Yes! We also design customer necklace, earrings, and bracelets. The process is the same as the one above!

The Ooh! Aah! Guide to Solitaires

Solitaires have been one of the most popular engagement ring designs for generations. Their elegant simplicity fits a multitude of aesthetics and stand the test of time. We’ll walk you through the history of solitaires, what they are, and why they are our go to!

First thing’s first- what is a solitaire? The word solitaire is used to describe a piece of jewelry with one stone.  The stone can be any shape, and you can set the stone in many ways, although the term is closely associated with round brilliant stones in a simple four prong setting.

The first solitaire setting was produced by Tiffany and Co and featured a round brilliant diamond in 6 prongs. This popularization led to four prong, eight prong, and bezel set variations, and the setting of different shaped center stones as a way to make the style more specific to each couple’s tastes. 

We love solitaires. We love their simplicity, the romance of showing off the stone you picked,  and most of all that you can change them with a simple band!  They’re a great choice for a client who is sure of their partner, but not sure of their taste!  They’re a great design that fits into many budgets as you can pick from a variety of center stones and metal options. 

With any engagement ring, there are a couple of things to consider- like whether they have a favorite stone shape or metal color, but there are a couple of things to think of in particular when you are shopping for solitaires. Does your partner have a job where they use their hands a lot? If so, you may want to try a solitaire that sits lower on the hand to prevent spinning, and the stone getting stuck on objects throughout the day. 

See what kind of wedding bands your partner likes- and make sure the ring is compatible. Some rings sit very low, which feels comfortable but doesn’t always leave room to fit a wedding band flush with their engagement ring. If you are wanting to surprise your significant other you can check out their social media boards or ask a close confidant!

As always, we are here to help! If you want to start designing your own solitaire come into the shop during business hours or contact us for appointment availability.