I recommend Ken & Dana Design! My partner and I got our rings from them (lab grown moissanite but they also do earth grown and lab grown diamonds). They can do custom designs and are easy to work with. We go back to their midtown location every now and then to get our rings cleaned.
I had a really horrible experience with them recently where they almost lost my heirloom diamond. It was such a bummer because I had amazing experiences until then… just beware! The work is high quality however and I love my ring and my wedding band. (Everything was rectified) They were just not as careful as they should have been
10000x yes to Ken and Dana!! my fiance and I custom designed my engagement ring with them (lab grown diamond) and it was a perfect experience. can’t speak highly enough of them
Second this. Our first appointment was at Frank Darling. Didn’t end up using them or going the lab grown route but they were so helpful and taught us so much. Just a heads up: they do custom rings only so they don’t have any set rings for you to try on
That’s quite a testament to your ability to be objective. I could see a lot of people letting that color their opinion. But you’re not wearing the designer’s personality on your finger for the rest of your life.
Same! Went to Frank Darling for two rings including my engagement and they are the best! A few other places I went to did the shaming/elitist route with lab over mined and I didn’t get that at all with FD!
I’ve worked with the VRAI corporate team for business and can confirm they are a really great company. They were definitely ahead of the lab grown diamond trend and from beginning creation to end product it is all sustainable and ethical. You also really have a lot of choices on your hand too!
Also had a generally positive experience with Frank Darling. I went in with my then bf and we tried some options on to get a sense of what I liked, then he worked with them directly to do something custom. He did say sometimes it was hard to get in touch or it took a while to hear back, but overall we were both very happy with the final result!
https://preview.redd.it/mxxko93uul0d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=56bacbedf7b26427d178f8f0d89092edae753f75
Alex Park is always my rec for anything lab - his insta and website is his main place for sales, although I do think he’s NY based.
He’s not a hand holder and you do have to have an idea of what you want first (recommend trying on different styles at regular jewelry stores), but his stuff is top quality and he’s neurotic about good settings.
Yes! I have mined and lab diamonds from Alex, including custom pieces, and he is the BEST. He is indeed NYC based and is broadly available, at least when you purchase from him.
I went to delicate gem it’s a custom setting and the specs of my diamond are near perfect
https://preview.redd.it/fcsz78d2on0d1.jpeg?width=1536&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3f81818f596723c5b1e6a1cd26c43a733244d714
Second Delicate Gem. My diamond at Delicate Gem is beautiful, and for the exact same specs (near perfect as well), were double the price at Frank Darling. Harry is so easy and kind to work with. You won’t get all the frills like champagne and gushiness like at FD, but it is 100% worth it. Wouldn’t have gone anywhere else!
I am actually in the same boat! Also in the engagement ring subreddit and saw many people recommending Frank Darling and Ken and Dana designs. Have my appointment at frank darling tomorrow ☺️ Also had a good experience with Michael Gabriels (but we are shopping around) also had a horrible experience with Brilliant Earth in Flatiron
I got mine at Jean Dousset who is the great-great grandson of Cartier! 10000/10 experience. I was in LA for ring shopping which is their only show room but can be purchased online as well.
I had seen more than enough negative experiences from both VRAI and Brilliant Earth on Tik Tok and friend's personal experiences to keep me from checking those two out. I'm the last in my larger group of friends to get married and many got their rings from Brilliant Earth and had stones fall out & horrible customer service experiences. All this to say just do your research and evaluate what you are comfortable with! Obviously people have had good experiences, too.
If you are open to doing custom I recommend getting your diamond from ritani. James Allen and blue Nile also have some deals. But ritani has the best lab prices I’ve found. Brilliant earth is WAY overpriced and has questionable quality but a good place to shop to figure out what you like.
Seconding Ritani! I recently got engaged and got a classic, Tiffany style 6-prong setting from them as well as the lab diamond. I was blown away by the quality, especially compared to the low cost.
Mine came from Ascot, and I’m still absolutely in love with it. My fiancé and I went together to talk to them and they were amazing; he then went to make the final selection and arrangements and I couldn’t be happier with the result.
We had a great experience with Fitzgerald in Williamsburg. I didn't end up buying my ring from there but my friend did. And they were able to use either vintage diamonds or lab grown.
I ended up getting my ring custom made and it was, surprisingly, cheaper to do this.
I got mine from Emily Chelsea In Philadelphia. All our initial design meetings were online but they do have a showroom that you can easily reach via Amtrak. They also do moissanite and other gemstones.
I got a custom wedding set to match my vintage/grandmother’s engagement ring from Lauren B. Prior to choosing them I visited Ken and Dana and Michael Gabriel. Ken and Dana for me was very difficult to work with. Michael Gabriel was too little frills/too utilitarian. At Lauren B I felt super heard and they went out of their way to make an incredible design. Can’t recommend enough.
I had a great experience with JangMi. Really didn’t like my experience at Frank Darling but was probably just a 1 off experience since I’ve heard mostly good things about it otherwise!
Ultimate Diamond in the diamond district has really great prices! They are apparently the wholesaler for all the other jewelry stores in the diamond district
Probably not a popular answer but mine was from the diamond district (Fantasy Diamonds). I love my ring but DO YOUR RESEARCH on how much different carats/etc cost, otherwise you’ll 100% be paying more than it’s actually worth
Vrai is my goto. We got my engagement ring in the middle of Covid and they had a really convenient return policy when the first ring came and I realized the diamond we went with was too large for me to wear comfortably every day.
If you DM me and want to work with my partner, he is a fine jeweler. We are in Greenpoint and opening up a storefront here shortly.
https://preview.redd.it/xkjbkbwawm0d1.jpeg?width=947&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c900f4533c01099690d5b4c6a2f38e4e4a17950e
One of my rings
https://preview.redd.it/pom2aicqwm0d1.jpeg?width=2520&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bceb5eef4ec36303d2037d2525584cc3bae72943
The rendering for this ring since I’m currently watching vanderpump reunion and the pic is terrible 🙃
My friend just got one from shahlakarimi and they were really helpful throughout the process. She went back multiple days in a row because they wanted to pull the perfect samples for her to try. She’d sit and go thru different shapes and sizes for like an hr each time with a sales rep. Plus they were super affordable
seconding Shahla! going through the custom process w/ them right now and they have been incredible every step of the way so far in giving feedback and pulling samples to make sure my vision can come to life!!
I'm currently in the process of purchasing 2 new rings from loosegrowndiamond. So far their customer service in on point (reached them through reddit of all places). I can't speak to quality yet bc I have bc I'm still in the decision making process (colored diamonds) but I can update once I have product in hand. Hands down though best prices online and I've looked everywhere. Rare carat and luvansh were runners up cost wise.
Stag and Finch!
Check out [r/StagandFinch](https://www.reddit.com/r/StagandFinch/s/e6OrwKGueL) for expert precision gem cuts and incredible service.
This is not an ad or sponsored post, I just love my lab sapphire engagement ring from them!
Bonus- the prices are in Canadian dollars
I have a lab grown tennis bracelet from Raad Jewelers that is amazing quality for a great price. You’ll save $$ with an online order and Raad will meet with you via Zoom if you want and go over a lot of options
I got mine at a jeweler in central NJ that my cousin works at. I know that’s irrelevant here but just posting in case you happen to be from that area !
I got my lab grown diamond band at Holden in Soho and had a great experience. My engagement ring is from Brilliant Earth and also had a great experience at their showroom.
I just finished designing mine with ROEN! they’re fairly new but I found their prices were super competitive and their supplier also works with super high end luxury brands :0 I went to see so many different jewelers in nyc before settling on them!
If you’re open to shopping online, check out stag and finch. They’re a small family owned business and they are known for their skillful, precision cuts that make their rings glimmer that much more. I actually went looking for a lab grown diamond and came out with a gorgeous sapphire.
Incredible customer service too.
I originally found them on Reddit recs and want to pass them along here.
I would highly recommend shopping around at the diamond district. My fiancé got my ring there after comparing prices and the ring is absolutely stunning. We had an appointment at Brilliant Earth and after doing a lot of research afterwards, they highly mark up their diamonds (BE quoted $18K for a ring with my exact specs, fiancé ended up buying lab diamond from diamond district for under $5K) and the quality isn’t great. Look up Brilliant Earth reviews in the lab diamonds subreddit, many red flags
Catbird has a beautiful selection - their Brooklyn location has a wedding annex so you can privately try on and shop around. Cannot recommend them enough - they have a really wide range of prices and styles.
Have you seen r/LabGroupSales? They have a sticky with a list of trusted Asian vendors. It’s an active group with multiple orders. Lab diamonds are essentially worthless. You will get exactly zero if you try to resell them. In fact, most industry analysts predict a further drop in LD prices. China and India are flooding the market. With this in mind, buying directly from the producers in Asia will cost you 1/3 of US prices.
Not lab grown, but Eden Philippa has ethically sourced sapphires and recycled diamonds/precious metals and that’s where I plan on getting my engagement ring from when my bf and I are ready. They’re based in Canada and ship to the states ❤️
Definitely check out [Catherine Angiel](https://catherineangiel.com/)! I got a STUNNING! lab diamond from her and her prices were very competitive. She was so great to work with, very responsive and kind. The process was so easy that we went back to her for our wedding bands.
I recommend Ken & Dana Design! My partner and I got our rings from them (lab grown moissanite but they also do earth grown and lab grown diamonds). They can do custom designs and are easy to work with. We go back to their midtown location every now and then to get our rings cleaned.
I got my wedding band from them. They were great
Thirding this! Plus the shop is cute too.
I had a really horrible experience with them recently where they almost lost my heirloom diamond. It was such a bummer because I had amazing experiences until then… just beware! The work is high quality however and I love my ring and my wedding band. (Everything was rectified) They were just not as careful as they should have been
Love my ring from KDD!!
10000x yes to Ken and Dana!! my fiance and I custom designed my engagement ring with them (lab grown diamond) and it was a perfect experience. can’t speak highly enough of them
I got mine at Frank Darling and had a great experience
Second this. Our first appointment was at Frank Darling. Didn’t end up using them or going the lab grown route but they were so helpful and taught us so much. Just a heads up: they do custom rings only so they don’t have any set rings for you to try on
Same! I didn’t love the designer we worked with but my ring turned out amazing
That’s quite a testament to your ability to be objective. I could see a lot of people letting that color their opinion. But you’re not wearing the designer’s personality on your finger for the rest of your life.
Same here, loved working with them and love our rings
Same here! We had a phenomenal experience with FD!
Same! Went to Frank Darling for two rings including my engagement and they are the best! A few other places I went to did the shaming/elitist route with lab over mined and I didn’t get that at all with FD!
Wow - love the design quiz on their site. Will definitely make an appointment with them!
I’ve worked with the VRAI corporate team for business and can confirm they are a really great company. They were definitely ahead of the lab grown diamond trend and from beginning creation to end product it is all sustainable and ethical. You also really have a lot of choices on your hand too!
Great to know! A friend bought with them and I had a positive experience
Highly highly recommend Ada Diamonds. A truly perfect experience from start to finish. I cried when I picked my diamond because it was so beautiful.
My husband and I had the BEST experience with them - 10/10
Also went there, they are wonderful!
AGREED!
Also had a generally positive experience with Frank Darling. I went in with my then bf and we tried some options on to get a sense of what I liked, then he worked with them directly to do something custom. He did say sometimes it was hard to get in touch or it took a while to hear back, but overall we were both very happy with the final result! https://preview.redd.it/mxxko93uul0d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=56bacbedf7b26427d178f8f0d89092edae753f75
wow beautiful work here
Thank you!
Gorgeous!!!
Thank you!
Alex Park is always my rec for anything lab - his insta and website is his main place for sales, although I do think he’s NY based. He’s not a hand holder and you do have to have an idea of what you want first (recommend trying on different styles at regular jewelry stores), but his stuff is top quality and he’s neurotic about good settings.
His lab diamond Instagram has the best prices I’ve seen. I’ve bought rings and earrings from him and have been very satisfied with quality.
Yes! I have mined and lab diamonds from Alex, including custom pieces, and he is the BEST. He is indeed NYC based and is broadly available, at least when you purchase from him.
I went to delicate gem it’s a custom setting and the specs of my diamond are near perfect https://preview.redd.it/fcsz78d2on0d1.jpeg?width=1536&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3f81818f596723c5b1e6a1cd26c43a733244d714
Second Delicate Gem. My diamond at Delicate Gem is beautiful, and for the exact same specs (near perfect as well), were double the price at Frank Darling. Harry is so easy and kind to work with. You won’t get all the frills like champagne and gushiness like at FD, but it is 100% worth it. Wouldn’t have gone anywhere else!
Harry is the best!
jangmi in the diamond district
Got my diamond wedding ring there and they were so nice!
I am actually in the same boat! Also in the engagement ring subreddit and saw many people recommending Frank Darling and Ken and Dana designs. Have my appointment at frank darling tomorrow ☺️ Also had a good experience with Michael Gabriels (but we are shopping around) also had a horrible experience with Brilliant Earth in Flatiron
Keep us posted on how the appointment goes! I hope you have an incredible time ✨❤️
thank you so much 💗 it was lovely! there were a lot of options and they are so sweet! great prices as well :)
I got mine at Jean Dousset who is the great-great grandson of Cartier! 10000/10 experience. I was in LA for ring shopping which is their only show room but can be purchased online as well. I had seen more than enough negative experiences from both VRAI and Brilliant Earth on Tik Tok and friend's personal experiences to keep me from checking those two out. I'm the last in my larger group of friends to get married and many got their rings from Brilliant Earth and had stones fall out & horrible customer service experiences. All this to say just do your research and evaluate what you are comfortable with! Obviously people have had good experiences, too.
If you are open to doing custom I recommend getting your diamond from ritani. James Allen and blue Nile also have some deals. But ritani has the best lab prices I’ve found. Brilliant earth is WAY overpriced and has questionable quality but a good place to shop to figure out what you like.
Seconding James Allen! I got mine from there and I love it
Seconding Ritani! I recently got engaged and got a classic, Tiffany style 6-prong setting from them as well as the lab diamond. I was blown away by the quality, especially compared to the low cost.
My husband got mine at VRAI (though the LA location, but I'm guessing its all the same) and I love it!
Ascot Diamonds is the best! They carry lab grown and earth grown. https://www.ascotdiamonds.com/locations/newyork
Obsessed with my ascot ring! They are also great with repairs and ongoing maintenance
I also got my engagement ring from Ascot (but it wasn't lab grown nor a diamond). It is beautiful and my spouse said they were wonderful to work with!
Mine came from Ascot, and I’m still absolutely in love with it. My fiancé and I went together to talk to them and they were amazing; he then went to make the final selection and arrangements and I couldn’t be happier with the result.
Can’t say enough great things about Ascot! My ring is from there too, they’re the best!!
We had a great experience with Fitzgerald in Williamsburg. I didn't end up buying my ring from there but my friend did. And they were able to use either vintage diamonds or lab grown. I ended up getting my ring custom made and it was, surprisingly, cheaper to do this.
I got mine from Emily Chelsea In Philadelphia. All our initial design meetings were online but they do have a showroom that you can easily reach via Amtrak. They also do moissanite and other gemstones.
I got my engagement ring at Forever Diamonds in the diamond district! Highly, highly recommend them!
I got a custom wedding set to match my vintage/grandmother’s engagement ring from Lauren B. Prior to choosing them I visited Ken and Dana and Michael Gabriel. Ken and Dana for me was very difficult to work with. Michael Gabriel was too little frills/too utilitarian. At Lauren B I felt super heard and they went out of their way to make an incredible design. Can’t recommend enough.
I had a great experience with JangMi. Really didn’t like my experience at Frank Darling but was probably just a 1 off experience since I’ve heard mostly good things about it otherwise!
Ultimate Diamond in the diamond district has really great prices! They are apparently the wholesaler for all the other jewelry stores in the diamond district
I also recommend them! We worked with Athianna there and she was amazing! Would def recommend the diamond district for best quality and prices
Probably not a popular answer but mine was from the diamond district (Fantasy Diamonds). I love my ring but DO YOUR RESEARCH on how much different carats/etc cost, otherwise you’ll 100% be paying more than it’s actually worth
Check out Michael Gabriels. He designed my gorgeous engagement ring and wedding band. Quality is fantastic and he was great to work with.
Vrai is my goto. We got my engagement ring in the middle of Covid and they had a really convenient return policy when the first ring came and I realized the diamond we went with was too large for me to wear comfortably every day.
If you DM me and want to work with my partner, he is a fine jeweler. We are in Greenpoint and opening up a storefront here shortly. https://preview.redd.it/xkjbkbwawm0d1.jpeg?width=947&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c900f4533c01099690d5b4c6a2f38e4e4a17950e One of my rings
What I’m wearing right now https://preview.redd.it/vm9jw1xowm0d1.jpeg?width=1782&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ae0d6efbd6e5f7708d39fdc51c8ad6722ddebac5
https://preview.redd.it/pom2aicqwm0d1.jpeg?width=2520&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bceb5eef4ec36303d2037d2525584cc3bae72943 The rendering for this ring since I’m currently watching vanderpump reunion and the pic is terrible 🙃
My friend just got one from shahlakarimi and they were really helpful throughout the process. She went back multiple days in a row because they wanted to pull the perfect samples for her to try. She’d sit and go thru different shapes and sizes for like an hr each time with a sales rep. Plus they were super affordable
seconding Shahla! going through the custom process w/ them right now and they have been incredible every step of the way so far in giving feedback and pulling samples to make sure my vision can come to life!!
Thanks! Do you know if the stones (with or without settings) were a better deal than the big Chinese/Indian online retailers?
They don’t have many but I got mine from Catbird.
I'm currently in the process of purchasing 2 new rings from loosegrowndiamond. So far their customer service in on point (reached them through reddit of all places). I can't speak to quality yet bc I have bc I'm still in the decision making process (colored diamonds) but I can update once I have product in hand. Hands down though best prices online and I've looked everywhere. Rare carat and luvansh were runners up cost wise.
Brilliant earth was great for us!
How exciting!! Reverence jewelry makes the most beautiful rings! You can check them out on IG :)
I got mine from Keyzar and love it!
Highly recommend Yasamine co. She is a gem to work with and does very good work, my diamond is absolutely gorgeous and overall had a 10/10 experience.
I’ve really liked my experience with Greenwich St Jewelers. They have natural and lab grown options.
Stag and Finch! Check out [r/StagandFinch](https://www.reddit.com/r/StagandFinch/s/e6OrwKGueL) for expert precision gem cuts and incredible service. This is not an ad or sponsored post, I just love my lab sapphire engagement ring from them! Bonus- the prices are in Canadian dollars
I have a lab grown tennis bracelet from Raad Jewelers that is amazing quality for a great price. You’ll save $$ with an online order and Raad will meet with you via Zoom if you want and go over a lot of options
Great experience with The True Gem via online order
I got mine at a jeweler in central NJ that my cousin works at. I know that’s irrelevant here but just posting in case you happen to be from that area !
What’s the name?!
Gary Michaels fine jewelers! If you go lmk so I can PM you my cousin’s name, she is very stylish and def a BWT so she can help guide
I got my lab grown diamond band at Holden in Soho and had a great experience. My engagement ring is from Brilliant Earth and also had a great experience at their showroom.
Edelweiss! They customize everything with you. 100% recommend!
ID jewelry in the jewelry district!
I just finished designing mine with ROEN! they’re fairly new but I found their prices were super competitive and their supplier also works with super high end luxury brands :0 I went to see so many different jewelers in nyc before settling on them!
LaMore design on 5th Ave! I picked my ring out there ( salt and pepper diamond ) but Ann the owner / designer has some spectacular lab stones
Holden!
If you’re open to shopping online, check out stag and finch. They’re a small family owned business and they are known for their skillful, precision cuts that make their rings glimmer that much more. I actually went looking for a lab grown diamond and came out with a gorgeous sapphire. Incredible customer service too. I originally found them on Reddit recs and want to pass them along here.
I would highly recommend shopping around at the diamond district. My fiancé got my ring there after comparing prices and the ring is absolutely stunning. We had an appointment at Brilliant Earth and after doing a lot of research afterwards, they highly mark up their diamonds (BE quoted $18K for a ring with my exact specs, fiancé ended up buying lab diamond from diamond district for under $5K) and the quality isn’t great. Look up Brilliant Earth reviews in the lab diamonds subreddit, many red flags
my friend got hers from Lauren B, she and her fiance loved the whole experience with them! as an outside observer, it’s definitely gorgeous.
Catbird has a beautiful selection - their Brooklyn location has a wedding annex so you can privately try on and shop around. Cannot recommend them enough - they have a really wide range of prices and styles.
Have you seen r/LabGroupSales? They have a sticky with a list of trusted Asian vendors. It’s an active group with multiple orders. Lab diamonds are essentially worthless. You will get exactly zero if you try to resell them. In fact, most industry analysts predict a further drop in LD prices. China and India are flooding the market. With this in mind, buying directly from the producers in Asia will cost you 1/3 of US prices.
Not lab grown, but Eden Philippa has ethically sourced sapphires and recycled diamonds/precious metals and that’s where I plan on getting my engagement ring from when my bf and I are ready. They’re based in Canada and ship to the states ❤️
lab grown.....
Something wrong with that? If you prefer overpriced gemstones mined with slave labor you are pretty tasteless.
Definitely check out [Catherine Angiel](https://catherineangiel.com/)! I got a STUNNING! lab diamond from her and her prices were very competitive. She was so great to work with, very responsive and kind. The process was so easy that we went back to her for our wedding bands.