Lab Diamond Engagement Rings: E Color, VS1, 1 to 8 Carats

These lab rings are listed with photos today. Each is one of a kind.

All four are graded E color, VS1 clarity in our records.

Our house inventory of lab rings, all E color and VS1, spreads across eight shapes. Ranges below come from that inventory and change as pieces sell.

Every house ring is graded E color, VS1 clarity. In plain words: E is the second-whitest grade on GIA's D-to-Z color scale, so the diamond looks icy white even next to white paper. VS1 means the diamond has small inclusions that a trained grader finds with effort under 10x magnification; with the naked eye it looks clean.

For a lab diamond this grade is the smart spot: lab stones at D or VVS cost more and look the same on the hand.

Real numbers from our case: Round Lab Diamond Ring 4.62 ct, 14K Yellow Gold ($2,800) versus Round Natural Diamond Ring 4.25 ct, 14K Yellow Gold ($6,000). The lab ring carries more total weight for less than half the price. For many couples that gap pays for the honeymoon. Read more in our lab-grown diamond guide.

Most of our lab rings are 14K gold, which is harder than 18K and holds prongs well. Many have side stones or a halo, so the title shows total weight. Example from house inventory: a pear ring with a 1.02 ct center and 3.85 ct total. Always ask for the center weight when you compare rings, because the center is what people see first.

Lab diamonds grow by one of two methods. CVD (chemical vapor deposition) builds carbon atom by atom on a thin diamond seed inside a vacuum chamber. HPHT (high pressure, high temperature) copies the heat and pressure deep in the earth. Both produce real diamond crystal. Afterward the stone is cut and polished exactly like a mined diamond and graded on the same scales for color, clarity and cut. Grading labs such as IGI mark the report as laboratory-grown, and many inscribe that on the stone's edge with a laser, so the origin can always be checked.

• What is the center weight, not only the total?
• What are the color and clarity grades, and is there a lab report for this stone?
• What metal and karat is the band?
• How many prongs hold the center?
• Is the ring in the showroom today, or should I call first?

Good answers to those five questions tell you more than any photo.

All sales are final, and resizing is not part of our published policies, so confirm the ring size first. Each ring lists its grades; ask about the paperwork for the exact ring before you buy. IGI grades most lab diamonds in the market. To try rings on, visit 7900 NW 27th Ave, Unit 506, Miami, after a call to 954-504-5640. The lab diamond engagement ring guide walks the whole decision; all rings shows the rest of the case.