What are lab-created stud earrings?
Lab-created stud earrings are simple earrings set with lab-grown diamonds instead of natural diamonds. They range in size, style, and precious metal. These wire basket earrings from James Allen are an example of diamond stud earrings. They make great gifts for partners, spouses, sisters, mothers, and friends.
Best lab-created diamond earrings
The best lab-created earrings are beautiful, timeless and long-lasting. Choosing a gold or platinum precious metal will help ensure it’s longevity. Here we share a variety of styles to help you decide which is best for you.
” I think lab diamonds are here to stay and I think it’s a choice for the consumer to make, and it’s our job to educate them.… A lab diamond doesn’t say I love you any less than a mined diamond says I love you.” Beryl Raff, Former CEO of Helzberg Diamonds as reported in JCK Online.
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Why you should trust us
To help you with the diamond buying process we lean on our expertise and experience. The author of this article, our CEO, Mike Fried has over 20 years of experience in the diamond industry. Mike started from the bottom, sorting and evaluating hundreds of thousands of diamonds to learn every facet (pun intended) of diamond quality and value. Mike followed that up by spending years buying and selling diamonds on the wholesale market as well as selling tens of millions of dollars worth of diamonds to diamond retailers.
Mike Fried has written hundreds of articles and helped answer more than 30,000 emails from our readers. This has given him a unique perspective on what information truly helps our readers in their quest for finding the perfect diamond engagement ring or piece of jewelry.
Mike is recognized as an industry expert and has been quoted in publications such as Us, People, Page Six, The Next Web and more.
To read more about our process for secret shopping and reviewing companies and additional details about how we operate, check out this article.
Here are some curated Lab-grown Diamond Studs from our favorite jewelry retailers:
Where to buy lab-created earrings
Like when buying a diamond ring, it’s important to buy stud earrings from a reputable vendor. Many companies offer lower quality diamonds to provide lower price points. From our experience, you’re much better off choosing a quality lab-created diamond for a slightly higher price. That’s the main reason we recommend James Allen for lab-created stud earrings.
You can also check out other recommended vendors for lab-created diamonds here.
Deal Alert: Save 10% off Lab Grown Diamonds at James Allen!
- Top-quality IGI certified lab-grown diamonds
- High-resolution photos and videos
- Extensive collection of well-crafted earrings
Design the best lab-created diamond earrings with stunning features like this pave halo pair or this set of bezel stud earrings.
8 Step Guide to Design Lab-Created Diamond Earrings
Create a pair of lab-grown earrings by choosing your earring style and precious metal. Then select your pair of lab-grown diamonds. Follow this 8 step guide to design earrings that will last for generations.
1. Choose your earring style
Select the earrings you like best — from wire baskets to bezel designs. The choice is personal and acts as the foundation for your earrings.
Review the various designs to determine which one suits you or your loved one.
2. Select your precious metal
The lab-grown diamond earrings for sale are usually made of yellow gold, rose gold, white gold, or platinum. These precious metals are durable enough for long-term everyday wear.
We recommend 14K gold for the best value. It’s sturdy, beautiful and costs less than platinum or 18K gold. Consider buying the metal color that matches other jewelry or choose one that will stand out.
Select your precious metal from the dropdown.
3. Check out all angles
James Allen provides 360° HD imagery on their jewelry and diamonds. Review your earrings full circle to ensure you love the look. You can always go back and choose a different earring setting.
4. Add your lab-created diamonds
Once you’ve selected your earrings, you’re ready to choose your lab-grown diamonds. You’ll be able to pick out the exact stones you want in your stud earrings.
5. Zero in on your specs
Because the diamonds for your earrings will likely be smaller than the diamond in an engagement ring, it’s important to not overpay. There are some aspects you won’t be able to see at that small level, like certain blemishes. You want to maximize your budget based on what you can actually see.
Shape: Most diamond stud earrings have Round diamonds in them. Depending on the vendor, you may be able to choose a different shape like a Princess Cut or an Oval Cut. Pick the shape that appeals to you the most.
Carat: For diamond stud earrings, people usually choose a carat weight of 0.75 or less. You can choose a higher carat weight if you want.
Cut: The cut quality of a diamond impacts how brilliant it is. We recommend narrowing your search to Excellent and Ideal graded diamonds.
Color: Lab-grown diamonds within the F-J color range appear white and cost far less than D-F graded diamonds.
Clarity: Limit your search to VS2, SI1, and SI2 lab-created diamonds for earrings. These stones will be eye-clean and cost far less than better-graded diamonds.
Adjust the filters as you see fit. The image above is what we recommend for lab-created diamond earrings.
6. Compare lab-grown diamonds
After you’ve filtered for your diamond specs, check out the available diamond pairs. Review them with a 360° photo so you can see all angles. Pay particular attention to how brilliant the diamonds are.
In diamonds less than 0.75 Carat, there isn’t much need to analyze details like symmetry and polish.
7. Select your diamond pair
After reviewing several diamond pairs, it’s time to decide on your diamond set. Ensure your diamonds are IGI certified — the certificate we recommend for lab-grown diamonds.
Once you feel confident, select your diamonds.
8. Do a final check
Before finalizing your order, review your earrings and diamonds. Do your earrings look how you want? Do you wish to change something? Now is the time to make adjustments. Feel free to contact us if you’d like us to review the diamonds before you purchase them.
Lab-created stud earring prices
Lab-created stud earrings range from $1,500-$8,000 or more, depending on the style, Carat weight, Color and Clarity. In general, lab-created stud earrings cost less than natural diamond earrings.
It’s important to note that lab-created diamonds have no resale value, while mined diamonds maintain at least 50% of their original price.
Preset Jewelry
Blue Nile has recently partnered with DeBeers to bring you their Lightbox Lab-Created fashion jewelry line. They have an amazing selection of white, pink and blue jewelry pieces to choose from. And as of November 2022, Blue Nile also offers loose diamonds and other lab-grown diamond jewelry.Check out what Blue Nile has to offer here.
FAQ about lab-grown diamonds
There are unique things to know about lab-created diamonds. Here are some answers to common questions about lab-grown diamonds.
What is a lab-grown diamond?
Lab-grown diamonds are real diamonds, but man-made. They consist of carbon atom structures and display the same chemical and optical characteristics of natural diamond crystal. The diamonds are grown in a lab in a matter of weeks. They can be used as natural diamonds for rings, earrings, necklaces or any other jewelry.
How much is a 1 carat lab diamond?
A 1 carat lab diamond costs anywhere from $1,000-$5,000 or more depending on the Color, Clarity and Cut quality. There are vendors who are priced better than others, but it’s important to look for a high-quality product. In general, lab-grown diamonds are less expensive than natural diamonds, but they also carry no resale value. Natural diamonds maintain at least 50% of their original price (depending on where you bought the diamond).
How big can a lab-grown diamond be?
Lab-grown diamonds are usually created up to 4 carat for jewelry, but the largest lab-created diamond was 155 carat. It was created by Augsburg University.
Can you manufacture diamonds?
Yes, diamonds can be manufactured but it requires specific machinery. There are two processes: Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) and High Pressure-High Temperature (HPHT). Both must be controlled and monitored carefully.
Does De Beers sell synthetic diamonds?
Yes, De Beers sells synthetic diamonds through their subsidiary Element Six Innovation Center. They started creating lab-grown diamonds for industrial purposes only. Now, De Beers offers fashion lab-created diamonds as well. The brand is called Lightbox and their diamonds come in white, pink, and blue.
Here are more lab-grown diamond topics to browse:
- What is a lab-grown / man-made / synthetic diamond?
- What is the price range of lab-grown diamonds?
- What are the differences between lab-grown vs. natural diamonds?
- Where is the best place to buy lab-grown diamonds?
- Does GIA or IGI certify lab-grown diamonds?
- How to use a lab-grown diamond color chart?
- What is the best lab-grown diamond clarity (chart + scale)?
- What is the difference between CVD vs. HPHT lab diamonds?
- Where is the best place to buy lab diamond pendants?
- What are the best lab-grown diamond tennis bracelets?
- What is the price of yellow lab-grown diamonds?
- What is the price of pink lab-grown diamonds?
What we love about them:
- No questions asked returns within 30 days of shipment. James Allen will send you a paid shipping label to return the ring.
- Lifetime Warranty
- Free International Shipping
- Free prong tightening, repolishing, rhodium plating and cleaning every 6 months
- Provide insurance appraisals
- One free resizing within 60 days of purchase
- Free ring inscriptions
- Best-in-class high quality imagery of all diamonds in stock
- 24/7 Customer Service
- Best-in-class packaging
What we love about them:
- No questions asked returns within 30 days of shipment. Blue Nile will send you a paid shipping label to return the ring.
- Lifetime Warranty
- Free Shipping
- Free prong tightening, repolishing, rhodium plating and cleaning every 6 months
- Provide insurance appraisal
- One free resizing within the first year of purchase
- High quality images of about half of their diamonds
- 24/7 Customer Service
- 100% credit towards future upgrades (must be at least double in value)
- Best in class fulfillment
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