Best Place to Buy Lab Grown Diamonds in NZ
Lab grown diamonds are a better alternative to mined diamonds in every way. But finding a retailer that does them well can be difficult. And while many retailers are jumping into the space, lab grown diamonds are not created equal. And neither are the stores that sell them.
This article will list out the best places to buy a lab grown diamond and what you need to watch out for.
#1 Four Words
Four Words exclusively deals in lab grown diamonds. They are also New Zealand owned and operated. Their mode of operation is very different compared to most other jewellery companies.
For example, each piece that they make is bespoke. This means you get exactly what you want. You work with a concierge that walks you through the whole process. You can design something from scratch, modify an existing design or recreate an existing design.
Four Words also exclusively deal with the best diamonds that the eye can see. They handle all of the administration of choosing a diamond. You don’t need to worry about three of the four Cs (colour, cut, clarity), and they are very supportive in helping you to make a decision on carat size. Their diamonds are focused on maximum sparkle.
Four Words was started after Vinny’s frustration at the complexity and confusion touted by traditional retailers, and not being too much in the way of lab grown diamonds in New Zealand — which happen to be 30 - 40% cheaper than their mined alternatives.
Furthermore, lab grown diamonds are ethical and much more sustainable. Four Words also offsets their carbon by a factor of five. This means that they are actually climate positive. You can read more about their efforts on being one of the most sustainable and ethical jewellery stores in New Zealand.
Furthermore, Four Words pays its salespeople much more than a living wage with no commission on sales. This means that they will always have your best interests in mind.
Four Words also has a review score of 5/5. Many of the reviews mention the communication and level of service exceeding expectations. For example,
We had the best experience getting our engagement and wedding rings from Four Words! From the custom design process to receiving the finished products, the communication and service was impeccable. The rings were made on a tight deadline and Vinny and his team went above and beyond for us. We couldn't be any more happier. We are so in love with our rings and would highly recommend Four Words to anyone looking for top quality rings, ethically sourced and at affordable prices.
You can also see the reviews for yourself.
Key Points
-
Primary Ownership & Location?
New Zealand -
Sustainability Focus?
Climate Positive -
Quality?
Cast set (highest quality) working with New Zealand based jewellers and diamond setters -
Design Team Location?
New Zealand
#2 Michael Hill Jewellers
Michael Hill uses Fenix Created lab grown diamonds. Their diamonds are sustainably rated which is a good start when it comes to sustainability.
Michael Hill is a great place to try and see the difference for yourself between a mined and lab grown diamond (there is none).
The diamonds that they use however are subpar and are not independently graded. For example, a 1 carat oval lab grown diamond in 14 karat white gold sells for around $7000 as of September 2022. The diamond colour is J+ and the diamond clarity is SI2.
This is not a diamond that will have a lot of sparkle. In fact, it will look a little bit like a moon rock compared to the diamonds that Four Words uses.
Four Words will only work with the best-looking diamonds to the naked eye. So you never have to worry about getting a poor-quality diamond. They have a standard which means all their diamonds are the Ideal Cut. And also have a minimum clarity of VS2 or higher; and work with colour grades between G to D, so you get a flawless and colourless-looking diamond.
Where Michael Hill excels is its accessibility and speed to buy. If you are in a hurry (less than a week), then Michael is a good option for you to consider. Also, it is a great place to see what lab grown diamonds look like and try some rings on for yourself. Just don’t be fooled by the lights shining on the diamonds!
Key Points
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Primary Ownership & Location?
New Zealand -
Sustainability Focus?
Lab grown diamonds are sustainably-rated. No further information could be found on what this means -
Quality?
Diamond quality could be much better for the price -
Design Team Location?
Unknown
#3 Michael Trio, Taylor & Heart, Blue Nile and James Allen
Michael Trio, Taylor & Heart, Blue Nile and James Allen are wholesale style lab grown diamond suppliers. You are expected to know everything there is to know about choosing a diamond, a setting and the style.
Note that many of these diamonds come from either Malaysia, Canada or the United States. The craftsmanship can often be lacking with big e-commerce brands that deal in thousands of engagement rings.
Many of these stores also hand-make their jewellery. We go into detail about why hand-made jewellery is not a good option, especially for an engagement ring.
You don’t need to look far on Reddit to see some of the problems with craftmanship.
Four Words work with New Zealand jewellers who understand New Zealand taste and they work really closely with our designers to ensure you get exactly what you want.
Also you may get a nasty surprise with these big box stores because of GST. This is not included on the purchase price on their website.
Refunds or resizing from these big box retailers can also be difficult.
Key Points
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Primary Ownership & Location?
International, typically US, Australia or Malaysia -
Sustainability Focus?
Not a focus -
Quality?
Many big box retailers hand make their jewellery. This can lead to inconsistencies -
Design Team Location?
Unknown
#4 Affinity Diamonds
Affinity Diamonds is an Australian company trying to break into the New Zealand market. They have a small presence in Auckland and are based in Sydney.
Affinity diamonds are delivered from Australia. And according to their website, Affinity Diamonds does not offer refunds in New Zealand.
At the time of writing, Affinity Diamonds does not have any Google Reviews.
Key Points
-
Primary Ownership & Location?
Australia -
Sustainability Focus?
Not a focus -
Quality?
Hand-made. This can lead to inconsistencies -
Design Team Location?
Australia
#5 The Diamond Shop
The Diamond Shop also does lab grown diamonds. They also have a bespoke service just like Four Words.
Their jewellery however is all hand-made.
Key Points
-
Primary Ownership & Location?
New Zealand owned and operated -
Sustainability Focus?
Unknown -
Quality?
Hand-made -
Design Team Location?
Unknown
Where to next?
At Four Words, we think it is great that more stores are moving to lab grown diamonds. And if you are like most people that would like to be guided on what might be one of the biggest jewellery purchases of your life, we recommend working with a jeweller you can actually talk to on the phone, or meet in person that is in New Zealand to guide you through the process.
The worst thing is that you buy a diamond from a big box store not knowing what you’re getting yourself into.
Buying from a New Zealand owned and operated store that has a clear and compelling sustainability statement is a big positive.
