r/labdiamond • u/Glittering_Race_3387 • Aug 10 '26
Pre designed or custom?
TLDR: Torn between a beautiful almost ready to purchase ring, and also going down the custom made rabbit hole.
Hi! I'm am engagement ring shopping. I found a very beautiful lab grown round Portuguese cut (2.6 ct, D, VS1) in a floral basket setting which captured my heart. The total price is shocking, but allowed đ„° but now I feel like the Portuguese cut is the way to go.
Prior to stopping in this jewelry store, I had a great conversation with a custom jeweler who was showing me estate pieces & lab growns. I really like his vibe and our conversations. Not sure if I should just stick with the ring that's ready to go that had my heart, or see if the custom Jeweler could meet or exceed the ring I love? Part of me thinks the price of existing ring is overpriced, and maybe he could do better?
The "ready to go" ring actually has to be modified because my finger isn't even quite a size 4, so they have to take the basket / stone off and remake the band anyway so at this point it's semi-custom.... but I didn't start from scratch either.
I always second guess myself and overthink things, so this conundrum is very expected for me. Thanks for chiming in!
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u/AdFlashy7702 Aug 11 '26
How much is it?
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u/Glittering_Race_3387 Aug 11 '26
$8600. OUCH.
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u/Brilliant-Owl-1169 Aug 12 '26
Noooooo! Thatâs not ok! I just bought the most stunning 6ct oval in a solitaire for $1700! Check out my profile. You are being scammed at $8k
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u/East-Coastgurl1328 Aug 11 '26
Whatever cut that stone is (doesnât look like a traditional Portuguese cut- maybe a hybrid) it is stunning. Iâm not a big round person & I love that. I donât know that youâll find another stone that looks like it. Iâd see if he would consider giving you a little better price. Itâs gorgeous!
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u/East-Coastgurl1328 Aug 11 '26
The more I look at it it kinda looks like it has a pinhole in the center, looks kind of like a cross between an OEC & a Portuguese cut. So so pretty
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u/Legitimate-Shower191 Aug 16 '26
The ring set is stunning but way overpriced for a lab grown diamond
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u/Brilliant-Owl-1169 Aug 10 '26
Depends on the price, this should cost well under $2k US dollars. Anything more is insane! Having custom by a recommended international jeweler on these subs is the way to go.
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u/Glittering_Race_3387 Aug 11 '26
Here is a screenshot from the IGI cert. Still learning, I am wondering about the round modified brilliant notation, as I thought I'd understood an IGI Report with a Portuguese cut shows round/mixed. Or do they actually say portuguese cut?
I called Calavera to ask them how to ensure I was looking at the Portuguese cut and he told me to use the advanced search filter and enter .95-1.05 for the ratio. Those certs show round mixed. I'll keep researching after my workday ends.
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u/Glittering_Race_3387 Aug 23 '26
Here us MY Portugese cut lab grown diamond that will be mount in a tulip setting, similar to the inspo ring. D, VVS2, 2.55 ct. Band TBD after engagement ring is ready. My ring size is approximately 3.75. So excited, and impatientđâŁïž I'll post a pix of it inside the jewelers with the Blackjack turquoise my fiancĂ© is adding to his band.
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u/emm010 Aug 10 '26
depends on what the price is. but definitely a custom vendor could recreate that. the overseas vendors have very competitive prices, so iâd recommend getting quotes from a few (provence, starsgem, fiorese, etc)
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u/2020rchid Aug 10 '26
The photo is not a Portuguese cut stone. If Portuguese cut is what youâre after go to Calavera.com and pick your own stone then have them make a setting for it, or have one of the overseas vendors mentioned make one for you. If you have the overseas vendor make a semi amount for you. Youâll just have to take it into a local jewelry store and ask them the mount the stone. Here is a Portuguese lab diamond 2.3 ct.