Being a sustainable consumer is hard work! There's a lot of research, time, and money that goes into it, as most ethical or sustainable products cost more. However, when it comes to ethical and sustainable jewelry, you can confidently purchase a jewelry piece for LESS money, while knowing that no one was exploited. No cartel pricing Many mined gemstones have cartel pricing set forth by big conglomerates or countries, which is partly why they can be so expensive. Certain gemstones, like rubies, which mainly come from Myanmar, are blacklisted, and thus pass between many different middlemen who each mark up the price. Though lab gemstones are timely and expensive to produce, there are little to no middlemen involved, which is why you can get a higher cut/clarity for a cheaper price than its mined counterpart (which is physically and chemically the same fyi :)). Look into pre-owned gemstone jewelry If you're searching for more expensive jewelry (diamonds, precious gemstones, and/or precious metals like solid gold), it may be worthwhile to look into pre-owned jewelry. Lab and mined gemstones both don't have great resale value, which is why we don't recommend anyone to buy them as an investment, but that can mean that you can get a great deal on a pre-owned piece of jewelry.  This option also ensures that no new gemstones are being mined! As a caution, we recommend that you make sure you're buying from a reputable buyer, so that you know what you're getting is genuine and are aware if there are defects, such as tarnished metal or a yellowing diamond. Buy online Many newer stores selling lab made jewelry are now 100% online, just like us. This is partly because consumers are more comfortable buying online, especially at lower price points. This can be a great deal for you because online stores generally don't have as many expenses, so their prices can (and should!) be lower.  Of course, many people may prefer to only buy from a physical store, and that's totally fine, but we think you should keep in mind that many times it will be more expensive because the rent ain't cheap! Another benefit of online stores is that you can do your research and make sure the company you decide to buy from is ethical, as opposed to just relying on what the salesman tells you. If you do buy online, please make sure that the company offers returns and exchanges, as you may not be sure about your ring size.  We hope these tips help you save some money! Please reach out with any comments, questions, or concerns you may have.
Being a sustainable consumer is hard work! There's a lot of research, time, and money that goes into it, as most ethical or sustainable products cost more. However, when it comes to ethical and sustainable jewelry, you can confidently purchase a jewelry piece for LESS money, while knowing that no one was exploited. No cartel pricing Many mined gemstones have cartel pricing set forth by big conglomerates or countries, which is partly why they can be so expensive. Certain gemstones, like rubies, which mainly come from Myanmar, are blacklisted, and thus pass between many different middlemen who each mark up the price. Though lab gemstones are timely and expensive to produce, there are little to no middlemen involved, which is why you can get a higher cut/clarity for a cheaper price than its mined counterpart (which is physically and chemically the same fyi :)). Look into pre-owned gemstone jewelry If you're searching for more expensive jewelry (diamonds, precious gemstones, and/or precious metals like solid gold), it may be worthwhile to look into pre-owned jewelry. Lab and mined gemstones both don't have great resale value, which is why we don't recommend anyone to buy them as an investment, but that can mean that you can get a great deal on a pre-owned piece of jewelry.  This option also ensures that no new gemstones are being mined! As a caution, we recommend that you make sure you're buying from a reputable buyer, so that you know what you're getting is genuine and are aware if there are defects, such as tarnished metal or a yellowing diamond. Buy online Many newer stores selling lab made jewelry are now 100% online, just like us. This is partly because consumers are more comfortable buying online, especially at lower price points. This can be a great deal for you because online stores generally don't have as many expenses, so their prices can (and should!) be lower.  Of course, many people may prefer to only buy from a physical store, and that's totally fine, but we think you should keep in mind that many times it will be more expensive because the rent ain't cheap! Another benefit of online stores is that you can do your research and make sure the company you decide to buy from is ethical, as opposed to just relying on what the salesman tells you. If you do buy online, please make sure that the company offers returns and exchanges, as you may not be sure about your ring size.  We hope these tips help you save some money! Please reach out with any comments, questions, or concerns you may have.