Last updated: October 14, 2025
How We Review at LabGrownCarats.com
At LabGrownCarats, our mission is to help our readers find the perfect lab-grown diamond at the best possible price. We aim to educate and guide our readers through helpful guides, educational articles, price analyses, product recommendations, and honest, detailed reviews of lab-grown diamond jewelers.
We are the first and leading publication dedicated to lab-grown diamonds and jewelry. Over the years, we have helped thousands find their perfect lab diamonds. We have developed deep expertise and experience with lab-created diamonds, which allows us to provide trustworthy, expert recommendations and guide you to the best lab-grown jewelers and jewelry.
How We Review
Every review follows a rigorous, transparent methodology led by Rolf Hartmann and our team of experienced diamond experts.
We assess each retailer from the perspective of a real buyer. Our experts spend weeks analyzing, testing, and comparing performance to industry standards and direct competitors. This approach allows us to evaluate not only what a brand claims, but what it actually delivers.
When we review lab-grown diamond jewelers, we focus on the following key areas:
- Pricing and value: We analyze the prices of both loose lab-grown diamonds and ready-to-ship jewelry, comparing them to typical market rates for similar diamonds to see whether the pricing is fair, transparent, and competitive — or if you’re overpaying.
- Dimond inventory: We evaluate how extensive their selection of lab-grown (and mined) diamonds is, looking at the variety of shapes, sizes, and quality grades available.
- Jewelry selection: We examine the variety of jewelry styles, customization options, and quality.
- Quality evaluation: We carefully review grading reports (IGI, GIA), and inspect cut, clarity, color, and craftsmanship under proper lighting and magnification.
- Shopping experience: We place real orders or conduct secret shopping to experience the entire customer journey firsthand. This includes evaluating how easy it is to assess diamonds online through videos and images, site usability, and the checkout process.
- Customer service testing: We contact support multiple times and channels to assess responsiveness and expertise.
- Sustainability & transparency: We review ethical claims, lab disclosures, and environmental initiatives — including diamond creation methods, material recycling, packaging, and shipping practices.
- Shipping and return policies: We scrutinize shipping speed and reliability, return and exchange terms, and warranties.
- Other customers’ experiences: We incorporate real buyer feedback from our own readers as well as trusted platforms such as Reddit and Trustpilot. We also consult external gemologists and industry experts as needed.
Unlike other review sites, we don’t just regurgitate random customer reviews or write boilerplate reviews.
- We independently test all jewelers and products in-depth and perform expert review analyses.
- We always personally test all aspects of the jeweler, carry out test buys (and even personal purchases), and visit physical stores when possible
- We interact with customer service and support, try the return policies, and much more.
That is why you can trust our impartial lab diamond recommendations, guides, and reviews.
Updated Reviews
We regularly revisit our reviews to ensure they remain accurate and relevant. Throughout the year, we conduct mystery shopping to personally test products. This enables us to verify quality, price, customer experience, and overall value. Additionally, we incorporate customer feedback from platforms like Reddit, Trustpilot, and Google Reviews, as well as insights from our readers. This thorough approach helps us maintain reliable recommendations that truly reflect the user experience.
Ranking Criteria
Every retailer is evaluated across the following nine criteria, covering product quality, pricing, service, transparency, and overall customer experience:
| Criterion | What We Evaluate |
|---|---|
| Prices | Competitiveness compared to market averages, clarity and transparency of pricing, promotions, and discounts. |
| Diamond Inventory | Depth and breadth of lab-grown (and mined) stock, availability across shapes, sizes, and grading categories. |
| Jewelry Selection | Selection, quality, and customization options. |
| Quality | Grading integrity, cut quality, craftsmanship. |
| Shopping Experience | Website user experience, filters, product data clarity, imagery and 360° video, mobile usability, and checkout ease. |
| Customer Service | Responsiveness, expertise, service mindset, and how well the retailer handles questions, issues, and post-purchase support. |
| Sustainability | Ethical sourcing disclosures, lab transparency, environmental claims, and sustainability initiatives. |
| Shipping & Returns | Shipping speed and reliability, shipping and return costs, clarity of return/exchange policies, warranties, and coverage. |
| Other Customer Experiences | Verified buyer reviews, brand reputation, post-purchase support, and overall trustworthiness. |
Scoring System
Each criterion is scored on a 1.0 – 5.0 scale, using 0.5-point increments to allow for nuance and fair differentiation.
Every score is supported by a clear, evidence-based explanation that outlines the specific strengths and weaknesses behind the rating.
| Score | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 1.0–1.5 | Poor — major issues or shortcomings. |
| 2.0–2.5 | Below Average — noticeable weaknesses. |
| 3.0–3.5 | Average — meets baseline industry expectations without standing out. |
| 4.0–4.5 | Good — above average with minor limitations. |
| 5.0 | Excellent — outstanding and industry-leading. |
Inside Our Review Process
Our rankings go beyond simple scores. Each rating is backed by in-depth analysis and real-world examples that explain why a retailer earned that score. If a brand receives a 4 star rating, you’ll know exactly where they excelled —and where they fell short.
We also use these evaluations to make meaningful comparisons across retailers. This allows you to see, for example, how one brand’s diamond quality stacks up against another’s pricing transparency or customer experience.
Our goal is simple: to give you clear, trustworthy insights so you can make a confident, informed decision when buying lab-grown diamond jewelry.
Partnerships
We partner with only select lab-grown diamond jewelers who we can recommend objectively and without bias. We receive many requests for paid editorial content and partnerships that we decline. We do this because we believe our readers’ interests come first, and we stand by our mission to help you get the best diamond for the lowest price.
When we partner with recommended jewelers, we may earn a small commission when you make a purchase through links on our site at no additional cost to you. However, you still receive the same low price—and sometimes even lower—when you buy using our exclusive discounts and sales alerts!
We do not accept money or products for editorial content and are not influenced by monetary and commercial considerations and interests. It is in our interest that you get the lab-grown diamond of your dreams. That is why we are today one of the leading and most trusted lab-grown diamond experts and sites in the US.
