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Common Questions

Lab Grown Diamonds Questions

Find answers to your most common questions about lab grown diamonds.

Yes, lab grown diamonds are 100% real diamonds. They have the exact same chemical composition (pure carbon), crystal structure, and physical properties as mined diamonds. The only difference is their origin—one is created in a lab, the other formed naturally underground.

Lab grown diamonds are created using two advanced methods: High Pressure-High Temperature (HPHT) and Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD). Both processes replicate the natural conditions that form diamonds deep within the Earth, growing a diamond from a tiny carbon seed in a matter of weeks.

No, jewelers cannot tell the difference with the naked eye or standard gemological tools. Lab grown and mined diamonds are visually and chemically identical. Only specialized equipment can detect minor trace elements that identify a diamond's origin, which is why certification is important.

Lab grown diamonds typically cost 40-60% less than comparable mined diamonds of the same size, cut, color, and clarity. This means you can either save significantly or invest in a larger, higher-quality diamond for the same budget.

Yes, all our lab grown diamonds 0.25 carats and larger come with independent certification from reputable gemological laboratories like IGI (International Gemological Institute) or GIA (Gemological Institute of America). Each diamond is graded for the 4Cs—cut, color, clarity, and carat weight—and includes a laser inscription on the girdle with its certification number.

No, lab grown diamonds are just as durable as mined diamonds. With a hardness rating of 10 on the Mohs scale, they're the hardest natural material on Earth. Your lab grown diamond will maintain its brilliance and sparkle for a lifetime with proper care.

Yes, lab grown diamonds have a significantly smaller environmental footprint than mined diamonds. They require less land disruption, use less water, and produce fewer carbon emissions. Choosing a lab grown diamond is an eco-conscious decision that doesn't compromise on quality or beauty.

Lab grown diamonds are real diamonds, while moissanite and cubic zirconia are diamond simulants—different materials designed to look like diamonds. Simulants have different chemical compositions, hardness levels, and optical properties. Lab grown diamonds have the same durability, brilliance, and value as mined diamonds, while simulants do not.

Absolutely. Lab grown diamonds can be insured just like mined diamonds. Your certification documents provide all the information needed for insurance coverage. Many insurance companies offer the same policies for lab grown diamonds as they do for mined diamonds.

Like all diamonds, lab grown diamonds retain intrinsic value based on their quality (the 4Cs). While the diamond resale market fluctuates for both lab grown and mined diamonds, lab grown diamonds offer exceptional value at purchase—allowing you to invest in a higher-quality stone from the start. The emotional and symbolic value of your diamond remains priceless.

Ring Sizing Questions

Find answers to your most common questions about ring sizing.

25karats offers ring sizes from size 4 to 15 with full, half, and quarter sizes to ensure you find the perfect fit. You can also request a design smaller than size 4 or bigger than size 15 by contacting us via email or phone at 800-201-3404.

Don’t worry! Just contact us with your order number for the complimentary resizing process withing 60 days of your purchase. The resizing process takes 3-5 business days.

The average ring size for women is between size 5 and 7.

The average ring size for men is between size 8 and 10.

To resize your ring to the perfect fit, our jewelers employ various techniques depending on the ring's design. They may add or remove a small strip of metal from the back of the band and solder it back together seamlessly. They may use a ring reducer, which involves placing the ring in a specialized tool and gently pressing a lever to compress the metal and make the ring smaller, or they may use a mandrel method, which involves moving the ring further down the mandrel and gently tapping it with a rawhide mallet.

Custom Design Questions

Find answers to your most common questions about custom design.

Our standard production time ranges between 12 to 15 days, although this will largely depend on the complexity of the piece in question. This is why we ask our clients for an ideal deadline, which is how we develop our timetables. We stress that our clients anticipate our production dates when creating an ideal turnaround time.

What if I don't know the ring size? That’s not a problem. We can send you a ring sizer to try on before we start the job.

No, but we do need to make some clarifications. If your piece of jewelry is unique to you and has a very distinctive design, then we will not copy the elements that have made it your own. While we retain copyright ownership on all works we create, as a courtesy we don't exactly copy custom designs that we’ve made for a customer. If you are only making a version of one of our regular designs, then yes, we can still make it. If your design is generic - that is, not specific - we cannot allow that design to be removed from our repertoire.

For legal reasons, we do not copy other designer's work. But if you would like to have a design created in a similar motif or feeling as the designer piece, we can certainly create a new piece that meets your expectations. This is considered to be designer-inspired jewelry, which is one of our specialties.

No. We retain copyright ownership on everything we make.

We are more than happy to set your heirloom diamonds or gemstones in your custom design piece. However, it’s important to note that we are not responsible if the stone breaks during setting. To help prevent this, we subject stones to inspection for chips, nicks, and broken parts. This helps ensure that your stone is ready for the setting process. If you’re ready to take those old pieces in the bottom of your jewelry box and turn them into something new and exciting, we can do exactly that.

Custom designed jewelry can cost much less than you might expect. Our custom designs tend to be priced equivalent or cheaper than comparable mass-manufactured designs. Upon placing your order for your one-of-a-kind jewelry, a $250 deposit will be charged. This fee is not an extra cost, as it is already included in the quote we provide you.

Yes. To create a band that exactly matches your engagement ring, we must have access to the engagement ring. If you’d like, you can have your local jeweler take out the center stone before submitting your engagement ring to us.

We work with a wide variety of precious metals, including 14k white, yellow and rose gold, 18k white, yellow and rose gold, and platinum.

New models, custom designs and special orders are non-returnable. To meet your expectations, we start manufacturing your ring upon your CAD rendering image approval. We also send you the wax of your design before we cast it.

Wedding Bands Questions

Find answers to your most common questions about wedding bands.

Comfort fit is a slight rounded edge inside your wedding band. You can find more information about comfort fit in our glossary. Almost all of our wedding bands have comfort fit. Comfort fit doesn’t affect the ring size you need to choose. You don’t need to go up with ring size because the wedding band is comfort fitted.

Yes! We do free engraving for all wedding bands. You can add your engraving text to your order on the item page, and also choose the font style you want. We also have special fonts like Hebrew and Russian, and special character heart symbol. For heart symbol, please contact us after placing the order. Some styles, such as diamond wedding bands with all around stones, cannot be engraved.

We have a variety of finish options for our wedding bands. Please check our finish samples. Each ring style has certain finish options that would go well with the style. If you can’t see the finish choice you want as an option for a specific band, please contact our customer service.

If your wedding band doesn’t fit, you can send it back to us for free resizing up to one size difference first time in 30 days, or you can get an exchange if the size difference is bigger. If you don’t know your finger size, we can mail you a plastic sizer for free in US. If you are in a hurry, we recommend visiting a local jewelry store to find out your finger size. We also have a finger size chart paper, however please be advised that paper charts are not as accurate as a plastic or metal sizer. Another factor you should take into consideration is that if you get your finger sized with a narrow plastic or metal sizer, and if you’d like to purchase a wide band (7mm or up), you should go quarter or half size larger, so the band can pass through your knuckle easily.

We have a ring size conversion chart that shows not only the conversions but also dimensions of all ring sizes.

This is more common a case than you think. If you love gold and only want to wear gold jewelry, we recommend only 18K gold, which has less nickel content. However the best solution is to avoid gold and go for allergy-free metals: platinum and palladium. Both of these are 95% pure precious metal, and they don’t give you any allergic reaction. Another advantage of platinum and palladium is that they don’t require periodical re-rhodiuming like white gold does, as these are naturally white metals.

Possibly. Please bear in mind that unless otherwise specified, all engravings are done inside the ring. However you can request an outside engraving depending on the ring style. If the ring is plain, or has just a little decoration outside, we may be able to engrave the outside of the band. Please contact our customer service.

All wedding bands manufactured by 25karats.com are solid precious band. We do not carry hollow products. Approximate gram weights are listed for each item on the item page to give you an idea about the weight of the final ring too.

Yes. We can do any customization to our band stones. Depending on the size and shape of the stone, you can request black diamonds or your favorite gem stone be set on the ring instead of white diamonds. For a price quote, please contact our customer service.

Yes! Almost all rings that are available in platinum or palladium, can be finished as two-tone combined with yellow gold. For a price quote for the custom ring, please contact our customer service.

Yes. On the wedding band set item page, there is a tab that reads "single ring" right under the product description. If you click that, you will see the link for single ring page. Alternatively, you can search for the same product number without the "HH-" at the beginning.
If there is no single item shown on the page, please contact customer service. We will help you place your order.

Wedding bands come in various widths, ring sizes, and thicknesses. Each precious metal, such as 14K gold, 18K gold, and platinum, has its own unique density. For instance, platinum is heavier than gold for the same ring size. These factors can cause slight variations in the final weight.

The gram weights provided on our website are estimates and may vary by +/- 1 to 3 grams due to the custom nature of each ring.

Our commitment to precision and transparency sets us apart. As a factory-direct supplier, we offer weight estimates that our competitors simply can’t match.

Privacy Questions Questions

Find answers to your most common questions about privacy questions.

You may rest assure that all information provided to 25Karats.com when making a purchase remains confidential. It will never be sold to another company. When making a purchase at 25Karats.com you will provide the following information:
1) Name
2) Email Address
3) Billing and shipping address
4) Type of credit card used to make your payment
5) Credit card number and expiration date

All personal information we acquire will be treated as confidential. We will not release any information to non related third parties. 25Karats.com does not sell your personal information such as name or email address.

Diamond/Jewelry Questions Questions

Find answers to your most common questions about diamond/jewelry questions.

Simply put, a karat is the unit of measurement used to indicate the purity of gold. This is because gold is in fact a mixture of gold and other metals. Pure gold is 24-karat (24K), 18-karat gold is 75% pure, and so on. Carat is a term used to measure the weight of a diamond, e.g. 1-carat, 2-carat, and so on. One carat is equal to 0.2 grams. Please refer to our Education tab for more detailed information.

Diamonds are graded and priced according to what is universally referred to as the '4Cs'. The 4C's include Cut, Color, Clarity and Carat weight. Each is a description of the various characteristics of a diamond. For example, Cut refers to the shape of the diamond, which affects its fire and brilliance. Color refers to the amount of color in the diamond (the less color a diamond has, the more valuable it is, all other factors being equal). Clarity describes the number of natural blemishes and inclusions a diamond has, and Carat Weight is simply a measurement of the diamond's weight (not its size). Please refer to our Education tab for more diamond details.

Simply put, 18 Karat gold is more pure, meaning it contains a higher percentage of gold. Pure gold is 24-Karat (24K), 18-Karat gold is 75% pure, and so on. Please refer to our Education section for more details regarding gold.

Jewelry that has a number and a 'K', this denotes its Karat amount, or the purity of the gold in the piece. Gold is actually a mixture of gold and other metals. Pure gold, 100%, is 24-karat (24K) , 18-karat gold is 75% pure, and so on. Please refer to our Education tab for more details regarding jewelry terms.

There are many factors that can affect the value of gold jewelry. Since gold is sold by weight, heavier pieces can be more costly than lighter ones.

General guidelines for caring for and cleaning your diamonds include the following: Avoid wearing your diamonds while doing housework, yard work or any other kind of rough work. Also, when doing household chores, never allow your jewelry to come into contact with chlorine bleach. Even though a diamond is extremely durable, a hard blow could chip it. General preventative measures will ensure your diamond remains true to it's glory. To clean your diamonds you may choose to do the following:
1) In a bowl of warm, sudsy water with a bit of any mild liquid detergent. Brush the pieces with a soft brush, then transfer them to a wire or tea strainer and rinse with warm water. Pat dry with a soft lint-free cloth.
2) Many choose to use an Ultrasonic jewelry cleaner as they work quite well also.

The following guidelines will help ensure the beauty of your jewelry remains looking new:
1) Avoid contact with bleach, soap, perfume, cosmetics, hairsprays, etc.
2) Take your jewelry off at night and store it in a jewelry box with compartments that keep pieces from rubbing against each other. 3) Clean your gold jewelry in a bowl of warm, sudsy water with a bit of any mild liquid detergent. Brush the jewelry with a soft brush until you have created a lather around it. With the jewelry on a plastic or metal strainer, rinse off with warm water. Do not clean your jewelry over the sink to prevent it from falling down the drain. Pat your jewelry dry with a soft, lint-free cloth.

25Karats.com is dedicated to supporting the Kimberley Process and to ensuring that none of the diamonds we buy are conflict diamonds. We believe that financing violence is unacceptable to our business and we take this issue very seriously. We take extreme pride in our ability to purchase stones directly from cutters allows us to be extremely cautious and selective with our sources. We only buy from sources that adhere to the same uncompromising philosophy. Our diligence in doing business only with vendors who comply with the KPCS is our assurance, and promise to you as our customer, that we do not conduct business with, nor do we sell any product comprised of conflict diamonds.

Certified diamonds have had their quality examined and confirmed by a major laboratory. You will receive the certificate from a reputable laboratory and have the confidence of knowing that the quality of the diamond is accurate to its representation. Uncertified diamonds have not been graded by a major lab, and therefore, do not offer the security and accuracy that its counterpart does. Certified diamonds are also significantly more valuable than comparable uncertified diamond.

"Eye-Clean" is a term used to describe a diamond that is clean to an unaided eye in a face-up position from a distance of 8 to 10 inches. Diamonds of VS2 or higher in quality will always be eye-clean. Diamonds of Si1, Si2 and I1 need to be visually inspected to determine whether any inclusions are visible from the top. We can inspect any diamond at no charge.

We ship every loose diamond and diamond engagement ring with an independent GIA report. This report can be examined by a qualified gemologist and compared against the unique characteristics of your diamond.

No. 25Karats only sells diamonds that are 100% natural and untreated.
The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) will not issue grading reports on diamonds that have been treated or enhanced, so purchasing our diamonds - which are all GIA certified -- is another guarantee that your diamond is natural.

Physically, there is no difference between certified and uncertified diamonds. The certification doesn't add anything to diamond itself. What a certification does is, it gives legal assurance to diamond's physical appearance.
The certified diamond comes with grading report from the independent labs like GIA and EGL USA. Grading report puts the diamond information into a very important paper and with this report you are not only getting beauty but also proof of qualities.
Uncertified diamonds are not necessarily bad quality diamonds, but they are open to an argument for their 4Cs because they are not backed by a grading report. Their qualities are based on the word of the seller.
We, 25karats.com, would like you to by your center stone with peace of mind. Therefore the center stones we carry come with a grading report by an independent, reputable gem lab (GIA, EGL USA...).

Palladium is new in jewelry making compared to gold, but historically it is not so new. Palladium was discovered in 1803 and jewelers started using palladium in 1939. This shows clearly that this metal has been in jewelry making for awhile, and 25karats.com has long time experience with palladium. Palladium used in our jewelry is mined in North America, so that makes it an American metal.

It is no secret, platinum is more expensive than gold products. Even at times when per ounce price of platinum is very close to gold in the metal market, platinum rings are more expensive even for the same model rings. There are three major elements that play a role in that price difference.
The first one is, platinum is sold as a pure metal, a.k.a 950 platinum, which is 95% pure precious metal. Gold on the other hand is sold as an alloy: a combination metal of certain percentage gold and other metals.
Second, platinum is almost twice as heavy as 14k gold. That also has a huge effect in pricing.
The third is the labor. Casting and working with platinum on the jeweler's bench is more costly than other precious metals, and this also affects the pricing for the platinum.

The best answer to this question is to talk to a specialist. It is very difficult to pick a matching band for your engagement ring just by looking at the pictures. Talking to a customer service representative will make the process a lot easier for you. They might offer you a band that already exist after seeing your engagement ring's picture or inform you about how to make a new one from scratch.

Enhancer ring name itself is pretty much self explanatory. It enhances the look of an existing engagement ring. Enhancer rings are mostly used for solitaires. Instead of setting diamonds on a plain solitaire shank, solitaire ring is updated with matching enhancer ring. There are different styles available: jackets (engagement ring inserted in), guard rings (side diamonds are extended and wraps over the solitaire's shank), wrap matching bands, etc.

There are all different types of setting. Their popularity changes with fashion, model and the most importantly personal choice. Here are some the most common setting types we all used to seeing on jewelry web sides or in jewelry retail stores. They are pave set, shared prong set, double prong set, channel set, burnish set, basket setting and bead set.

Mill grain is design element that applied to jewelry such as engagement rings, wedding bands or pendants. Jeweler applies an engraving tool (mill grain wheel) on the edges to give it a look similar to a coin edge.

Yes, please contact us with the style of the engagement ring(s) desired. We can cast and build most of our engagement styles in two tone gold.

Alloy is all the metals that are combined with the precious metal to make it harder, hence easier to work with during production. Our gold alloy contains nickel, silver, copper, and traces of other metals. Our palladium alloy contains ruthenium, and our platinum alloy contains iridium. Please note that pure gold percentage depends on gold karat. All platinum and palladium jewelry we manufacture are rated 950, or 95% pure precious metal.

Most of our engagement rings are sold without the center stone. Center stone can be purchased separately, and we finish the ring with center stone for you if you do. However you can buy only the ring itself without the center stone. In that case, we finish the ring for your center stone measurements.
Any side stones on the settings come with the ring, and we do not sell our settings without side diamonds.

Buying Online Questions

Find answers to your most common questions about buying online.

First, place the product(s) you wish to order in your shopping cart by clicking on the "add to cart" located below the product image, as well as selecting the size of the item you wish to receive. Then, when you have finished making your selections and are ready to complete your order, click on the "checkout" icon. Continue following the easy instructions on completing your order, and select your payment option. Contact our Customer Service by clicking the "live support online" icon or by calling 1-800-201-3404 and we will be happy to assist you with any questions.

Please, first contact our Customer Support Team before resubmitting.

If you believe you may have placed a duplicate order please contact our Customer Service Support Team. We will be happy to assist you.

To cancel an order, please have your order number in hand and contact the Customer Service Support Team as soon as possible.
We cannot change or cancel an order once it has entered the shipping process. If you order cannot be canceled, and you are unhappy with it, simply return it to 25karats.com according to our return policy.

At 25karats.com we always offer our customers the best value and the lowest possible price. All our prices are final. However, if you create an account with us and sign up for our newsletter you may receive our seasonal promotions.

Yes. 25Karats.com will ship all over the world at a fixed rate. For full details please refer to our shipping policy page.

25Karats.com offers a 60-day money back guarantee on all jewelry purchases. Refunds do not include shipping charges or re-stocking fees, if applicable. For more detailed information, please refer to our detailed Refund Policy.

Please refer to our return policy.

It takes an average of 5 to 7 business days for us to handcraft, inspect and issue an appraisal for your jewelery. An additional day or two is needed for the delivery. If you would like to expedite your order please call or email our customer service.

You will receive several emails from us after you place an order with us. We will keep you up to date with your order processing, manufacturing and the shipping. You'll be promptly notified if there are any problems or delays.

25karats.com offers you the option to have your order shipped by FedEx Saturday Delivery® Shipping for a fee of $15.00 extra. Shipments arrive next day. All orders are shipped pending credit approval. Please note that orders with Saturday delivery will only be shipped and delivered for Saturday arrival. Offered where Saturday delivery is available.

Yes. Simply indicate the two addresses during the ordering process. For your protection, be certain to contact your credit card issuer to inform them you'll be using a shipping address other than your billing address.

To check the status of you order, simply click on "My Account" at the top of any 25Karats.com page. On this page, go to "My Order History", or type in your order# and email at "Check Order Status" box. Alternatively, you can always contact our Customer Service Representatives who will be pleased to help you. Please have your order number ready, or refer to you order confirmation email.

To track your most recent orders simply click on "My Account" at the top of any 25Karats.com page and go to "My Order History". This is the easiest and fastest way to get the most current information regarding your 25Karats.com order(s).

25karats does not operate retail locations. This allows us to cut overhead costs and focus exclusively on quality and service - providing you with a high quality product at a much better value than your local jewelry store. By the same token, we understand how important it is for our customers to see and feel jewelry - especially a piece of jewelry as personal as an engagement ring. That's why we offer free shipping on all our items, a 30-day money back guarantee, and free ring resizing We welcome visitors to our New York office. Office visits are by appointment only. Please contact our Customer Service center at 1800 201 3404

Our corporate office is located in the heart of the New York diamond district
25karats LLC.
Diamond District
31 West 47th Street
Suite 607
New York, NY 10036

The security code is a 3 or 4 digit number that appears on your credit card. Visa and MasterCard users will find this code above the signature on the back of the card. Discover and American Express users will find this number on the top right of the front of the card.

25Karats only collects sales tax on orders that are shipped to New York State

Yes.

Yes. Bank wire customers receive a 1.5% discount off their entire order.

Yes. We currently have G.I.A Graduate Gemologists on staff.

Jewelry Buying Guide Questions

Find answers to your most common questions about jewelry buying guide.

We ship our diamonds by carriers like FedEx. As a result, the incidence of loss is generally no greater than with any other item you might ship. Additionally, all shipments are sent fully insured.

Loose diamonds must also be accompanied by the original laboratory grading report or a $150 charge will be assessed to replace the certificate. Please refer to the Return Policy for further details.

If your 25karats.com ring does not fit, we will resize it free of charge up to one size difference. Resizing will take approximately 2-5 business days, excluding the shipping time. 25karats does not provide shipping cost for resizing a ring.

If your delivery is over $1250 we require a signature for delivery regardless of any waivers you have from FedEx. If your delivery is under $1250 and shipped FedEx 2Day or FedEx Priority Overnight, FedEx may require a signature. These requirements are for your protection. If you would like to arrange delivery to a FedEx location call one of our customer service agents at 1-800-201-3404. Since jewelry is often given for engagement or another special occasion, we will be extremely flexible to help you create a wonderful surprise. We can expedite your delivery for a fast-approaching special occasion, or we can ship your order to an address other than your home to help you maintain your surprise. And please don't hesitate to contact one of our customer service representatives for any special requests.

We fully insure each order until it reaches its destination. That means that when your order is in transit to you, shipment is always risk-free. For added security, it is our policy that a signature is required for all 25Karats.com orders, regardless of any signature waivers you may have with FedEx.

Can't Find What You're Looking For?

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Contact Us Call 1-800-201-3404