So this is a bit of a weird one. Every so often my Wife and I make out way through the various…read moreshops in the downtown jewelry district. As a generality, most of the shops have lots of items and very few items worth looking at. It's the marketing of a little of something for everyone. So this is where it gets weird. This shop does not have many pieces, but what they do have is unique, modern, clean, and priced affordably. The owner -Abe and his father both are super courteous and make zero effort to push a sale. They don't stand there and tell you how nice their stuff looks on your neck or finger but rather point to the mirror with a smile and ask if this is something you like.
Having stopped by once before, they were so passive and nice, we figured why not once more. We ended up getting a very unique, modern, and clean wrap ring that had super yellow diamonds with super bright white diamonds on the end. All things being equal, the stones were not large by any standard, yet the look was something we had not seen before and looked amazing on the finger.
One other item that they have are some laser-cut lab stones that are on a chain. So in my mind, these are not real diamonds, yet, they are. Not to confuse you, they sell both natural and lab and are upfront to tell you what you are buying. So here is the kicker, I would never laser drill a natural diamond and stick a chain through it. That would be a crime. On the other hand, these lab diamonds I really don't feel that level of destruction, so at the end, I see those as an awesomely unique piece that is just super cost-effective and looks amazing. While I did not end up buying the diamond on a chain it was almost difficult not to.
As a side note, if someone was looking for a real diamond and was on a seriously constricted budget, it would not be any less of a service to buy his super clean stones rather than a small clouded, inclusion riddled barely above industrial rock. I think I would much rather tell my girl that my love is clear for her, take the rest of the money, and go on a nice honeymoon. They are not CZ, so there really is no deception to the story. To me this is a hard concept for me to take in, but when the girls are comparing their rings to their friends, they may ask if it's real, but none are going to ask if it's lab. It's a good option for those folks that are just trying to make ends meet and offer up something beautiful. While this is not for everyone, it really is nice to see the option. Also, if you do have a budget to blow, but are looking for some fun items that your girl may only wear a handful of times, this is a super way to provide the look without breaking the bank. So clearly this has its place.
Again, they are upfront with what is real and what is a lab (ask for a loop and you would know yourself). I would highly recommend Abe... And not just because he sold me a super piece, or gave us candy, but he is the type of person you want to do business with.
