Best Lab Grown Diamond Engagement Ring Brand: What to Look For, and Why Couples Choose Mapple Gems

A lab grown diamond is a real diamond. It is pure carbon with the same crystal structure as a mined one — Mohs hardness 10, refractive index 2.42, dispersion 0.044 — and it is graded by the same laboratories on the same scales. A standard diamond tester reads it as diamond, because it is one. The difference is origin and price: lab grown diamonds cost a fraction of mined stones of the same size and grade.

That is exactly why the brand matters so much. When the stone itself is a commodity that any seller can buy, what separates a good lab grown diamond ring from a disappointing one is the paperwork, the choice of grade, and the ring built around the stone. So rather than tell you we are the best, here is the standard we think the best lab grown diamond brand should meet, and what Mapple Gems does against each point. Weighing up moissanite instead? We have written the same guide for the best moissanite engagement ring brand.

The standard, and how Mapple Gems meets it

1. An IGI report for every centre stone

Lab grown diamonds can be graded by independent laboratories, so there is no reason to buy a significant centre stone without a report. Every Mapple Gems lab grown centre stone comes with an IGI report, at no extra cost. IGI grades most of the world's lab grown production and still issues the full colour and clarity scales — D to Z and FL to I3. That matters because since 1 October 2025 GIA no longer gives lab grown diamonds individual colour and clarity grades; it issues a broader "Premium" or "Standard" assessment instead. Our article on the 2025 GIA grading change explains the difference.

One line on the report deserves more attention than it gets: the laser inscription on the girdle. It is the only thing that ties a report to a particular stone. Ask us for a photo of it, or check it yourself with a 10× loupe when your ring arrives. Our guide to reading a grading report line by line covers the rest.

2. Made in Surat, in our own workshop

Surat cuts and polishes the large majority of the world's diamonds, mined and lab grown alike. Being here means our centre stones come from the same city that cuts them, and the ring is built in our own workshop rather than bought in from a factory and relisted. The person you message is connected to the bench that casts, sets and polishes your ring — which is why we can answer questions about gram weight, shank thickness and stone measurements that a reseller cannot.

3. A colour grade matched to your metal

For the full table by metal, see matching the colour grade to the metal.

4. Solid gold, and a shank that lasts

Lab grown diamond prices fell sharply between 2020 and 2024 and have settled near production cost, while gold did not fall. On many rings today, the metal and the bench work cost more than the stone. That flips the old advice: the stone is now the replaceable part, and the shank is where saving money actually costs you.

Every Mapple Gems engagement ring is offered in solid 10K, 14K or 18K gold, or solid 925 sterling silver. For a ring worn every day we recommend 14K and a shank at least 1.8mm thick at the base. Ask for the finished gram weight — it is the most honest number for comparing one ring with another.

5. A design you can actually change

Because every ring is made to order, the specification stays open until casting. Thicker shank, lower profile, six prongs, a hidden halo, a different metal — tell us what you want changed and we will share a CAD render for approval before anything is made. Decide profile height and shank thickness at this stage, because they cannot be changed later. Our guide to reading a CAD render shows what to check.

6. Smart carat choices, sized in millimetres

Diamond prices step up at round carat weights, but size rises smoothly. A 0.90ct round measures about 6.2mm against 6.5mm for a 1.00ct — a difference few people can see on a hand — yet the price gap can be large. The same applies just under 0.50, 0.70 and 1.50 carats. We show the millimetre figure on every option so you can buy the size you will see rather than the number on paper. Our lab grown diamond size chart lists mm by carat and shape.

One more thing worth knowing: only round brilliants receive a cut grade. Ovals, pears, emeralds and other fancy shapes get none, so on those shapes a rotating video in ordinary light is the only way to judge cut quality and spot a bow-tie. Ask us for one.

How to order a Mapple Gems lab grown diamond engagement ring

1. Choose a design from our lab grown diamond ring collection — solitaires, hidden halos, three-stone rings and bridal sets in every major shape.
2. Pick the metal first, then the colour grade that suits it.
3. Choose the size by millimetres, and consider just-under-round weights.
4. Measure the ring size carefully — ideally the inner diameter of a ring she already wears, in mm.
5. Approve the CAD, then ask for the IGI report, inscription photo, gram weight and a video before it ships. Free engraving can be added too.

Each ring takes about a week at the bench, then ships by tracked courier — free standard shipping worldwide (around 10–12 days in transit) or paid expedited shipping (around 6–8 days). Allow roughly two and a half to three weeks door to door on standard, and more in December.

Frequently asked questions