Because of the intense emotions involved or the high prices, purchasing a diamond is a huge deal for most people. For those looking to make a gift from a diamond, it is important to know where to find real diamonds.
Here are some places we’ve checked.
Here’s Where They Sell Real Diamonds:
JCPenney, Walmart, Kay Jewelers, Khol’s, Pandora, Macy’s, Sears, Brilliant Earth, Zales, Sam’s Club, Overstock, Pagoda, JBW, JTV, eBay, Amazon, and Etsy all sell real diamonds. Jeulia offers only simulated diamonds. JBW offers only natural diamonds.
1. Are Diamonds from JCPenney Real?
JCPenney provides diamonds for sale at all its brick-and-mortar stores and online.
Most of the diamonds sold by the company are cluster-set. These are real diamonds, but being cluster-set means that smaller diamonds fit together to make what appears to be a larger stone.
Cluster-set diamonds are much cheaper, which explains why JCPenney can offer ring sets at such affordable prices. Despite the lower prices, however, there might be problems with warranties and problems with good resale potential.
2. Are Diamonds from Walmart Real?
Walmart is another big box store. Just like JCPenney, the diamond collection found at Walmart also features real diamonds put together in a cluster-set form.
Cluster-set diamonds are cheaper, but the quality is lower, which may represent an affordable way to get real diamonds. On the other hand, some buyers may want a diamond to be all it can be, regardless of the price.
3. Are Diamonds from Kay Jewelers Real?
Kay Jewelers is a well-known jewelry store chain.
They offer real diamonds for sale, but they grade the diamonds themselves. Despite the company’s popularity, they do not have diamonds certified by third-party bodies like the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) or the American Gem Society (AGS).
This might not be enough for a real diamond connoisseur who is not just interested in real diamonds but who wants top-tier quality diamonds with long-term value.
There is also the possibility of being overcharged: by using in-house certification, Kay Jewelers can sell a customer a low-quality diamond for their preferred high price.
4. Are Diamonds from Khol’s Real?
The diamonds offered by Khol’s are all real diamonds.
However, they may not all be certified and are not always of the highest quality either. The company’s website states that some diamonds may include certification from an independent and impartial gemological laboratory.
One of their $7,000 engagement rings is advertised as being IGI certified.
IGI stands for International Gemological Institute, an independent body for grading diamonds. Although the IGI supplies diamond reports, they have a mixed reputation.
They are not considered equivalent to the gold standard of the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) or the American Gem Society (AGS).
5. Are Diamonds from Pandora Real?
In 2021, Pandora announced they would no longer use mined diamonds in their pieces.
That announcement saw the introduction of the Pandora Brilliance line of lab-grown diamonds. All diamonds from the Pandora Brilliance collection are promoted as sustainably lab-created and carbon-neutral.
Being cultivated in a lab means they are real diamonds. These diamonds are responsibly sourced from suppliers registered as part of the Responsible Jewelry Council (RJC).
As it relates to the diamond grades, Pandora does not offer certificates.
6. Are Diamonds from Macy’s Real?
Macy’s has over six thousand diamonds available in their online store.
However, only around 390 of them are advertised as certified diamonds. These lab-grown diamonds are certified by the IGI (International Gemological Institute), which is not as trusted as the AGS or the GIA.
However, being lab-grown guarantees that they are real diamonds and are not simulated.
7. Are Diamonds from Sears Real?
Sears offers a collection of certified diamond rings.
The diamonds they offer are both natural and lab-grown. Where diamond certification is provided, it comes from the International Gemological Institute (IGI).
8. Are Diamonds from Brilliant Earth Real?
The diamonds sold by Brilliant Earth are real and can be proven by their certifications.
Their natural and lab-grown diamonds are certified by various independent gemological organizations.
Their website boasts a list of the following bodies:
- GIA (Gemological Institute of America)
- IGI (International Gemological Institute)
- HRD (Diamond High Council, the leading authority on diamonds in Europe)
- GCAL (Gem Certification and Assurance Lab)
Besides that, the company is a reputable diamond retailer.
9. Are Diamonds from Zales Real?
Zales is another jewelry store chain. They offer natural and lab-created diamonds for which third-party certifications are always provided.
Their website does not clarify which independent gemological group does the diamond reports for them.
10. Are Diamonds from Sam’s Club Real?
Sam’s Club is a membership-only warehouse club owned and operated by Walmart Inc.
They offer a vast range of products, including jewelry, and their jewelry offerings include diamonds. They sell real diamonds that their website says is IGI certified. IGI stands for the International Gemological Institute, known for its loose diamond gradings.
This makes their diamond reports unreliable, leading to overspending thousands of dollars.
For example, Sam’s Club had a large $89,000 4.9 carat diamond for sale, but its clarity was on the low end of the clarity scale. For half that price, however, one could find smaller diamonds (say 2 carats) with far better cut, clarity, and color.
11. Are Diamonds from Overstock Real?
Overstock is a large online retailer that allows buyers to get brand-name goods at discounted prices.
The company’s stock comes from the liquidated inventory of other retailers. The problem with their diamond offerings is that there are no certifications, meaning there is no quality validation.
The diamond can be real, but there is no sure way of proving it. Without the right certification, there is no way of knowing the defining quality markers such as color, carat, cut, or clarity.
12. Are Diamonds from Pagoda Real?
Piercing Pagoda (more recently known as Banter by Piercing Pagoda) is an American jewelry company well-known for its variety and styles.
All their diamonds are obtained from conflict-free sources. Being conflict-free means the Banter diamonds are obtained in a manner that is respectful of human rights.
However, a search on Banter.com for “certified diamonds” produced zero results.
13. Are Diamonds from JBW Real?
JBW started selling its diamond-studded timepieces in 2008.
The company was started by two siblings representing the third generation of their family’s involvement in the watch industry. Each JBW watch is advertised as having SI clarity and G-H color diamonds.
Their diamonds are not laboratory-made but are natural and ethically mined. All of their watches use genuine, certified diamonds.
14. Are Diamonds from JTV Real?
JTV offers both mined and lab-grown diamonds, which means that the diamonds they offer are real.
Their website promises the finest quality of lab-grown diamonds. However, a search for certified diamonds showed no results.
15. Are Diamonds from Jeulia Real?
The Jeulia brand of jewelry does not attempt to hide that they only sell simulated diamonds.
They offer their trademarked Jeulia Stone instead. The premise is that mining diamonds uses machinery and explosives that are harmful to the environment, whereas the stones they sell are more sustainably produced than natural diamonds.
This point of view sits well with buyers who are concerned about the dangers of mining but who still love the glamorous look that simulated diamonds provide.
16. Are Diamonds from eBay Real?
There are shops and individual sellers on eBay offering real diamonds.
However, many of the diamonds offered are of poor quality and do not come with certificates. If they come with certificates, most of them are reports from lesser-known certifying bodies.
Furthermore, many of the diamonds offered on eBay are lab-made simulants rather than diamonds that have been naturally mined.
17. Are Diamonds from Amazon Real?
Amazon is the biggest online store, and that curved arrow in their logo signifies you can find everything from A-Z.
Although it is tempting to make a diamond purchase through Amazon to get a good deal, it might not always work out. That’s because nearly anyone can list an item for sale on Amazon, and Amazon does not require claims about diamonds to be verified.
If you want to buy a diamond through Amazon, you can opt for something from their small collection of diamonds.
There are some potential problems, though:
- Amazon’s collection of diamonds is small.
- Amazon has diamonds, but they are not certified by a third party like the GIA (The Gemological Institute of America).
- The diamonds available in the Amazon collection are mass-produced.
- Amazon’s diamond collection tends to be of low quality.
18. Are Diamonds from Etsy Real?
Etsy is a favorite place for many people to find one-of-a-kind art, accessories, and gifts.
These especially loved pieces include diamond jewelry. You can find real diamonds on Etsy, but it will take some research first.
You would also need to ask the seller for valid certification to confirm the quality of your purchase.
Are Lab-created Diamonds Considered Real?
Diamonds can be categorized in three ways:
- Simulants
- Laboratory-created
- Natural
Simulated diamonds are on the lowest rung of diamond quality.
They are not diamonds and are often referred to as fake diamonds. Rather than being made from pure carbon, as are natural diamonds, diamond simulants are often made from materials like moissanite and cubic zirconia.
These materials can be fashioned to look like diamonds but are structurally and chemically completely unrelated. They are often bought because of their lower prices and the different way in which they sparkle.
The other two categories of diamonds are lab-created and natural diamonds. Both of these are real diamonds. Natural diamonds are formed below the crust of the Earth when the element carbon is subjected to millions of years of intense pressures and very high temperatures.
Although not naturally found in diamond mines, lab-created diamonds are optically, physically, and chemically identical to their natural counterparts.
Two methods are commonly used to develop diamonds in a lab:
HPHT
HPHT, which stands for High Pressure, High Temperature, seeks to mimic the natural process of diamond formation under the Earth’s crust.
This process can take several weeks up to some months.
CVD
CVD, which stands for Chemical Vapour Deposition, uses a diamond seed in a chamber with hydrocarbon and hydrogen gases.
As the temperature is raised, the carbon and hydrogen mixture becomes reactive enough to allow carbon atoms to be deposited repeatedly. This repeated deposition grows the original diamond seed into a crystal form.
That means lab-created diamonds are real. It takes very specialized equipment and tests to distinguish between a diamond grown in a laboratory and a naturally sourced one.
As a result, natural diamonds, though more expensive, are not significantly more costly than lab-grown diamonds.
Final Thoughts
For some, all that glitters is a diamond; even diamond stimulants will do.
However, if you want a top-quality diamond with a great resale value that expresses your eternal love, it’s always good to verify that you are getting a real diamond.
Natural diamonds are as good as it gets, but if your conviction is to support sustainably-sourced diamonds, lab-created diamonds are also a fantastic choice.
Sources
3 Places You DON’T want to buy your engagement ring
A Complete Guide to Diamond Certification
Simulant Diamonds Vs. Lab Created Diamonds: What’s The Difference?