It’s hard to believe it’s been 16 years since my husband proposed on the shore of a mountain lake in Colorado. We were still in college and figuring out who we were, but we knew we wanted to build a life together.

My engagement ring was perfect: a delicate band with tiny diamonds and a cushion-cut center stone. The story goes that when my husband told the jeweler I loved unique, antique pieces, she pulled out this ring and explained that the diamond had been stubborn. It was originally meant to be a princess cut, but refused to become anything other than a cushion cut. Whether that’s exactly how diamonds work or not, I’ve always loved the story.

When we got married, I chose a simple sterling silver wedding band. My husband and I both love to travel and camp, so I knew I wanted something I could wear every day without worrying about losing or damaging it. Over time, though, that band became too small and no longer felt like me. For the past decade, I’ve worn only my engagement ring, loving its simplicity on its own.

This summer, we celebrated 15 years of marriage. We didn’t plan a big trip or renew our vows, but I found myself wanting something to mark the milestone: a wedding band that complemented my engagement ring and reflected everything we’ve built together over the past decade and a half. But a lot has changed in the jewelry world since we bought my engagement ring in 2010. Over the past few years, I’ve found myself paying closer attention to how things are made, where materials come from, and how our purchases align with our values. Lab grown diamonds kept coming up in conversations for their affordability, accessibility, and the opportunity to make a more intentional choice about the materials used in fine jewelry. So when it came time to choose a wedding band to celebrate this anniversary, I was excited to partner with Friendly Diamonds to learn more and choose a new ring to pair with my engagement ring.

“Lab grown diamonds kept coming up in conversations for their affordability, accessibility, and the opportunity to make a more intentional choice about the materials used in fine jewelry.”

Founded in 2020, Friendly Diamonds is a New York-based fine jewelry brand specializing in lab grown diamonds. The collection includes engagement rings and wedding bands, as well as earrings, bracelets, necklaces, and tennis jewelry. Every diamond is independently certified by leading gemological laboratories, including IGI, GIA, and GCAL, which evaluate each stone’s cut, color, clarity, and carat weight.

One of the things I appreciated most about Friendly Diamonds was how approachable the shopping experience felt. The website is easy to navigate with filters that help you to browse by style, metal, diamond shape, setting, and budget. If you’re new to diamonds (or simply want a second opinion), you can schedule a complimentary virtual consultation with one of the brand’s jewelry experts, who will walk you through different cuts, settings, and metals to help you find something that feels personal.

I especially loved that Friendly Diamonds offers both ready-to-shop designs and customizable pieces. You can personalize everything from the diamond shape and size to the setting and metal, creating something that feels uniquely yours while still having plenty of inspiration to browse.

For my consultation, I met with Jennifer Carey, a fourth-generation jeweler and GIA-certified diamond expert. We chatted over Zoom about what I was looking for and my existing engagement ring. I held my ring up to the camera as we talked through different band widths, settings, and styles that would complement it without competing with it.

What I appreciated most was that Jennifer didn’t try to steer me toward the biggest or most expensive option. Instead, she asked thoughtful questions about my lifestyle and personal style until we landed on something that felt timeless and uniquely mine.

One of my biggest questions going into our conversation was what actually makes a lab grown diamond different from a mined one; I assumed there had to be some visible or tactile difference between the two. But Jennifer explained that, from a scientific perspective, both are real diamonds. “Both of them are real diamonds. One’s made in a lab, one’s from a mine,” she told me.

“Both of them are real diamonds. One’s made in a lab, one’s from a mine.” – Jennifer Carey, fourth-generation jeweler and GIA-certified diamond expert

As a fourth-generation jeweler who has spent her career working with diamonds, Jennifer said even she couldn’t tell the difference just by looking at a stone. “I’m trained, and there’s no way I could ever tell just by looking,” she explained.

The only way to distinguish a lab grown diamond from a mined diamond is through specialized equipment or by checking the certificate number laser-etched onto the diamond’s girdle, which is provided with every certified stone. This ensures transparency and authenticity for buyers.

Learning that was probably the biggest shift in my perspective. Before this conversation, I subconsciously viewed lab grown diamonds as more of an alternative or imitation stone. In reality, they are genuine diamonds with the same chemical composition and physical properties as mined diamonds, graded using the same standards for cut, color, clarity, and carat weight.

Beyond the science, one of the biggest reasons people are choosing lab grown diamonds is accessibility. Jennifer explained how many customers are drawn to them and how they have changed who participates in the diamond market. “It levels the playing field,” she told me. “It brings accessibility to people who aren’t wealthy.”

For me, that was one of the most compelling parts of the process. After everything my husband and I have invested over the years — building careers, buying homes, traveling, and growing our family through IVF — I appreciate not having to choose between a meaningful piece of jewelry and being thoughtful about where we spend our money.

A few weeks after my consultation, my new ring arrived, beautifully packaged and with all of the information and certifications. I chose the Lara Wedding Band in yellow gold, which features elongated kite-shaped elements set with pavé lab grown diamonds in an east-west direction, paired with a simple bottom shank. I loved how the modern shape complemented the elegance of my cushion-cut engagement ring without competing with it and how it offered a unique contrast between the yellow-gold band and my original sterling-silver wedding band. The two metals tell the story of different seasons of my life: the simple silver band that carried me through years of early marriage, and this new piece that marks fifteen years of everything we’ve built together. I also love that it can be worn in different ways — stacked above or below my engagement ring (or on its own) — giving me the flexibility to change the look depending on the day.

It’s been 16 years since my husband chose a stubborn little cushion-cut diamond. That ring has followed us through moves, career changes, infertility, becoming parents, and so much more. This new ring feels like a continuation of our story and a reminder of where we started and the life we’re still building together. And after 15 years of marriage, it feels fitting that the next piece of our story would be something chosen with just as much thought, intention, and meaning.