Fact-Checking
The global jewelry industry has been perpetuating lies for decades.
We are going to debunk some of them so that you can be fully informed when shopping for jewelry.
Myth n°1: Diamond jewelry is expensive
The jewelry industry is an old industry with old traditions and full of middle-men that bring zero value to the end product.
40 to 80% of the value of diamond jewelry is created by these middle-men and you end up paying a hefty price for no reason.
What's more, some major brands even charge margins of up to 2000% to pay for their enormous marketing expenses, even though neither the diamonds nor the jewelry they sell are of exceptional quality.
At Lotando, we have eliminated all the middle-men and streamlined our logistics to offer you diamond jewelry at an unbeatable price, or should we say, at the real price.
As a matter of fact, we are proud to offer an unbeatable selection of 1.50 carat diamond solitaire engagement rings that are even cheaper than the latest iPhone !
Myth n°2: The Kimberley Process guarantees that I buy only clean diamonds, free from any conflict origin
The Kimberley Process is a self-regulation system, only based on voluntary declaration and "to the best of the seller's knowledge"...
Therefore, there is absolutely no guarantee that a natural diamond is conflict-free.
Especially as "shadowy characters" are deeply involved in mixing conflict stones with clean stones, making and laundering billions of dollars per year in the process.
Once mixed up, conflict diamonds, also known as blood diamonds, are distributed all around the world and are impossible to differentiate from clean stones.
The only way to make sure you buy a clean diamond today is to purchase a lab diamond as it's produced by engineers in a high-tech environment instead of being potentially mined by slaves in a guerilla region.
Myth n°3: Lab diamonds are of lower quality than natural diamonds
While lab and natural diamonds are generally described by the scientific press as chemically identical and differing only in origin, they differ in one crucial respect:
- only the top 2% of natural diamonds are classified as Type IIA, which is the purest and most sought-after category of the world;
- virtually all lab diamonds are Type IIA.
The indisputable truth is that the vast majority of lab diamonds are of far superior quality to the vast majority of natural diamonds.
Myth n°4: The diamond cut quality is the main factor that sets the value
Many jewelers have you believe that the diamond cut quality is the main factor that sets the value of a diamond.
The diamond cut quality is one of the factors that should be paid attention to in regards to the light reflection of the stone.
But the truth can't be further away: only the Shape, Carat, Color and Clarity are taken in consideration in the Rappaport list that sets weekly wholesale prices for diamond dealers.
The cut quality is not even mentioned.
That lie allows jewelers to sell you a cheap and low quality diamond (a low color such as H, I or J and a bad clarity such as SI2 or worse) for a hefty price.
That lie is mostly seen in the American market, even at the largest and most famous businesses and brands.
Myth n°5: Lab diamond production pollutes a lot
1) Reduced Environmental Impact: Lab diamonds are created in controlled laboratory environments, which significantly reduces their impact on ecosystems. In contrast, mining natural diamonds involves extensive land disruption, water usage, and energy consumption.
2) Clean Energy Usage: Our lab diamond manufacturers have taken sustainability a step further by using only renewable energy sources like solar and wind power.
3) Carbon Neutrality: Lotando's jewelry features lab diamonds created using CO₂ captured into the atmosphere and rejecting oxygen. Each diamond actively contributes to a greener environment.
In summary, lab diamonds not only avoid the ethical concerns associated with mined diamonds but also contribute to a greener future through cleaner production methods and renewable energy adoption.
They combine beauty with a cleaner production process, making them an excellent choice for conscious consumers.
Myth n°6: We offer a lifetime warranty
Nowadays, virtually every company selling jewelry offers a "lifetime warranty".
The reality is that this "warranty" is not "offered" but paid by you inside the heavy margin they apply to cover eventual future costs and in 90% of the cases, better not read what is really covered by the "warranty" ... (nothing or almost nothing).
Because we are not in the insurance business, we have chosen a different and transparent approach to protect you from over-paying for an imaginary and misleading warranty.
Visit our Quality and Repairs page or reach out to our Customer Service to know more.