Last Valentine’s Day, while many people expressed their love through words and gifts, nothing more could speak of “forever” than diamonds.

For those looking for diamonds whether as a gift for a special someone or for yourself as “the only one,” MyDiamond Shangri-La store supervisor Cherryl Singh shared some pieces of advice.

Speaking from her eight years of experience on natural and manmade diamonds, Singh told DAILY TRIBUNE in an exclusive interview that the choice between natural or manmade diamonds depends not only on preference but also on lifestyle and budget.

“Most of the people I encounter prefer natural diamonds because of rarity and 4Cs,” she shared.

When buying diamonds, customers are usually advised to check the gem’s 4Cs: cut, color, clarity and carat. But at MyDiamond, another C has been added to the mix: certification.

“We included certification because it’s very important to have a certificate, and if you’re a first-time buyer of the diamonds, you have to know the clarity, the color of the diamonds, the origin or where it came from as well,” Singh advised.

At their jewelry store, for instance, diamonds with .5 carats and up come from Belgium, while those below .5 carats are from India. The price of the diamond, however, depends on the 5Cs and not on its origins, Singh clarified.

“From different parts of the world, a diamond is a diamond – whether it came from Belgium or India, it’s all the same.”

In terms of value appreciation, natural diamonds are the rarest and therefore appreciate more than manmade ones. But manmade diamonds are a more affordable option as these are priced 50 to 60 percent less than natural ones, said Singh.

“Natural diamonds are expensive because of the process of getting them, whereas manmade diamonds are lab-grown or processed in a controlled environment. So if you want to get a particular color right away, you’ll get it. Actually, for only one to two weeks, you’ll already have your manmade diamonds.”

Based on the experience of Singh’s clients, one can have manmade diamonds pawned if these have proper certification.

For most natural diamonds, the certification from MyDiamond comes from the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), while for manmade ones, the certificate hails from International Gemological Institute. For .5 carats or less, the certification is in-house since the store chain’s owner is a certified gemologist.

Having their own in-house certified gemologist makes customers save on having their jewelry certified by another provider, said Singh.

Indeed, by being sure of a diamond’s 5Cs, a diamond buyer and wearer gains another C: confidence.