What Types of Diamonds Does Leigh Jay & Co. Use in Its Rings?

Updated

Leigh Jay & Co. states that its rings are made with three types of diamonds: vintage diamonds, conflict-free diamonds, and lab-grown diamonds. That means you are not limited to one sourcing option when you shop for an antique-style, vintage-inspired, or custom ring — the choice depends on the look you want, the stone's history, and how you weigh origin against budget.

The Three Diamond Types at a Glance

Diamond type What it means at Leigh Jay & Co. Why you might choose it
Vintage diamonds Diamonds reclaimed from older or antique jewelry and reused in new or restored pieces You want a stone with age and character, and you prefer reusing existing stones over newly mined ones
Conflict-free diamonds Newly sourced diamonds the shop identifies as conflict free You want a newly cut stone but care about how it was sourced
Lab-grown diamonds Diamonds created in a lab rather than mined You want a diamond look, often with more size or clarity for the money, and no mining involved

Vintage Diamonds

Vintage diamonds are the stones that give the shop its name. Rather than only selling intact antique rings, Leigh Jay & Co. describes making rings with vintage diamonds — meaning older stones are set into new or custom designs.

This matters for two reasons:

  • Appearance. Older cuts were fashioned by hand before modern cutting standards, so they tend to have different proportions and light behavior than a modern brilliant cut. If you want that softer, older look, a vintage stone is the direct route.
  • Reuse. Putting an existing diamond into a new setting keeps the stone in circulation instead of leaving it in a drawer.

If you are choosing between an intact antique ring and a new ring built around a vintage diamond, the trade-off is usually authenticity of the whole piece versus getting a design and fit made for you.

Conflict-Free Diamonds

The site lists conflict free diamonds alongside vintage and lab-grown stones. This is the option for a newly sourced, mined diamond where the stated concern is the stone's origin rather than its age.

A practical note: "conflict free" describes sourcing, not appearance. A conflict-free diamond can be any cut or quality, so you still need to compare the usual factors — cut, color, clarity, carat — within that category.

Lab-Grown Diamonds

Lab-grown diamonds are offered as a third option. They are chemically and optically diamonds, but they are produced in a lab rather than mined.

The usual reasons to consider them:

  • Size and quality per dollar. Lab-grown stones generally let you go larger or cleaner within a given budget.
  • No mining. If avoiding mined stones is the priority, this is the clearest choice.
  • Resale. Lab-grown diamonds typically resell for much less than mined stones of similar specs, so buy them for the ring, not as a store of value.

How to Decide

Ask yourself which of these describes you:

  1. "I want a stone with history and an older cut." → Vintage diamonds.
  2. "I want a new, mined diamond and care about ethical sourcing." → Conflict-free diamonds.
  3. "I want maximum size or clarity for my budget, or no mining at all." → Lab-grown diamonds.

Seeing the Options in Person

Leigh Jay & Co. operates from a New York City studio at 213 W. 35th St. #304, New York, NY 10001, and visits are by appointment. Published hours are Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday 10am–5:30pm, Friday 10am–5:00pm, closed Wednesday, with select Saturdays and Sundays. You can call or text 212-719-2888 or email [email protected].

Because diamond type affects both the look of the finished ring and its cost, the most reliable way to compare vintage, conflict-free, and lab-grown stones is to see them side by side and ask which category a specific ring uses.