No, neither with the naked eye nor, in most cases, with a jeweller's loupe. Only a gemmological laboratory can tell them apart with its instruments. That is why the origin must appear on the report and on the invoice.
Engagement ring from Agadir: setting your budget and choosing at a distance
Oroma Diamond has no shop in Agadir: its only showroom is in Casablanca, more than 450 km away by road, so the engagement ring is most often chosen at a distance, on WhatsApp. For that choice to be a safe one, two decisions are made before the first message: the ceiling of your budget, and where you stand between natural and laboratory-grown diamond. Oroma offers both, and this choice is what changes most what the same sum can buy.
Setting a ceiling before you write
Start from your own accounts, not from a shop window or the “months of salary” rule, which was born in advertising. Look at what you have put aside, take away what is already earmarked for the other wedding expenses, and give the adviser the figure that remains. With a clear ceiling, the adviser can suggest realistic pieces from the engagement rings straight away, instead of ten messages to pin down your budget.
Our article on the budget for an engagement ring in Morocco explains what makes the price of a diamond vary, starting with the weight thresholds. A 0.90 carat stone costs noticeably less than a 1 carat stone of the same quality, while their diameters differ by only a few tenths of a millimetre.
Natural or laboratory-grown: decide before comparing prices
A laboratory-grown diamond is a diamond, with the same carbon crystal, the same hardness and the same sparkle. Only the origin differs, and the price with it. For equal characteristics, the laboratory-grown stone costs much less: for the same ceiling, it allows a greater weight or better grades. The natural diamond has its rarity on its side, and a geological history that many people care about, and its resale market is much older.
If you are undecided, ask the adviser for two proposals for the same sum, one natural, the other laboratory-grown, and set them side by side. Our page on laboratory-grown diamonds in Morocco sets out what separates them.
What the adviser needs to receive
| To send | Why |
|---|---|
| Your ceiling | The proposals stay within your budget from the first reply. |
| Natural, laboratory-grown or both | The same sum does not buy the same stone. |
| A photo of a ring she likes | A style is easier to show than to describe. |
| Her size in millimetres | The size guide and our article on measuring your ring size explain how to get it, even in secret. |
| The metal of the jewellery she wears now | The ring should go with what she already wears. |
Before paying at a distance
Have the origin written on the invoice: “natural diamond” or “laboratory-grown diamond”, never just “diamond”. When the stone has a report, check its number with the laboratory that issued it before paying anything. The full list of checks is in our guide to buying a diamond with confidence in Morocco. To find out whether the ring can be sent as far as Agadir and how, ask the adviser on WhatsApp or write from the contact page.
Coming to see the stone in Casablanca
Flying is the quickest: direct flights link Agadir Al Massira airport to Mohammed V airport in about an hour. Sidi Maarouf lies on the road that links that airport to the southern entrance of Casablanca, which shortens the end of the journey. By motorway, allow about 460 km and four and a half to five hours. Agadir has no train service: you first have to reach Marrakech by coach, about 3 hours 30 minutes, before taking the train to Casablanca. All these times are approximate.
Elsewhere in Morocco
Engagement rings
Natural diamond · 0.7 ct
Bague double halo baguette pavé diamants naturels 0,7 ct - Or blanc 18K
16,400.00 Dhs
Natural diamond · 0.35 ct
Bague halo rond pavé diamants naturels 0,35 ct - Or blanc 18K
9,900.00 Dhs
Natural diamond · 0.9 ct
Bague double halo baguette double anneau diamants naturels 0,9 ct - Or blanc 18K
19,900.00 Dhs
Natural diamond · 0.8 ct
Bague soleil baguette diamants naturels 0,8 ct - Or blanc 18K
17,400.00 Dhs
Natural diamond · 0.4 ct
Bague baguette et pavé diamants naturels 0,4 ct - Or blanc 18K
10,400.00 DhsFrequently asked questions
Yes. An adviser works better with a precise figure, even a modest one, than with a vague range. The adviser will tell you what is realistic, in natural as in laboratory-grown, and which criteria to adjust to stay within the sum.
Put them side by side, criterion by criterion: weight, colour, clarity, cut grade, origin and type of document. A price can only be compared for equal characteristics. If a piece of information is missing from one of the two, ask for it before choosing.
Payment terms are discussed with the Oroma adviser, who will tell you what is possible for the chosen piece. If you are thinking of a loan, bear in mind that a ring financed this way ends up costing more than its price.