Most of the dianond sellers aren’t selling real diamonds anyway. Only diff been buying “real” and “fake” is at who is gtting tricked.
You’re essentially paying extra for the privilege of being fooled, so that you won’t feel like a doofus for giving fake.
Everyone in the industry knows this. A real 1 karat ring of a quality you could give your wife would be way out of your range. Don’t believe me? Walk into Tiffany’s and ask for a ring. You think your neighbor’s cousin’s jewelry store has a secret deal with the pope that let’s them get quarter price diamonds?