Jewelry featuring crystals in the past was mostly for adding some luster to an outfit. Today’s buyers are pickier. They’re after more than pretty beads or flashy pieces in a chain. They need meaningful pieces that are visually appealing and expressions of their personality. The next time you shop for an accessory, pay attention to how it speaks to you.…

I spent about four months last year helping my friend Dan shop for a ring for his girlfriend Priya. What surprised me most was how badly the average jewellery store explains what it sells. Sales associates would hand us a loupe, mumble something about clarity, and steer us toward whatever had the highest margin. When we started asking about lab-grown…