I’m guessing you are not much into rings or jewellery. While the ring is just a symbol it will be on her finger for the whole life of her marriage. Its not too much to ask that its at the very basic level attractive to look at. I love rings myself and wear them daily. Be it my grandfathers pinky ring to ones I buy for causal wear. The build of the ring matters as It means the ring will last longer without needing repair. I also prefer a real stone to a lab one. I would never wear a fake Rolex, why wear a lab created stone. I want to own a sapphire ring one day as well as an emerald one. I don’t want a lab made one though. They may be genetically a sapphire or emerald but they were not made by the earth they were made by man.

Alternatively I had an ex GF that gave me a silver and sapphire ring. It was lab created but it was for a 1 year dating anniversary. The thought behind the ring gave more value to it. It why I loved it and wore it all the time. I still have it today and occasionally wear it. I would just never buy a lab created stone ring myself.

Also remeber each generation has different beliefs. What you mentioned is a trend with the millennial generation and that is ok but remember not everyone thinks this. I’m part of this generation but my beliefs about rings, diamond and stones match those of the boomers and those just after them.