Do lab-grown diamonds go up in price?
Quick answer
No. Lab-grown diamond prices have fallen almost every year since the stones reached jewellery shops, so a lab-grown diamond you buy today will not be worth more later. Diamond analyst Edahn Golan's wholesale price index is down 96% since July 2018 and fell another 13% in the year to mid 2026. The fall is slowing, though: over that same year, wholesale prices for 1 carat rounds rose 1%.
How far lab-grown diamond prices have fallen
Prices fell because production grew far faster than demand, and each new generation of growing equipment makes a carat more cheaply. Walker & Hall tracked one US retailer's price for a comparable 2 carat lab-grown diamond over eight years, shown below.
The drop is now steepest in larger stones. In the year to mid 2026, wholesale prices fell 20% for 2 carat stones and 11% for 1.5 to 1.99 carat stones. In Australia in July 2026, a loose 2 carat lab-grown diamond ran from about $1,250 at H colour to $4,000 for D to F colour at VS1 or better.
| Date | Price of a 2 carat lab-grown diamond at one US retailer |
|---|---|
| 2015 | $22,000 |
| January 2019 | $6,800 |
| October 2019 | $4,000 |
| 2023 | $2,170 |
Will lab-grown diamond prices keep falling?
Probably, but more slowly than before. The Jewellers Association of Australia expects prices to keep dropping as production capacity grows. The yearly fall has eased, though, from 37% in the year to mid 2025 to 13% a year later.
There are signs of a floor. In mid 2026, growers in China raised their rough diamond prices by at least 30% as the industry consolidated, and 1 carat wholesale prices ticked up. Analysts read that as producers pushing back rather than a lasting rise, and retail prices were still falling. Nobody can say exactly where prices will settle, so buy for the ring you want now rather than trying to time the market.
What falling prices mean for your ring
Falling prices lower what a secondhand buyer will pay, because they can buy a new stone for less. Brisbane jeweller Xennox Diamonds puts typical lab-grown resale at 10 to 25% of the purchase price, against 20 to 40% for a natural diamond. Falling prices also lower your ring's replacement value, so update your insurance valuation every few years rather than paying premiums on a figure that no longer holds.
The same trend works in your favour when you buy. The gap between a lab-grown diamond and a comparable mined one is wider than it has ever been, and the diamond itself does not change as its market price does.
Next step
Browse lab-grown diamond rings
See current lab-grown diamond engagement rings across shapes, settings and prices, all IGI-certified.
Browse lab-grown diamond ringsFrequently asked questions
- Do natural diamonds go up in price?
- Not reliably. De Beers reported that its average rough diamond price fell 19% in the first quarter of 2026, as weak demand and cheaper lab-grown stones weighed on the market. Rare stones such as Argyle pink diamonds have risen sharply in value, but a typical engagement ring diamond is not an investment either.
- Why do lab-grown diamond prices keep dropping?
- Supply keeps growing and production keeps getting cheaper. Industry estimates put global lab-grown output at about 1 million carats in 2010 and more than 9 million carats by 2023, and new growers keep entering the market. Retail prices have fallen more slowly than wholesale prices because retailers kept larger margins.
- Is now a good time to buy a lab-grown diamond?
- If you want the ring now, yes. Prices are the lowest they have been and the yearly fall has slowed, so waiting a year is likely to save far less than it would have a few years ago.
Still curious
Have a question we haven't answered?
Send us a note. We reply to every enquiry, usually within one business day.
Contact the studio