Lab grown diamonds price and value
Considering a lab grown diamond? Discover the average prices of lab diamonds by carat weight, how much cheaper they are than natural diamonds, and how lab diamonds are valued, to help you decide whether a lab diamond is right for you.
Are lab created diamonds worth anything?
Yes, lab diamonds are valuable gemstones identical to natural diamonds in every way, and can be worth a great deal of money - only, lab diamonds aren’t worth quite as much as natural diamonds. Whether lab or natural, a diamond is a significant investment, but you’ll find a larger diamond for your money with a lab diamond. While a synthetic diamond’s price will normally be within the thousands, this will probably be between 60% to 85% less than the price of a natural diamond of the same size and quality.
Lab diamonds cost less to make than natural diamonds cost to mine, plus they are a renewable product, unlike natural diamonds. Because of this, lab created diamonds cost less to buy than natural diamonds. However, a lab diamond is still 100% authentic and identical to a scintillating, beautiful mined diamond, which means it is worth something: it is a valuable, desirable and still very rare product. Plus the skills, time and machinery required to produce a lab diamond are significant; hence lab diamonds have a significant market value, albeit less than natural diamonds.
Are lab grown diamonds cheaper than natural?
Lab diamonds are cheaper than mined diamonds. All diamonds sold by reputable jewellers, whether natural or lab, are priced using the internationally accepted Rapaport Pricing Method, which uses the diamond grades, predominantly the 4Cs (cut, colour, clarity and carat) to determine the price. The better the grades, the higher the price - however, a lab diamond of the exact same grades as a natural diamond will usually be between 60% to 85% cheaper, because they are a non-exhaustive, renewable product that can be efficiently created in as little as 2 weeks. The investment needed to mine a natural diamond is far greater, plus there is a finite amount of diamonds on Earth, meaning they retail at higher prices than lab diamonds. Like all commodities, lab created diamonds are priced according to rarity, the efficiency of production and demand.
Average lab grown diamond prices
Just like with natural diamonds, the price of a lab diamond is mainly determined by its size, as well as the quality of its grades. The higher the cut, colour, clarity and carat of a diamond, the more expensive it will be.
So how much do lab diamonds cost on average? With the grades we typically advise (Excellent cut, F colour and VS2 clarity), you’d be looking at around £1,800 for a 1 carat lab diamond. You may even find top quality lab diamonds at a lower price than this. In comparison, a natural diamond of the same carat weight and quality would be closer to £8,000. The total ring price will then depend on the design: a solitaire ring design would cost around £700 on top of the diamond price, and more complex designs will see higher prices - learn more about ring styles and their prices.
Find the average lab grown diamond prices below, according to their size, and compare them with natural diamonds.
| Diamond Carat | Natural Diamond (F, VS2, XXX) | Lab Diamond (F, VS2, XXX) |
|---|---|---|
| 0.30 | £1,475 | £1,215 |
| 0.35 | £1,515 | £1,285 |
| 0.45 | £1,980 | £1,455 |
| 0.50 | £2,460 | £1,700 |
| 0.60 | £3,015 | £1,865 |
| 0.70 | £3,800 | £2,220 |
| 0.80 | £4,515 | £2,405 |
| 0.90 | £5,780 | £2,895 |
| 1.00 | £8,085 | £3,645 |
| 1.20 | £8,850 | £4,260 |
Can you insure lab grown diamonds?
Lab diamonds can be insured, just like natural diamonds. While the price of an artificial diamond is lower than that of natural diamonds, they are still valuable and rare gems that in the event of loss or damage will require a significant sum to replace. When insuring your lab diamond ring, make sure your plan covers like-for-like replacement, meaning the replacement ring will be from the same jewellers, for the same value.
Lab grown diamonds resale value
There is a common misconception that diamonds hold or even increase in value over time. The reality is, you won’t resell a lab diamond - or a natural diamond - for the same price you paid for it. When you buy a diamond ring, you’re also paying for the expertise in cutting, polishing and grading, as well as a reasonable profit to the jeweller. The resale value of a lab diamond ring will be around 30% to 40% less than you paid, and the same is true of a natural diamond ring - so be sure not to view this transaction as an economic investment! Instead, you’re buying something beautiful that will bring endless joy, for a lifetime.
Can lab grown diamonds be GIA certified?
Lab diamonds can and should be certified, to make them worth your money. The GIA certifies both natural and lab diamonds, along with another reliable grading laboratory, IGI. A lab diamond certified by GIA or IGI may cost a little more than other diamonds, but you can be certain the diamond you receive is the quality you pay for - whereas other graders may over-grade to generate greater profit, leaving you with a lacklustre stone at an unreasonably high price. IGI is regarded as the best certification for lab grown diamonds, as they offer a more thorough report on lab diamond grades, unlike GIA which give a slightly more general range of the diamond’s grade. At Queensmith, we only work with IGI and GIA artificial diamonds.
We get it, you’ve never done this before.
That’s why we have diamond and design experts on hand, who are here to guide you through every step - from understanding what carat, color, cut and clarity mean, to designing the perfect ring.
Lab Grown Diamonds Price & Value
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How much cheaper is a lab grown diamond?
Lab diamonds are typically 60% to 85% cheaper than natural diamonds. This is because the process of creating a lab diamond is more efficient and cost effective than the process to mine a diamond. Typically, the larger the carat weight, the larger the price difference between an otherwise identical natural vs lab diamond.
Will lab grown diamonds lose their value?
The future value of lab diamonds is uncertain, as they are so new to the market and it is unclear whether lab diamonds will become cheaper in the future. There is a possibility the value gap between lab diamonds and natural diamonds could widen, or close. When it comes to reselling a lab diamond, it’s likely you would receive 30% to 40% less than the price you paid - which is true of natural diamonds too.
How much are lab grown diamonds?
Like natural diamonds, man made diamond prices vary depending on quality and size. We offer lab made diamonds starting from around £600 and ranging to upwards of £8000 so there are options to suit all budgets. Browse our loose lab grown diamonds here.
What is the best certification for lab grown diamonds?
The best certification of lab grown diamonds is either IGI or GIA. IGI provides a more thorough grading system for lab diamonds, whereas GIA provides more general grade ranges for features like the colour grade of the stone. GIA are, however, regarded as the most renowned, trusted graders worldwide for diamonds in general, particularly for natural diamonds which receive more comprehensive grading.
Why are lab grown diamonds so expensive?
This is a common misconception, artificial lab diamonds are much less expensive than natural diamonds, yet buying a lab diamond still requires a significant sum - because a diamond is a diamond! Lab diamonds are 100% authentic, real diamonds, equally scintillating and beautiful. While lab diamond creation is an efficient process, it requires a great deal of high-tech equipment and top scientific minds, which costs money. Plus, lab diamonds are still pretty rare. This rarity, beauty and demand for lab diamonds are reflected in their prices.
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