Lab-grown diamonds
Lab-grown prices: still falling, more slowly, and not evenly
Lab-grown wholesale prices fell about 13% over the year to the second quarter, but 1 ct rounds have steadied while 2 ct stones keep dropping.
Imperial Star Gems trade desk1 min read
The fall in lab-grown prices is slowing, and it now depends heavily on size.
- Wholesale prices in the second quarter were about 13% lower than a year earlier, a slightly smaller fall than the quarter before.
- One-carat rounds edged up over the same period.
- Stones of 1.50 to 1.99 ct fell about 11%, and 2 ct stones about 20%.
At a carat, lab-grown pricing appears to be finding a floor, which makes it a reasonable point to buy. Above 1.5 ct prices are still adjusting: buy for the stone rather than its resale value, and ask for a price on the day. Nearly half of our lab-grown stock sits between 1.00 and 1.49 ct — see lab-grown stones in that range.
Market commentary drawn from publicly available market data and trade reporting, not investment advice. Prices move; figures are indicative and correct as of the date above.