Jewellery, gold and diamonds
Lab-grown vs natural diamond price
The same 1 carat, G colour, VS1 stone costs roughly ten times more as a natural diamond than as a lab-grown one. Both are real diamond. Here is where the money goes and what comes back when you sell.
They are the same material
Lab-grown diamonds are carbon crystals grown by CVD or HPHT; chemically and optically they are diamond. A gemmologist needs instruments, not eyes, to tell them apart, which is why laboratories inscribe the girdle and why certificates matter more than ever.
How each one is priced
Natural diamonds are priced per carat on a grid of size brackets, colour and clarity, and the price per carat jumps at 0.5, 1, 1.5 and 2 carats because larger rough is rarer. Lab-grown prices are flat across sizes: a 2 carat lab-grown costs little more per carat than a 1 carat, because growing a bigger crystal is mostly time.
| Round, G–H, VS | Natural (per ct) | Lab-grown (per ct) |
|---|---|---|
| 0.5 ct | ≈ $2,500 | ≈ $320 |
| 1 ct | ≈ $5,500 | ≈ $430 |
| 1.5 ct | ≈ $8,000 | ≈ $480 |
| 2 ct | ≈ $11,000 | ≈ $520 |
These are the typical trade brackets Kubikly's estimate uses at the “good” quality tier; retail adds the setting, making, margins and VAT. Admins can change the tables, and the estimate shows which table priced each stone.
Resale is where the gap is widest
A natural diamond bought at retail resells privately at roughly a third of its retail value and to a dealer at about a fifth. Lab-grown stones resell for almost nothing: supply is unlimited and prices have fallen every year, so a buyer can get a new one cheaper. When you price a lab-grown piece as pre-owned, the metal is most of the number.
How to tell which one you have
- A GIA or IGI report says “laboratory-grown” on its face; IGI numbers for lab-grown stones start with LG.
- Look for a laser inscription on the girdle with a loupe: the report number, often prefixed LG for lab-grown.
- No report and no inscription: assume nothing. A jeweller with a tester can check in minutes.
- Never rely on a photo, an app or the seller's word; Kubikly's estimate shows both prices for exactly this reason.
Which one to buy
If the ring is for wearing and you want the biggest, cleanest stone for the money, lab-grown wins and it is not close. If you want an asset that holds part of its value, or the tradition matters, natural. Either way, price the setting and the making separately from the stone; that part is identical.
Frequently asked
- Is a lab-grown diamond a real diamond?
- Yes. It is crystalline carbon with the same hardness, refractive index and fire. The difference is origin and price.
- Do lab-grown diamonds hold value?
- No. Prices have fallen for years and resale is a small fraction of retail. Buy them to wear, not to store value.
- Can Kubikly tell natural from lab-grown?
- Not from a photo, and it says so. It reads certificates, and its estimate shows both prices so you can switch with one tap.
Keep reading
- How jewellery is pricedWhere a jewellery price comes from, line by line: gold at spot, stones by size and grade, workshop hours, wholesale and retail margins, brand, and VAT per country.
- Diamond certificates: GIA vs IGI vs HRDWhat a diamond grading report contains, how GIA, IGI and HRD differ, why a GIA report adds a premium on natural stones and why IGI is standard for lab-grown.
- Selling pre-owned jewellery: what you will actually getThe three numbers for used jewellery: scrap value, dealer buy-back and private sale. How each is calculated, why stones come back at a third, and how to get more.