Lab-Grown vs. Natural Diamond Prices – 2023 Price Comparison
Last Updated on February 18, 2023 by LabGrownCarats
SALES ALERT! Save when you buy at our best-rated lab diamond jewelers:
- What is a lab-created diamond?
- Can you tell the difference between lab and mined diamonds?
- Lab-grown vs. natural diamond price examples
- Lab-grown vs. natural diamond prices: Our 2023 price comparison
- Diamond Comparison Chart of Lab-grown vs. Natural Diamonds Prices
- Why you should choose a lab-grown over a mined diamond
Any diamond purchase is a significant investment, so it’s critical to understand how to find the best stone and where to get the most bang for your buck. Diamond prices vary greatly depending on the grade of the stone and where it’s purchased. For example, a 1-carat lab-grown diamond (one of the most popular carats and cuts) can cost as low as $400 or as much as $4000, depending on the diamond’s four Cs and if you buy at one of the best lab diamonds jewelers.
But one thing that is for sure is that lab-grown diamonds cost at least 60% less than mined diamonds – even though they are precisely the same. And better for the environment.
In the following, we’ll compare the lab-grown vs. natural diamond prices to see exactly how much you’ll save by choosing the environmentally and socially better diamond.
Read on to find out exactly how much you can save by choosing a lab-grown diamond over a mined diamond.
What is a lab-created diamond?
Let’s first go over what a lab-created diamond is. Diamonds grown in laboratories are identical to those found in mines. The only distinction between mined and lab-grown diamonds is that mined diamonds were formed billions of years ago and must be extracted from the earth using extensive mining operations. In contrast, lab-grown diamonds are produced in high-tech labs, reducing costs and energy consumption.
It’s that simple. Mined, also sometimes referred to as natural diamonds, and lab-created diamonds are 100% the same. Except lab-created diamonds are cheaper to buy and better for the planet.
Learn more about lab-grown diamonds
Can you tell the difference between lab and mined diamonds?
Let’s answer one of the most commonly asked questions regarding lab-grown diamonds vs. mined diamonds.
No, you can’t tell the difference between a lab-grown and a mined diamond. Lab-grown diamonds are exactly the same as diamonds mined from the earth. In fact, lab-grown diamonds are physically, chemically, and optically identical to mined diamonds. They have the same hardness, the sparkle is just the same, and they are 100% real diamonds.
Likewise, lab diamonds are graded the same way as ‘natural’ diamonds based on the 4Cs – carat, color, clarity, and cut and carried out by the same renowned laboratories such as IGI and GIA.
Lab-grown vs. natural diamond price examples
James Allen Mined vs. Lab-Grown Diamond Prices
Ritani Mined vs. Lab-Grown Diamond Prices
Brilliant Earth Mined vs. Lab-Grown Diamond Prices
Clean Origin and Grown Brilliance Lab-Grown Diamond Prices
Clean Origin and Grown Brilliance do not sell mined diamonds but compare the below fantastic prices with the above prices for mined diamonds.
Lab-grown vs. natural diamond prices: Our 2023 price comparison
To give you an idea of just how much you can save when buying a lab-grown diamond versus a mined diamond, we’ve gathered prices from our highest-rated lab-grown diamond retailers. These include James Allen, Clean Origin, Ritani, Brilliant Earth, and Grown Brilliance.
Some carry both lab-grown and mined diamonds, while others focus on the sustainable diamond choice. However, all of them continuously top our lab diamond seller reviews on Labgrowncarats.
To compare prices, we’ve chosen a reference diamond that is a round brilliant-cut lab-grown diamond with the following 4C grades:
- Carat weights: 1.0-3.0 (plus-minus a little*)
- Cut grade: Excellent or Ideal (whichever is the best, depending on the laboratory)
- Color grade: H-I
- Clarity grade: VS1-VS2
- Shape: Round brilliant
*You can usually save by going just below and above popular round carat-weights
Diamond Comparison Chart of Lab-grown vs. Natural Diamonds Prices
| Diamond Carat | Lab Diamonds | Natural Diamonds | Savings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 carat brilliant cut | $664-1980 | $3910-5500 | 61% |
| 1.5 carat brilliant cut | $1920-2450 | $9010-11,570 | 79% |
| 2.0 carat brilliant cut | $3,460-4070 | $14,480-24,020 | 80% |
| 2.5 carat brilliant cut | $4,560-$5,650 | $20,810-$42,450 | 84% |
| 3.0 carat brilliant cut | $8,660-$8,740 | $35,780-$61,490 | 82% |
Note that diamond prices fluctuate daily, and prices and availability may have changed since this chart was produced (11/1/22).
Why you should choose a lab-grown over a mined diamond
As you can see from the chart, lab-grown diamonds are at least 60% cheaper than mined diamonds of precisely the same quality and grading! Basically, you can get a much better quality and larger diamond for the same money.
Here are 5 reasons why you should choose a lab diamond:
- Lab-grown diamonds are identical to mined diamonds.
- Go for a lab diamond if you want to maximize your budget and save at least 60%.
- Lab diamonds are the ethical choice and the only 100% guaranteed conflict-free diamonds.
- Lab diamonds are more sustainable. On average, mining requires 25 times as much energy to produce 1 carat of diamond as it does in the lab.
- Mining diamonds has significant adverse effects on the local environment and animal habitats.
- Human and workers’ rights are routinely violated in the diamond mining industry.
Need more information on how to purchase the perfect lab diamond? To assist our readers in choosing the best possible lab diamond, we’ve published several guides.
We recommend getting started by reading our popular Guide to Buying a Lab-Grown Diamond – Top Tips to Saving and Getting a Better Diamond! and What You Need To Know Before Buying a Lab-Grown Diamond (Pros and Cons).
