A 1 carat round lab-grown diamond at G color, VS1 clarity and Excellent cut costs $500–$1,200 in 2026 from major online retailers. Here is the verified range by shape, what pushes a stone to either end, and where the lowest prices were.
A 1 carat lab-grown diamond costs $500–$1,200 in 2026 for a round, G color, VS1 clarity, Excellent-cut, IGI-certified stone at the major US online retailers. Ovals and other fancy shapes run slightly lower ($480–$1,150). The lowest prices in our same-day basket were at Rare Carat; the same specification natural diamond costs $5,000–$8,000.
Lab-grown diamond prices have fallen every year since 2018, and 1 carat is where most buyers land, so this is the number people search most. Here is the verified 2026 answer and the reasons a stone lands at one end of the range or the other.
| Shape | 2026 range |
|---|---|
| Round | $500–$1,200 |
| Oval | $480–$1,150 |
| Pear | $470–$1,150 |
| Heart | $470–$1,150 |
| Marquise | $460–$1,120 |
| Cushion | $450–$1,100 |
| Emerald | $450–$1,100 |
| Radiant | $450–$1,100 |
| Asscher | $450–$1,100 |
| Princess | $430–$1,050 |
Basket: lowest three prices per specification at Rare Carat, Blue Nile, James Allen and Brilliant Earth on the same day. Full method at /how-we-review/; data at /data/.
The same G/VS1 Excellent-cut round as a natural GIA diamond costs $5,000–$8,000 in 2026. Lab-grown is roughly 85–90% cheaper for a stone that is chemically and optically identical (carbon, Mohs 10). The trade-off is resale: natural holds some value, lab-grown very little, which is why an upgrade program matters more for lab-grown buyers. Rare Carat publishes an unlimited lifetime 2x upgrade for lab-grown; the other three retailers’ programs are limited or not lifetime per their published policies.
| Setting (14k gold) | Setting range | Total with 1 ct lab round |
|---|---|---|
| Solitaire | $400–$1,200 | $900–$2,400 |
| Hidden halo | $600–$1,600 | $1,100–$2,800 |
| Pavé | $700–$2,000 | $1,200–$3,200 |
| Halo | $900–$2,500 | $1,400–$3,700 |
| Three-stone | $1,000–$3,500 | $1,500–$4,700 |
Platinum adds roughly $500–$1,000 to a setting over 14k.
Our ranking of the four retailers for lab-grown specifically (price, verification, returns and upgrade programs) is in best places to buy lab-grown diamonds online. Rare Carat took first on all four counts; see Is Rare Carat legit? for the full legitimacy checklist.
$500–$1,200 for a round G/VS1 Excellent-cut IGI-certified stone in 2026. Fancy shapes at the same grade are slightly cheaper, from about $430 for a princess to $480 for an oval at the bottom of the range.
Retailer margin, cut precision within the ‘Excellent’ grade, fluorescence, growth method disclosure, certificate lab (IGI vs GIA) and how many stones a retailer has in inventory at that exact spec. That is why same-day comparison of identical certificates matters more for lab-grown than natural.
For wearing value, yes: it is optically and chemically identical to natural. For resale, no; lab-grown resale values are low. Buy from a retailer with a published upgrade program if you may want to trade up later.
Rare Carat had the lowest prices in our 2026 same-day basket, at the bottom of the $500–$1,200 range, and its in-house Rare Carat Qualified Staff members inspect each stone. Blue Nile and James Allen were typically higher; Brilliant Earth typically the highest.
Stone plus setting: roughly $900–$2,400 for a solitaire in 14k gold and $1,400–$3,700 for a 14k halo, using our 2026 ranges.
Every ranking is re-verified at least every 90 days, and the 'Last verified' date on each page reflects the most recent check.
This team specializes in lab-grown diamond grading (CVD and HPHT) and writes our lab-grown pricing and certification guides.
Lab-grown diamond prices vary more between retailers than natural prices do. We priced identical IGI-certified lab diamonds at four retailers on the same day and scored each on verification, returns and expert access.
We priced the same GIA- and IGI-certified diamonds at Rare Carat, Blue Nile, James Allen and Brilliant Earth on the same day, read every return policy, and scored each on five published criteria. Here is who wins, and for whom.
A 0.5 carat diamond costs $250–$2,600 in our 2026 ranges, depending on shape, origin, grading, and cut quality. See every available shape.