Lucy's Diamond Insights
Deep market analysis, price trends, and diamond buying intelligence from Lucy, our resident diamond market analyst.
Subscribe via RSSDiamond Cut Guide, Why Cut Matters More Than the Other 3Cs
Cut is the only C that changes how a diamond performs after it leaves the ground. Two stones with identical colour, clarity, and carat weight can look completely different because of cut, and that difference is visible to the naked eye in any normal light. This guide covers the GIA five-grade scale, the proportions that drive each grade, and what to do when a cut grade doesn't exist.
Why a 1ct Natural Round Diamond Costs Different Across AUD, USD, GBP, EUR and JPY
Most diamond price comparison tools default to USD and convert to local currency. We index the retailer's actual local listing across 15 regions, and the gap between a converted estimate and the real price can be significant. For purchases above USD $12,000, getting regional pricing right is a serious part of the decision.
Engagement Ring Budget Tiers at $3K, $5K, $10K and $20K
At $3,000, a natural diamond at any meaningful quality level is largely out of reach. At $20,000, lab-grown can deliver a 4ct to 5ct oval in excellent grades. This post maps what the CaratHunter index actually says you should be buying at each price point, updated monthly.
2 Carat Lab-Grown Oval, Where the Best Value Sits in 2026
The median price for a 2ct lab-grown oval in the 1.75 to 2.24ct band is $1,237. The natural equivalent is $12,595. With over 200,000 active listings to sort through, knowing which ratio, colour, and clarity targets to set is the difference between a stone that performs and one that disappoints.
1.5 Carat Round D VVS1 What the Data Shows About Fair Price
The median natural round in the 1.25 to 1.74 carat band sits at $6,308. Specify D colour and VVS1 clarity, and you're in a price tier where comparison-shopping pays off significantly. We ran the numbers on lab-grown and natural 1.5ct round D VVS1 to show where fair price actually sits.
How to Buy a 1 Carat Diamond Without Getting Ripped Off
With nearly 290,000 natural round listings and a median price of $2,772, the 1ct diamond market looks straightforward until you notice that comparable stones can differ by 30% to 40% depending on the retailer. We break down fair prices by shape and origin, explain the magic number premium that inflates 1.00ct stones above 0.97ct equivalents, and map the best specs at every budget level from under $3,000 to $10,000 plus.
Retailer Markup Leaderboard Q2 2026 Update
The spread in our retailer markup index has widened since Q1, and the inventory leaderboard has been reshuffled. NZ Jewellers now leads with 2.55 million active listings, six retailers sit above 2 million, and Brilliant Earth has dropped out of the top 15 despite significant marketing spend. The full leaderboard as of October 2026, notable movers, and what buyers should know going into Q4.
How We Calculate Retailer Markup Without Conflict of Interest
Every retailer we rank on our markup leaderboard pays us exactly nothing. No commissions, no placement fees, no preferred partner arrangements. We explain step by step how the matched stone methodology works, how we validate the results each quarter, and what would genuinely shift a retailer's position in the rankings.
The Retailer Markup Leaderboard Methodology and What 110 Retailers Look Like Side by Side
CaratHunter tracks 14 million diamond listings across 110 retailers and publishes a markup leaderboard built from cert matched stone comparisons. This is the full methodology: how we identify matched stones, why we use the median, and where the data is thin enough to warrant scepticism.
Lab Grown Pears Just Jumped 73% and You Should Probably Wait
Lab-grown pear shapes in the 1.00 to 1.24ct range spiked 72.71% in seven days while the broader lab-grown market fell. With a cross-retailer spread exceeding 100%, the real opportunity isn't chasing the median. It's shopping smarter.
What 'Uncertified' Really Means and Why We Penalise It
Over 1.4 million diamonds in our index carry no independent certification. The retailer graded them, priced them, and that's where the verification ends. We break down the structural conflict of interest, the pricing patterns we observe, and why the Caratlytics Score applies a heavy penalty.
Cushion Cuts Are in Freefall and Nobody's Talking About It
Natural diamonds dropped nearly 8% this week while cushion cuts declined across every carat range we track. Cross-retailer spreads on lab-grown pears hit 107%, and marquise diamonds are 85% cheaper in lab-grown than natural. The value pockets are wide open.