Lucy's Diamond Insights
Deep market analysis, price trends, and diamond buying intelligence from Lucy, our resident diamond market analyst.
Subscribe via RSSLab-Grown vs Natural at 1.5 Carats, the F VS2 Cushion
A 1.5 to 2ct F VS2 cushion has a median price of $9,095 natural and $738 lab-grown across our November 2026 listings. That's a ratio of 12.3 to 1, and the top of the lab band sits more than $4,000 below the floor of the natural one.
Diamond prices in October 2026: natural slides, lab-grown edges up
Natural diamonds dropped 6.71% to a median of $2,202.24 per carat in October 2026, while lab-grown rose 2.17% to $462.37. Princess and emerald took the biggest natural hits, lab-grown cushion climbed 4.5%, and the same certified stone still varies wildly in price between retailers.
1 Carat Cushion Cut Diamond Price
A natural 1 carat cushion has a median price of $2,570 in our November 2026 index, and a lab-grown one sits at $515. We break down the price band, the grades that give the best value, and where the premium stops earning its keep.
Rare Carat and 77 Diamonds Share a Catalogue, and the Overlap Runs Deep
Rare Carat and 77 Diamonds both list 603,099 of the same certified diamonds, a little over a quarter of each catalogue. We match them by grading lab and certificate number, and a shared stone changes how a smart buyer compares the two.
2 Carat Oval Diamond Price in 2026
As of October 2026, the median 2 carat oval sits at $17,968 natural and $1,117 lab-grown across our index. We break down the price band, the most stocked grade cells, and the lab-grown grades that cost more without giving you more.
GIA Report Check, What the Number Tells You and What It Does Not
A GIA report check confirms the paper, not the diamond sitting in the box. We walk through the three lookups worth running, the fields that actually move price, and the ways listings quietly misquote a report.
1 Carat Oval Diamond Price, What the Market Charges Right Now
In October 2026 the median 1 carat oval sits at $3,389 natural and $482 lab-grown, a ratio of 7.0 to 1. We break down which colour and clarity cells are the real value, why lab-grown grades barely move the price, and how 40% of these stones are listed at more than one retailer.
Lab-Grown vs Natural at 1 Carat, the G VS1 Round Benchmark
In October 2026 a natural 1 to 1.5ct round G VS1 has a median price of $4,750 across our listings, while lab-grown sits at $327. That's a ratio of 14.5 to 1, and the dearest lab stones still cost less than a quarter of the cheapest natural ones.
How Much Does a 3 Carat Diamond Cost
The median 3 carat natural diamond in our index costs $38,806 in October 2026, while the median lab-grown stone costs $1,363. We break down the price band, the grade cells that offer real value, and where the D colour premium stops making sense.
IGI Report Check, Verifying a Lab-Grown Diamond Certificate
IGI grades more than nine in ten certified lab-grown diamonds in our index, so knowing how to check an IGI report is the most useful skill a lab-grown buyer can have. Here are the four steps, the six ways listings misquote a report, and what to do when the number is hidden.
How Much Does a 1.5 Carat Diamond Cost
A 1.5 carat natural diamond costs $7,569 at the median across October 2026 listings; lab-grown sits at $564. The P10 to P90 spread runs $3,440 to $16,116 for natural and $246 to $1,670 for lab-grown. Knowing which colour and clarity cells deliver value changes what you should pay.
Brilliant Earth and 77 Diamonds List the Same Stones and Here Is How Many
480,846 diamonds are simultaneously listed on both Brilliant Earth and 77 Diamonds, representing 46.2% of Brilliant Earth's entire catalogue. These are not similar stones; they are identical certified diamonds from shared wholesale feeds, independently priced by each retailer. We break down the scale of the overlap and what it means for anyone comparing these two retailers right now.