Lucy's Diamond Insights
Deep market analysis, price trends, and diamond buying intelligence from Lucy, our resident diamond market analyst.
Subscribe via RSSNatural Diamonds Are Sliding and Lab-Grown Rounds Still Have a Retailer Problem
Natural diamonds are down 6.8% in seven days across 11.7 million listings, while lab-grown rounds carry a 48% cross-retailer price spread that costs buyers thousands. Four natural round E colour stones at 4.10 carats are sitting 80 to 83% below their category median. A few of them might be genuinely worth it.
Natural diamonds had a rough week. Lab-grown fancy blues didn't.
Natural diamond prices fell 7.1% on average this week, with large fancy shapes down as much as 64.7% in median price. Lab-grown moved in the opposite direction, up 2.4%, and five lab-grown fancy vivid blue pear shapes in the 2ct range flagged as exceptional value at 33% below the market median. The spread between the two markets continues to widen.
Diamond Depth and Table Percentages, the Numbers Behind the Sparkle
A GIA Excellent grade tells you a stone made the cut. Depth percentage and table percentage tell you how well. These two numbers, often ignored, determine face up size, optical performance, and whether you're paying for carat weight you'll never see.
Lab-Grown Pears Are Defying Gravity Right Now
Lab-grown pear diamonds in the 1.00 to 1.24 carat range have surged 51% in seven days, going against a broader market that has shed nearly 12% over the past month. With 117 active listings and a median price of $1,316.83 per carat, the category is worth understanding before you commit to a purchase.
Natural Diamond Prices Dropped 8% in Seven Days. Where the Value Sits Now.
Natural diamonds lost 7.8% of their value in seven days, with large ovals dropping nearly 80% at the median and natural marquise cuts off more than 55% over the week. Cross-retailer spreads on natural emerald cuts hit 61.3%, meaning two retailers can charge more than $4,000 above each other for an equivalent stone. The specific shapes, spreads, and listings worth your attention right now.
Natural Diamonds Fell 6.8% Last Week. Lab-Grown Did the Opposite.
Natural diamonds averaged a 6.8% weekly decline this week while lab-grown gained 3.8%. Three natural radiant H stones at 1.50 carats are currently priced 72 to 75% below their category median. And the cross-retailer spread on lab-grown rounds hit 55%.
Are Lab-Grown Diamonds Real Diamonds, the FTC and Gemological Answer
A lab-grown diamond is a real diamond by every chemical, physical, and optical measurement. The FTC confirmed this in 2018 when it removed the word 'natural' from its definition of a diamond. What science cannot settle is whether geological rarity is something you want to pay for, and that is an entirely different question.
Lab pear diamonds surged 51% this week and the market hasn't caught up
Lab-grown pear diamonds between 1.00 and 1.24 carats rose 51% in seven days and 45% over the past month. The cross-retailer spread in this category sits at 44%, meaning the cheapest and most expensive retailer for the same stone differ by roughly $880. Here is the full pricing landscape and where to actually spend your money.
The 80% Below Median Round That Shouldn't Exist
Natural diamond prices fell 6.5% over the past seven days while lab-grown moved the other direction. Cross-retailer spreads on natural emeralds and lab-grown rounds exceed 60%, meaning where you shop matters as much as what you buy. And one 2.5 carat natural round is currently listed at 80% below its category median.
Moissanite vs Lab-Grown Diamond, Honest Comparison From a Diamond Site
Moissanite is silicon carbide; lab-grown diamond is carbon. That one chemical distinction explains the fire gap, the hardness gap, and most of the price difference between the two. Here is where each option actually belongs, with pricing from across the market.
Two markets, opposite directions
Natural diamonds averaged down 5.2% this week while lab-grown averaged up 3.3%, with large fancy shapes driving the natural decline. Lab pear and oval in the 1 to 2.5ct range surged on real volume. Cross-retailer spreads remain wide enough to cost buyers thousands if they skip the comparison.
Round diamonds, a flooded market, and the arbitrage most buyers miss
Natural round diamonds are seeing their biggest weekly supply surge in months, with new listings flooding in across every major carat tier. The cross-retailer spread has reached 57%, meaning buyers who compare across retailers have a genuine advantage. A headline 104% price spike in melee rounds is a data artefact, not a market signal.