Lab-grown diamond prices rose in Q3 2026: what it means for your next order

For most of the last five years, buying lab-grown diamonds came with one rule: wait, and it will be cheaper. The third quarter of 2026 broke that rule. Lab-grown diamond prices rose at wholesale quarter on quarter, and the biggest gains came in the stones many jewellers have been under-stocking: larger rounds and fancy shapes.

## Key takeaways
- Wholesale prices for 1–3 ct round lab-grown diamonds rose about 2% in Q3 2026
- 3 ct rounds gained 7.5%; fancy and square shapes gained more than 7.5%
- 1.50 ct rounds fell 3%, so that size is still a buyer's market
- Prices are still about 9–10% below a year ago, and the analyst says it is too early to call the bottom
- US unit sales of lab-grown diamond jewellery rose 25% in September

## What the Q3 2026 numbers say
Edahn Golan's Q3 2026 wholesale price review, published on 7 October, tracks cash prices for IGI-certified stones in Mumbai and Surat. It shows the first broad rise in years. The move was not even across sizes:

- 1 ct rounds: up 1.3%
- 1.50 ct rounds: down 3%
- 2 ct rounds: up 2.3%
- 3 ct rounds: up 7.5%, the strongest gain among rounds
- Fancy and square shapes: up more than 7.5%

Wholesale prices now run from about $73 to $142 per carat. G–H colour stones trade at $73–79 per carat in every size. A 3 ct D VVS round sits at the top of the range, at $142 per carat.

## Are lab-grown diamond prices going up for good?
Keep this in proportion. Prices are still lower than a year ago. Rounds are down about 9% year on year and fancy shapes about 9.5%. A 2 ct round is still 20% cheaper than in Q3 2025. Golan's lab-grown wholesale index is down about 10% on the year and about 92% since it began in July 2018.

Golan himself says it is "too early to declare that the market has definitively reached its bottom." He calls the quarter "an early indication of price stabilization." So this is a turn, not yet a trend. But the direction has changed, and that matters for how you buy.

## Why lab-grown wholesale prices are firming
Three things are behind the rise:

- Demand is growing. US unit sales of lab-grown diamond jewellery rose 25% in September and nearly 23% year to date, according to Tenoris data cited by Golan.
- Growers are holding rough prices. Many CVD and HPHT producers are keeping rough prices steady, and some are raising them, instead of chasing volume.
- Supply is consolidating in India. Larger, vertically integrated manufacturers can see demand more clearly and match production to orders. That removes some of the distressed selling that pushed prices down.

## Wholesale is up, but retail prices are still falling
Here is the catch for retailers. Online retail asking prices are still dropping. StoneAlgo's average 1 ct lab-grown asking price was about $508 in mid-October, down 19.4% in three months. So your cost is starting to rise while your customer still expects last season's price. That squeezes margins on stock bought at the wrong moment.

The answer is not to stop buying. It is to buy the right sizes at the right time, and to review your price list every quarter.

## What it means for your next order
### 1. Stock fancy shapes before the next price move
If fancy shapes keep rising faster than rounds, ovals, pears, emeralds, radiants and cushions bought now will look well priced by the holiday season. Ovals and elongated cushions in 1.50–3 ct are the shapes we see moving fastest with our buyers. Browse oval lab-grown diamonds or emerald cut stones in our live inventory.

### 2. Secure larger rounds in core grades
The 3 ct round rose the most this quarter. If your customers ask for 2.50 ct and above, secure core colours and clarities (E–G, VS and better) rather than buying one stone at a time.

### 3. Don't overpay for 1.50 ct rounds yet
1.50 ct rounds fell 3% in the quarter. This is a size where you can still negotiate, and a good one for promotional pieces.

### 4. Treat antique and specialty cuts as a separate market
Old Miner, European, Portuguese and step-cut shapes are priced less by the index and more by availability. They are cut in smaller numbers. When you see the right stone, especially a matched pair, it is usually better to reserve it. See our Old Miner lab-grown diamonds.

## How Dhanlaxmi Export can help
We manufacture and trade IGI and GIA certified CVD and HPHT lab-grown diamonds from 0.01 to 10 carats in Surat. Our live inventory updates every day, and approved trade buyers see their own wholesale price on every stone. You can save a search and get an email when new matching stones arrive.

Not a trade buyer with us yet? Apply for access. It takes two minutes. For the bigger picture on value, read our guide to lab-grown vs natural diamond value in 2026.

Sources: Edahn Golan, "Was the Bottom Reached? Lab-Grown Wholesale Prices Rise in Q3 2026", October 2026; Professional Jeweller, October 2026; StoneAlgo retail averages via Draco Diamond, October 2026. Figures are market averages; prices for individual stones vary.

## FAQ
### Are lab-grown diamond prices going up in 2026?
Yes, at wholesale, for the first time in years. Prices for 1–3 ct rounds rose about 2% in Q3 2026 and fancy shapes rose more than 7.5%, although prices are still around 9–10% below a year ago.

### What is the wholesale price of a lab-grown diamond per carat?
In Q3 2026, IGI-certified lab-grown rounds of 1–3 ct traded at about $73 to $142 per carat at wholesale in Mumbai and Surat, depending on size, colour and clarity.

### Have lab-grown diamond prices hit the bottom?
Not confirmed yet. The leading analyst calls Q3 2026 an early sign of stabilization but says it is too early to declare the bottom.

### Which lab-grown diamond sizes rose the most in Q3 2026?
3 ct rounds rose 7.5% and fancy and square shapes rose more than 7.5%. 1.50 ct rounds were the exception, falling 3%.

What the numbers say

According to industry analyst Edahn Golan's Q3 2026 wholesale review, prices for 1–3 ct round lab-grown diamonds rose about 2% compared with Q2 . The move was not even across sizes:

• 1 ct rounds: up 1.3%
• 1.50 ct rounds: down 3%
• 2 ct rounds: up 2.3%
• 3 ct rounds: up 7.5%, the strongest gain

Fancy and square shapes did better still, rising more than 7.5% over the quarter .

Keep this in proportion. Prices are still lower than a year ago: rounds are down about 9% year on year, fancy shapes about 9.5%, and Golan's lab-grown wholesale index is down roughly 10% on the year and around 92% since it began in mid-2018. The analyst himself says it is too early to call the bottom. But the direction has changed, and that matters for how you buy.

Why prices are Firming

• **Demand is growing. US unit sales of lab-grown set jewelry rose 25% in September and about 23% year-to-date.
• **Growers are holding rough prices. Many CVD and HPHT producers are keeping rough prices steady, and some are raising them, instead of chasing volume.
• **Consolidation in India. Larger, more vertically integrated manufacturers are matching production more closely to orders, which removes some of the distressed selling that pushed prices down.

What it means for your next order

1. Stock fancy shapes before the next price move

If fancy shapes keep rising faster than rounds, ovals, pears, emeralds, radiants and cushions bought now will look well priced by the holiday season. Ovals and elongated cushions in 1.50–3 ct are the shapes we see moving fastest with our buyers.

2. Larger rounds have turned first

The 3 ct round rose the most this quarter. If your customers ask for 2.50 ct and above, it is worth securing core sizes and colours (E–G, VS and better) rather than buying one stone at a time.

3. Don't overpay for 1.50 ct rounds yet

1.50 ct rounds actually fell 3% in the quarter. This is a size where you can still negotiate, and a good one for promotional pieces.

4. Antique and specialty cuts are a separate market

Old Miner, European, Portuguese and step-cut shapes are priced less by the index and more by availability. These stones are cut in smaller numbers, so when you see the right one, matched pairs especially, it is usually better to reserve it.

How we can help

Our live inventory updates every day, and approved trade buyers see their own wholesale price on every stone. You can browse by shape, for example oval lab-grown diamonds or our antique cuts, save a search, and get an email when new matching stones arrive.

Not a trade buyer with us yet? Apply for access. It takes two minutes.

Source: Edahn Golan, "Was the Bottom Reached? Lab-Grown Wholesale Prices Rise in Q3 2026", October 2026. Figures are market averages; prices for individual stones vary.