Lab Diamond Ring Price Chart: Real Prices by Shape, Carat and Gold

This chart uses only rings that are in our case today, all lab-grown, all graded E color, VS1 clarity. Because the grade is fixed, the differences you see come from shape, weight and metal.

Round is the deepest group with 22 rings and also holds the lowest price, $960. The highest price, $8,500, belongs to R-0062, a marquise with 7.04 carats total. Pear rings have the highest starting price of any shape, $2,800.

44 of the 75 rings list a total carat weight. Grouped by that weight:

Look at how wide each band is. In the 4 to 4.99 carat band, R-0132 lists 4.62 carats for $2,800 and R-0063 lists 4.88 carats for $6,800. Same weight class, more than double the price. The reason is in the next section.

Total carat weight adds up every diamond on the ring. Center weight is just the main stone. One large diamond costs much more than the same weight in small ones, because large rough is rarer and harder to cut, even for lab-grown stones. So two rings with the same total can be priced very far apart.

Center weight is not the only factor. R-0004 puts 3.01 carats in the center for $2,200, while R-0058 has a 1.02 carat center and costs $4,800; the second ring carries 2.83 carats of side stones around a small center, and that setting work and gold add up. When you compare listings, always read both columns. Our total carat weight guide explains the math.

14K white gold is the biggest group and covers the widest span, so it has rings at every budget. 14K yellow tops out lower, at $4,900. Karat affects price less than you might think on a diamond ring: the gold in a ring weighs a few grams, so the stones usually cost more than the metal. Gold prices move every day; Kitco publishes the live spot price. See 10K vs 14K gold for how karat changes wear and color.

Most price charts online change color and clarity along with size, which makes them hard to read. Every ring here is E color, the second-whitest grade on GIA's D-to-Z scale, and VS1 clarity, meaning small inclusions that a trained grader finds with effort under 10x magnification. With the grade held still, you see what shape and weight really do to the price.

If you shop elsewhere, keep this in mind: a lower grade, like H color or SI1 clarity, will lower the price of a lab stone of the same size, and the difference may or may not show on the hand. The E color VS1 rings page explains why we hold this grade.

We carry 10 natural diamond rings with the same E color, VS1 grade, and the comparison is clear. R-0132, a round lab ring with 4.62 carats total, is $2,800. R-0134, a round natural ring with 4.25 carats total, is $6,000. Both are real diamonds with the same chemistry. The lab stone gives more size for the money; the natural stone holds rarity and a stronger resale market. Read lab vs natural diamonds and lab diamond resale value before you decide.

1. Find the center weight. If only a total is listed, the center is smaller than that number.
2. Check color and clarity. Make sure the grade describes the center stone.
3. Read the metal and karat. 10K, 14K and 18K differ in gold content and color.
4. Look at the shape. Pear, oval and marquise look bigger per carat than round; emerald shows color and inclusions most.
5. Read the policy. Ours: all sales final, a 7-day window for manufacturing defects, insured shipping.

Lab-grown diamonds must be disclosed as lab-grown under the FTC Jewelry Guides, so the listing should say it in plain words. Ours do.

For a broader take on spending, read how much to spend on an engagement ring, and browse engagement rings by budget.

• Round: the most choice and the lowest entry price. Best sparkle. See round lab rings.
• Oval: looks bigger than a round of the same weight, $1,500 to $5,200 here.
• Pear: $2,800 to $5,300, mostly big centers.
• Heart: $1,800 to $5,200, see heart lab rings.
• Marquise: the widest spread, $1,050 to $8,500.
• Emerald: $1,700 to $6,800; step cuts show grade the most, so E VS1 matters here.
• Radiant: $2,200 to $4,500, all in 14K yellow gold.

16 lab rings list their center stone. Sorted from the smallest center to the largest:

The pattern is not a straight line. R-0016, an oval with a 1.03 carat center, is $1,500. R-0004, a radiant with a 3.01 carat center, is $2,200. R-0063, an emerald with a 4.19 carat center, is $6,800. Shape, setting style and gold all pull the price around, which is why a price chart built on one number misleads.

• A big total with a small center. A ring sold as 4 carats may have a 1 carat center and many small stones. Ask for the center weight.
• A grade that only fits the center. Side stones are often graded lower. Ask which stone the grade describes.
• Prices that are not on the page. If a store will not show the price, you cannot compare it. Every ring here shows its price and checks out online.
• Lab sold as natural. The FTC Jewelry Guides require lab-grown diamonds to be disclosed. If a natural price looks like a lab price, ask for the report and check it with the lab.
• Ignoring the policy. Read returns and shipping before you pay. Ours are on every listing.

Compare rings near 2 carats total and the shapes line up close together: R-0076, a heart with 2.00 carats, is $3,200; R-0066, a round with 2.00 carats in 10K yellow gold, is $3,400; R-0052, a marquise with 2.08 carats, is $3,200; R-0053, a pear with 2.00 carats, is $3,900. Near the same weight, shape moves the price less than center weight does. Pick the shape you love, then pick the weight.

Every price above belongs to a real ring that checks out online with its price shown. House pieces are single SKUs, so the chart changes as rings sell. To compare rings on the hand, visit the showroom at 7900 NW 27th Ave, Unit 506, Miami, or call 954-504-5640. Start with all lab diamond engagement rings or the lab diamond engagement ring guide.