Diamond Price Per Carat 2026: Live Chart by Carat, Gram & Shape

Last Updated: July 1, 2026 · Reading Time: 12 minutes

Diamond Price Chart 2026: What a Diamond Is Worth Today

A 1-carat natural round diamond in the grades most buyers shop — G–H–I color, VS1–SI1 clarity, Very Good cut or better — has a fair market price of $3,540 today, with most listings between $3,010 and $4,100. The same specification in lab-grown is $670 ($590–$770), about 81% below natural. These figures come from The Diamond Price’s continuously updated index of 500,000+ real retail listings, recomputed daily rather than fixed to a reporting window. Prices below are built the same way: real listings, deduplicated, normalized to a common grading basis, and filtered for outliers.

Diamond Price Per Carat in 2026 (Average)

The average price per carat for a 1-carat natural round diamond is $3,540 as of September 14, 2026. Price per carat is not a flat rate — it rises steeply with size, because larger rough stones are disproportionately rarer. A half-carat stone costs far less than half of a 1-carat one, and a 2-carat costs well over twice as much. The per-carat figure above is therefore the rate at one carat, not a multiplier you can apply across sizes; the tables below give the real figure at each weight.

For lab-grown at the same size and grades, the equivalent rate is $670 per carat, about 81% below natural.

How This Price Chart Is Built (Methodology)

Every price on this chart is the median of real, currently listed retail diamonds — not a modelled estimate, not a solicited quote. The Diamond Price maintains a continuously refreshed index of retail inventory from our authorized U.S. online retail partners. Listings are pulled multiple times per week, and each observation is processed through the following pipeline before it enters a price cell:

1. Collect. Retail listings are ingested with full 4C specification (shape, carat, color, clarity, cut), lab certification (GIA or IGI), retailer, and asking price.
2. Deduplicate. The same physical diamond frequently appears across multiple retailers. We collapse duplicates by GIA/IGI certificate number so each stone contributes once.
3. Normalize. Prices are normalized to a common grading basis (GIA-equivalent color and clarity) so that IGI-certified lab-grown diamonds and GIA-certified naturals can be compared like-for-like.
4. Validate. Certificate numbers are checked against lab-issued reports where available; listings with missing or inconsistent 4C data are dropped.
5. Filter outliers. Prices outside the middle 80% of each shape × carat × color × clarity cell (below P10 or above P90) are removed before medians are computed. This is the "reporting basis" cited above.
6. Aggregate. The final published figure for each cell is the median of the surviving listings over the trailing 90 days, refreshed weekly.

Certification standard. Naturals cited in this chart are GIA-certified. Lab-grown figures aggregate GIA and IGI, the two certification bodies that grade the vast majority of lab-grown inventory.

What this chart does not cover. Wholesale dealer-to-dealer pricing (see the Rapaport Diamond Price List), auction results for high-clarity fancy colors, and private-sale rough. Those markets move on different mechanics and are not comparable to retail medians.

Natural Diamond Prices by Carat Size (2026)

Natural round diamonds in the G-H color, VS2 clarity, Excellent cut “value sweet spot” range from $1,200 at 0.5 carat to $50,000–$80,000 at 3 carats. All figures are median retail listings from the 500,000+ listing dataset described above, GIA certified, Excellent cut. Ranges below reflect the middle 80% of prices for each cell.

0.5 Carat Natural Diamond Prices

• Budget Quality (H-I color, SI1 clarity): $800 - $1,200
• Good Value (G-H color, VS2 clarity): $1,200 - $1,800  — sweet spot
• Premium Quality (F-G color, VS1 clarity): $1,600 - $2,400
• Top Quality (D-E color, VVS1-VVS2 clarity): $2,200 - $3,500

Median: $1,400 · Search 0.5ct diamonds →

0.75 Carat Natural Diamond Prices

• Budget Quality (H-I color, SI1 clarity): $1,400 - $2,000
• Good Value (G-H color, VS2 clarity): $1,800 - $2,800  — sweet spot
• Premium Quality (F-G color, VS1 clarity): $2,400 - $3,800
• Top Quality (D-E color, VVS1-VVS2 clarity): $3,500 - $5,500

Median: $2,300 · Search 0.75ct diamonds →

1.0 Carat Natural Diamond Prices

• Budget Quality (H-I color, SI1 clarity): $2,800 - $4,000
• Good Value (G-H color, VS2 clarity): the mainstream buying band  — live median $3,540
• Premium Quality (F-G color, VS1 clarity): $5,500 - $8,500
• Top Quality (D-E color, VVS1-VVS2 clarity): $8,000 - $13,000

Median: $5,200 · Search 1ct diamonds →

1.5 Carat Natural Diamond Prices

• Budget Quality (H-I color, SI1 clarity): $6,500 - $9,000
• Good Value (G-H color, VS2 clarity): $10,000 - $14,000  — sweet spot
• Premium Quality (F-G color, VS1 clarity): $13,000 - $19,000
• Top Quality (D-E color, VVS1-VVS2 clarity): $18,000 - $28,000

Median: $12,500 · Search 1.5ct diamonds →

2.0 Carat Natural Diamond Prices

• Budget Quality (H-I color, SI1 clarity): $14,000 - $18,000
• Good Value (G-H color, VS2 clarity): $22,000 - $28,000  — sweet spot
• Premium Quality (F-G color, VS1 clarity): $28,000 - $40,000
• Top Quality (D-E color, VVS1-VVS2 clarity): $40,000 - $65,000

Median: $25,000 · Search 2ct diamonds →

3.0 Carat Natural Diamond Prices

• Budget Quality (H-I color, SI1 clarity): $30,000 - $40,000
• Good Value (F-G color, VS1-VS2 clarity): $50,000 - $80,000  — sweet spot
• Premium Quality (D-E color, VVS1-VVS2 clarity): $100,000 - $150,000
• Top Quality (D color, IF-FL clarity): $150,000 - $200,000+

Median: $66,000 · Search 3ct diamonds →

Lab-Grown Diamond Prices by Carat Size (2026)

Lab-grown round diamonds at G-H color, VS2 clarity, Excellent cut cost $300–$500 at 0.5 carat and $7,000–$11,000 at 3 carats — between 60% and 85% less than the natural equivalent. Figures are IGI- or GIA-certified, drawn from the same 500,000+ listing retail dataset. The gap has widened through 2026 as lab-grown wholesale continues to fall while natural has stabilized.

0.5 Carat Lab-Grown Diamond Prices

• Budget Quality (H-I color, SI1 clarity): $200 - $350
• Good Value (G-H color, VS2 clarity): $300 - $500  — sweet spot
• Premium Quality (F-G color, VS1 clarity): $400 - $700
• Top Quality (D-E color, VVS1-VVS2 clarity): $600 - $1,200

Savings vs natural: $900–$1,300 (75–80% less)

1.0 Carat Lab-Grown Diamond Prices

• Budget Quality (H-I color, SI1 clarity): $600 - $900
• Good Value (G-H color, VS2 clarity): $800 - $1,500  — sweet spot (median $1,060)
• Premium Quality (F-G color, VS1 clarity): $1,200 - $2,200
• Top Quality (D-E color, VVS1-VVS2 clarity): $2,000 - $4,000

Savings vs natural: $3,200–$4,500 (75–80% less)

1.5 Carat Lab-Grown Diamond Prices

• Budget Quality (H-I color, SI1 clarity): $1,500 - $2,200
• Good Value (G-H color, VS2 clarity): $2,000 - $3,500  — sweet spot
• Premium Quality (F-G color, VS1 clarity): $3,000 - $5,000
• Top Quality (D-E color, VVS1-VVS2 clarity): $4,500 - $8,000

Savings vs natural: $8,000–$10,500 (75–80% less)

2.0 Carat Lab-Grown Diamond Prices

• Budget Quality (H-I color, SI1 clarity): $2,500 - $3,800
• Good Value (G-H color, VS2 clarity): $3,500 - $6,000  — sweet spot
• Premium Quality (F-G color, VS1 clarity): $5,000 - $9,000
• Top Quality (D-E color, VVS1-VVS2 clarity): $8,000 - $15,000

Savings vs natural: $18,000–$22,000 (80–85% less)

3.0 Carat Lab-Grown Diamond Prices

• Budget Quality (H-I color, SI1 clarity): $5,000 - $7,500
• Good Value (G-H color, VS2 clarity): $7,000 - $11,000  — sweet spot
• Premium Quality (F-G color, VS1 clarity): $8,000 - $15,000
• Top Quality (D-E color, VVS1-VVS2 clarity): $12,000 - $25,000

Savings vs natural: $52,000–$67,000 (85–90% less)

Diamond Price Per Gram (2026)

A carat is a unit of weight, not size — and it isn’t a gram. 1 carat = 0.2 grams, so a diamond’s price per gram is always 5× its price per carat. Buyers who think in gram pricing (as with gold) sometimes assume diamonds are quoted the same way — they aren’t, and the per-gram figure looks dramatic mostly because a gram of diamond is an enormous, essentially unavailable stone. The table below converts the natural medians already listed above, so every figure here traces directly to the per-carat numbers in this article.

Medians are the same figures published in the carat-by-carat sections above (natural, G–H color, VS2 clarity, Excellent cut). Price per gram rises faster than price per carat because larger stones command an exponential rarity premium (see “Why do diamond prices increase exponentially” in the FAQ below) — the per-gram lens simply makes that curve more visually dramatic.

Diamond Prices by Shape (Complete Comparison)

At 1 carat, G-H, VS2, Excellent cut, round diamonds cost $4,000–$6,000; fancy shapes range from $2,600 (emerald) to $3,400 (pear) — a 15–35% discount to round. Round pricing is the market baseline because round cutting wastes the most rough material; step cuts (emerald, asscher) waste the least and price lowest. The full 1-carat comparison follows.

• Round: $4,000–$6,000 (baseline, most expensive)
• Oval: $3,200–$4,800 (20–25% less than round; appears 10–15% larger due to elongation)
• Cushion: $2,800–$4,200 (25–30% less; vintage face-up)
• Princess: $3,000–$4,500 (25–30% less; modern square)
• Emerald: $2,600–$3,900 (30–35% less; step cut, elegant face-up)
• Pear: $3,400–$5,100 (15–20% less; appears 15–20% larger)
• Radiant: $2,900–$4,400 (25–30% less; brilliant-step hybrid)
• Asscher: $2,800–$4,200 (25–30% less; art deco square step)
• Marquise: $3,200–$4,800 (20–25% less; appears 20–25% larger)
• Heart: $3,000–$4,500 (25–30% less)

Shape Price Comparison at 2 Carats (G-H, VS2, Excellent)

At 2 carats, the shape discount compounds: choosing an emerald over a round saves $9,000–$11,000. The percentage discounts hold across sizes, so the absolute dollar gap widens with carat weight.

• Round: $22,000–$28,000 (baseline)
• Oval: $16,500–$21,000 (−25%, saves $5,500–$7,000)
• Cushion: $14,500–$18,500 (−30%, saves $7,500–$9,500)
• Emerald: $13,000–$17,000 (−35%, saves $9,000–$11,000)
• Princess: $15,000–$19,000 (−30%, saves $7,000–$9,000)

How Color Grade Affects Diamond Prices

At 1 carat, dropping from D color to G color saves 25–30% ($1,500–$2,500) with no visible difference once the stone is mounted; dropping to H saves 35–40% ($2,000–$3,000). Below H, color starts to become perceptible in larger stones and in yellow-gold settings. Prices below are for 1 carat round, VS2 clarity, Excellent cut.

• D Color (Colorless): $6,500–$9,500
• E Color (Colorless): $6,000–$9,000
• F Color (Colorless): $5,500–$8,500
• G Color (Near Colorless): $4,500–$7,000  — sweet spot (25–30% below D)
• H Color (Near Colorless): $4,000–$6,500  — sweet spot (35–40% below D)
• I Color (Near Colorless): $3,500–$5,500
• J Color (Near Colorless): $3,000–$4,800
• K Color (Faint Yellow): $2,500–$4,000

Color Impact at Different Carat Sizes

The minimum recommended color grade rises with size: H at 0.5–1ct, G at 1.5–2ct, F at 2.5–3ct. Larger stones show color more readily, so upgrading one grade per carat step preserves a colorless face-up.

• At 0.5ct: H color looks colorless face-up. Savings vs D: $400–$600.
• At 1ct: G-H color looks colorless face-up. Savings vs D: $1,500–$3,000.
• At 2ct: G color minimum recommended. Savings vs D: $8,000–$12,000.
• At 3ct: F color minimum recommended. Savings vs D: $15,000–$25,000.

How Clarity Grade Affects Diamond Prices

At 1 carat, VS2 clarity is reliably eye-clean and costs substantially less than FL/IF (see the quality ladder above for today’s figures). Anything below SI1 begins to risk visible inclusions to the naked eye. Prices below are for 1 carat round, G color, Excellent cut.

• FL (Flawless): $8,000–$15,000
• IF (Internally Flawless): $7,500–$13,000
• VVS1: $6,500–$11,000
• VVS2: $6,000–$10,000
• VS1: $5,000–$8,500  — eye-clean, minor inclusions only under 10x
• VS2: $4,500–$7,500  — sweet spot, 90–95% eye-clean
• SI1: $3,500–$6,000  — often eye-clean at 1ct, inspect first
• SI2: $2,800–$4,500  — inclusions may be visible without magnification

Clarity Impact at Different Carat Sizes

Recommended minimum clarity rises with size: SI1 usable at 0.5ct, VS2 at 1ct, VS1 at 2–3ct. A larger table exposes inclusions that would be invisible in a smaller stone.

• At 0.5ct: SI1 usually eye-clean. Savings vs VS2: $800–$1,200.
• At 1ct: VS2 is the sweet spot (90–95% eye-clean). Savings vs VS1: $1,000–$1,500.
• At 2ct: VS1 recommended (near-guaranteed eye-clean). Savings vs VVS: $8,000–$12,000.
• At 3ct: VS1 minimum (SI1 often visible face-up). Savings vs VVS: $15,000–$25,000.

2026 Market Trends and Cross-Section

Natural diamond prices are down 14.1% year-to-date on our own tracked data (1ct G–H/VS1–VS2, $4,715 Jan 1 → $4,049 today). We do not currently have a verified 2026 trend figure for lab-grown in this exact cohort — see the data note above. We have not independently verified this trend against the Rapaport Diamond Price List or IDEX Online Diamond Index for this period, so we're not asserting a comparison here; those are wholesale dealer-to-dealer benchmarks and would need to be checked directly rather than assumed to move the same way.

• Natural, 1ct G–H/VS1–VS2: −14.1% YTD, based on our own continuously tracked data (verified September 14, 2026).
• Lab-grown, 1ct G–H/VS1–VS2: trend tracking for this cohort has a data gap since October 2025 (see note above) — we're not publishing a 2026 YTD figure until that's resolved.
• Channel: online retail listings, the basis for this entire chart, typically price below traditional brick-and-mortar retail, though we have not independently quantified that gap from this dataset.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a 1-carat diamond worth today?

A 1-carat natural round diamond in the mainstream buying band (G–H–I color, VS1–SI1 clarity, Very Good cut or better) has a fair market price of $3,540 as of September 2026, with most listings between $3,010 and $4,100. The quality ladder above shows what each grade band costs today. Lab-grown of the same specification is $670 — about 81% less than natural. Figures come from The Diamond Price’s 500,000+ listing retail index and update daily.

Why do diamond prices increase exponentially with carat size?

Diamond prices scale exponentially with carat because large gem-quality rough is exponentially rarer than small rough. A 2-carat diamond costs 4–5× a 1-carat ($22,000–$28,000 vs $4,000–$6,000 at matched quality). A 3-carat costs 13–15× a 1-carat. Only about 1 in 1,000,000 rough diamonds yields a polished 3-carat+ stone of gem quality — this scarcity is what drives the curve.

What color and clarity grade offers the best value?

G-H color paired with VS2 clarity is the market-observed value sweet spot. G-H appears colorless when mounted in white gold or platinum and costs 25–40% less than D-E. VS2 is eye-clean in 90–95% of stones and costs 40–50% less than FL/IF. Together at 1 carat, the G/VS2 combination lists at $4,500–$6,000 versus $8,000–$15,000 for D/IF — a saving of $3,500–$9,000 for a difference imperceptible without 10× magnification.

How much less do fancy shapes cost than round?

Fancy shapes cost 15–35% less than round at the same specification. At 1 carat G/VS2 Excellent: oval $3,200–$4,800 (20–25% less), cushion $2,800–$4,200 (25–30% less), emerald $2,600–$3,900 (30–35% less), princess $3,000–$4,500 (25–30% less). Round is priced highest because round cutting produces the most rough waste. Elongated shapes (oval, pear, marquise) also appear 10–25% larger face-up at the same carat weight.

How much cheaper are lab-grown diamonds than natural in 2026?

Lab-grown diamonds cost 60–85% less than natural in 2026, and the gap is widening. At 1 carat G/VS2 Excellent: lab-grown $800–$1,500 vs natural $4,000–$6,000 (save $3,200–$4,500). At 2 carats: $3,500–$6,000 vs $22,000–$28,000 (save $18,000–$22,000). At 3 carats: $7,000–$11,000 vs $50,000–$80,000 (save $52,000–$67,000). Lab-grown are chemically identical to natural — the difference is origin.

How much can I save by buying just below whole carat weights?

Buying at 0.90–0.99ct instead of 1.00ct saves 10–15% ($500–$900) with no visible size difference. At the 2-carat threshold, buying 1.90–1.99ct saves 12–18% ($2,500–$5,000). At 3 carats, buying 2.80–2.99ct saves 15–20% ($10,000–$15,000). These “magic weight” premiums exist because whole-carat stones command a psychological premium in the retail market.

Do diamond prices fluctuate through the year?

Retail diamond prices are relatively stable through the year (roughly ±2–3% at like-for-like specification), but retailer inventory clearing creates predictable soft windows. The softest windows in 2026 have been January–February (post-holiday), late July through mid-August (post-Father’s Day), and Black Friday / Cyber Monday. The tightest windows are November–December, February (pre-Valentine’s), and May–June (wedding season).

How accurate is this price chart?

The chart is built from 500,000+ real retail listings from our authorized US retail partners, deduplicated by certificate number and refreshed daily. Reported figures are medians over a trailing 90-day window and reflect the middle 80% of prices (P10–P90) after outlier filtering. Individual diamonds within a cell can list 20% above or below the range depending on inclusion placement, fluorescence, and cut proportions — specifications that do not appear in the top-line 4C summary.

How does this chart compare to Rapaport or IDEX pricing?

The Rapaport Diamond Price List and the IDEX Online Diamond Index track dealer-to-dealer wholesale pricing and are the standard reference for the trade. This chart tracks U.S. online retail listings, which typically price above wholesale by the retailer’s margin. We have not directly compared our movement to Rapaport or IDEX for the current period, so we're not asserting they move together — what we can say with confidence is our own tracked figure: natural down 14.1% year-to-date on our data as of September 14, 2026.

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