Do Lab Grown Diamonds Hold Their Value? An Honest Answer

No, not in money terms. A lab grown diamond keeps its hardness and sparkle for life, but it resells for little, and the price of new lab diamonds has fallen fast: the retail price of a 1 carat lab grown diamond dropped by more than 76% between early 2020 and mid 2025, according to diamond analyst Edahn Golan. Buy one because you love it and will wear it, not as an investment.

We make lab grown diamond jewelry, so we would rather say this plainly before you buy than have you find out later. Below are the real price figures, why resale value is low, and what Ronora gives you in place of a buyback.

How far lab grown diamond prices have fallen

Edahn Golan Diamond Research & Data tracks lab grown diamond prices. Its Lab-Grown Diamond Statistics page, last updated in August 2026, gives these figures.

The two wholesale percentages are our own sums from Edahn Golan's dollar figures. Wholesale is what jewelers pay for loose stones, so it is the clearest sign of what the stone itself is worth today.

Why a lab grown diamond resells for so little

When you sell a used diamond, the buyer compares it with a new one at today's price. Lab grown diamonds keep getting cheaper to make, so a stone bought a few years ago competes with new stones that cost far less. That is why a resale offer on a lab grown diamond is usually a small part of what you paid.

Mined diamonds are not a safe store of value either. A shop that buys a used diamond has to resell it at a profit, so even a mined stone usually fetches well below its shop price. If you want an investment, a diamond of any kind is a poor one.

None of this changes what the stone is. A lab grown diamond is real diamond. GIA describes it as having "nearly the same chemical, optical and physical properties as natural diamonds" (GIA 4Cs), and like a mined diamond it scores 10 on the Mohs hardness scale.

So why buy a lab grown diamond?

Buy it to wear it. An engagement ring or a pair of studs earns its keep on your hand or your ears, every day, for years. The lower price simply lets you choose the size and metal you actually want.

For example, our round pave engagement ring with a 1 carat lab grown diamond in 14K gold is $1,200, and with a 2 carat center it is $1,650 (regular prices, checked on October 26, 2026). You can see more styles in our lab grown diamond engagement rings.

A sensible rule: spend an amount you are comfortable never getting back, the way you would on a wedding dress or a special trip. If a falling resale value would bother you, choose a smaller stone and put the difference toward the metal, the setting or your savings.

What Ronora offers instead of a buyback

We do not buy back pieces, and we have no trade-in or upgrade program. Here is what we do give you, in writing:

• Lifetime warranty on manufacturing defects. If a fault comes from how the piece was made, we repair or replace it free; you send the piece to us. Wear from daily use, knocks, and stones lost through impact are repaired at a price we quote first.
• A jewelry certificate with every gold (SGL) and platinum (ITPL) piece. It records the stones, their total weight and the metal purity, and you can check its number on the lab's website.
• An IGI report for every lab grown diamond of 1 carat or more. It grades that stone on its own, and you can check the report number on IGI's website.
• 15-day returns and exchanges on listed pieces, rings made to your size included, if the piece is unworn and in its original packaging. Custom designs and engraved pieces are final sale.
• One free resize within 6 months of purchase, where the design allows.

The full terms are on our return and exchange policy page. To see which rings come with an IGI report for the center stone, browse our rings with IGI reports.

Planning a full set? Our oval bridal set pairs an oval solitaire with two matching bands, from $1,220 (regular price, checked on October 26, 2026). For a wider view, read are lab grown diamond rings worth it? and lab grown diamond vs natural diamond.

Shop the pieces in this guide

Round Pave Engagement RingFrom $640 in 925 silver Oval Bridal SetFrom $1,220 in 925 silver Oval SolitaireFrom $540 in 925 silver Four Prong Round StudsFrom $440 in 925 silver

Regular prices, checked on October 27, 2026.

Questions? WhatsApp us about size, metal or price for any piece in this guide.

Frequently asked questions

Do lab grown diamonds have any resale value?

A little, but not much. New lab grown diamonds keep getting cheaper, so a used one sells for a small part of its original price, if you can find a buyer at all. Plan as if the money you spend on the stone will not come back.

Will lab grown diamond prices keep falling?

No one can say for sure. Edahn Golan's figures show wholesale prices for 1 carat stones going from about $1,800 per carat in mid 2018 to about $80 in mid 2026. Choose a size and price you will be happy with even if new stones get cheaper.

Does Ronora buy back or upgrade lab grown diamonds?

No. Ronora has no buyback, trade-in or upgrade program. We offer a lifetime warranty on manufacturing defects, a jewelry certificate with every gold (SGL) and platinum (ITPL) piece, an IGI report for every lab grown diamond of 1 carat or more, and 15-day returns on listed pieces.

Is a lab grown diamond still a real diamond if it is worth less?

Yes. Price and material are separate things. A lab grown diamond is carbon in the same crystal structure as a mined diamond, it scores 10 on the Mohs hardness scale, and a standard diamond tester reads it as diamond.

Do mined diamonds hold their value better?

Usually somewhat better, but most mined diamonds still resell for well below what the buyer paid in a shop. Neither kind is a reliable investment, so choose the one you would be happiest to wear.