Lab-Grown Diamond Wholesale Prices in 2026: What Buyers Should Expect in the Next 12 Months

Wholesale pricing in lab-grown diamonds has spent two years falling, and 2026 opened with the decline still in progress — but with visible signs of stabilization. For buyers, the question is no longer “will prices fall” but “how should I buy in a falling market.”

What the Latest Wholesale Data Shows

According to the latest Lab Diamond Wholesale Price List published by industry analyst Edahn Golan (reported May 2026):

• Global polished lab-grown diamond wholesale prices fell 14% year-over-year in Q1 2026.

• 1-carat round polished prices declined 15% year-over-year.

• 3-carat round polished prices declined 28% year-over-year — still the weakest category, though the drop has clearly decelerated from the 40%+ declines of the same period a year earlier.

• SI-clarity goods have been removed from the benchmark price list as producers shift toward better quality — a quiet but meaningful signal that the supply side is trading volume for grade.

On the rough side, jewelry-grade CVD rough in the Dubai and India markets has traded around USD 20–25 per carat, with loss-making transactions reported — upstream is absorbing pain that retail has not yet seen.

What This Means for Buyers

1. Deceleration is not bottom. The narrowing of year-over-year declines suggests the steepest part of the curve is behind us, but no analyst in the current cycle is calling a hard floor. Buy for seasonal demand, not for speculation.

2. Size matters more than ever. Large goods (3 ct+) carry the steepest declines and the highest volatility; calibrated melee and 1–2 ct centers show gentler curves. Weight your assortment accordingly.

3. Quality tiers are being redrawn. With SI removed from benchmark lists, expect clearer segmentation between premium graded goods and commodity parcels. Lock your grade standards with suppliers now, before the market re-prices quality tiers.

4. Inventory discipline beats price timing. In a declining market, the winning strategy is shorter inventory cycles and staggered orders — not waiting for the perfect bottom.

From Our Side of the Table

Falling wholesale prices raise the value of supplier reliability: consistent grading, dated delivery, and price validity windows become the real differentiators. 

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