Good for IGI-graded round stones from $388, with settings from $430
Friendly Diamonds round lab stones, 1 carat
- 1.00-1.10 ct, Oct 7
- From $388 (IGI)
- Setting (Oct 5)
- From $430
- Ring total
- About $818 at minimum prices
1 carat lab-grown, Oct 7, 2026
What a 1 carat lab-grown diamond costs
- From $360
- Clean Origin, 1.00 ct D VS2 round (Oct 2)
- From $388
- Friendly Diamonds, 1.00-1.10 ct round, IGI (Oct 7)
Merchant listings, read October 2 and 7, 2026. See source
On this page
Key facts
- Clean Origin listed a 1.00 ct round D VS2 laboratory-grown stone at $360 on October 2, 20262.
- Friendly Diamonds' cheapest 1.00-1.10 ct round on October 7 was $388, with an IGI report on every stone1.
- Stone plus the cheapest Friendly Diamonds setting: about $818 before tax on October 7 prices15.
- Friendly Diamonds is not always the cheapest at 1 carat: Clean Origin was $28 lower on October 22.
- Every Friendly Diamonds listing showed a crossed-out price about 30% above the sale price. The sale price is what you pay1.
Where to start
| If you are asking | Start with | Link |
|---|---|---|
| What is the cheapest 1 ct lab stone? | From $360 to $388 in what we read | See table |
| What will the full ring cost? | Stone from $388, setting from $430 | Ring cost |
| Lab vs natural at 1 carat? | About 10-18% of the natural price | See matched pairs |
| Is the grade spread worth it? | FD ran from D to F, VS2 to IF at $388-$450 | Read more |
What we read at 1 carat
Clean Origin, October 2, 2026. The lowest-price listing we saw at 1 carat was a 1.00 ct round D VS2 Very Good cut at $360 on Clean Origin2. Friendly Diamonds' cheapest was $388 on October 7 - Clean Origin was cheaper on that comparison date12.
Friendly Diamonds, October 7, 2026. Filtering to 1.00-1.10 carats, the cheapest round was $388 and prices ran to $727 for higher grades and cuts. Every stone on the listing showed an IGI report. Friendly Diamonds also showed a crossed-out figure on each stone, consistently about 30% above the sale price; the sale price is what you pay1.
Brilliant Earth, October 2, 2026. Our read found very few lab-grown rounds between 0.90 and 1.09 carats at Brilliant Earth; the median for those was about $475, but the small sample means this is a starting reference only4.
Why Friendly Diamonds at 1 carat? Not the lowest stone price, but it offers stone plus setting from one jeweler in one basket. A $388 stone with the cheapest $430 setting is about $818 before tax, and the 30-day return window applies to both156.
1 carat laboratory-grown diamond examples
| Stone | Price | Report | Merchant | Read |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Round, 1.00 ct, D, VS2, Very Good2 | $360 | Not stated | Clean Origin | Oct 2, 2026 |
| Round, 1.00-1.10 ct (cheapest listed)1 | $388 | IGI | Friendly Diamonds | Oct 7, 2026 |
| Round, 1.00-1.10 ct (price range)1 | $388-$727 | IGI | Friendly Diamonds | Oct 7, 2026 |
| Round, 0.90-1.09 ct (median, small sample)4 | ~$475 | IGI (most) | Brilliant Earth | Oct 2, 2026 |
| Source | Clean Origin, Oct 2Read Oct 2, 2026 | Friendly Diamonds, Oct 7Read Oct 7, 2026 | Brilliant Earth, Oct 2Read Oct 2, 2026 |
Friendly Diamonds shows every stone with a crossed-out original price; we record only the sale price. The Clean Origin figure was from Oct 2; Friendly Diamonds figures are from Oct 7. Prices change daily.
Adding the setting: what the full ring costs
The stone prices above are for the stone alone. A solitaire setting adds a separate charge. Friendly Diamonds' settings started at $430 as of October 5, 20265. A $388 stone plus the $430 setting is about $818 before tax, below the $1,000 threshold many budget guides use.
If you use a Brilliant Earth setting (from $650 on October 2), a 1 ct lab stone near $475 plus that setting would be about $1,1254. See setting prices for the full range.
Does the grade spread matter at 1 carat?
Friendly Diamonds' 1.00-1.10 ct round filter showed prices from $388 to $727 on October 7, with the spread driven by colour (D to F) and clarity (VS2 to internally flawless). The difference between a D VS2 and an F VS1 is small in a set stone at 1 carat, and many buyers cannot see it with the naked eye1.
IGI grades the stone before you buy. Ask for the report number and look it up on IGI's site (igi.org) before paying.
Resale value and falling prices
Laboratory-grown diamond resale values are low - industry estimates put them at 10 to 30% of purchase price8. Wholesale prices fell 13% year-over-year in Q2 2026 (Edahn Golan7). Buy a lab stone for its looks at the purchase price, not as an asset.
Friendly Diamonds' 30-day return window means you can return the stone if it's not right6. It is not price protection, but it gives time to inspect the stone carefully.
Browse 1 carat lab-grown stones
Blue Nile
Check prices on Blue NileOpens Blue Nile's site. Not a referral link.
Good for comparing natural and lab on one site, with a wide carat filter
Brilliant Earth lab-grown rounds
See rounds on Brilliant EarthOpens Brilliant Earth's site. Not a referral link.
Also on Brilliant Earth's site
1 carat lab diamond questions
Is Friendly Diamonds the cheapest at 1 carat?
Not always. Clean Origin listed a 1.00 ct D VS2 at $360 on October 2; Friendly Diamonds' cheapest was $388 on October 712. Prices change daily, so compare across jewelers on the day you buy.
What does the crossed-out price on Friendly Diamonds mean?
Every Friendly Diamonds stone shows a crossed-out original price, consistently about 30% above the sale price. The sale price is what you pay. Do not calculate savings from the crossed-out figure1.
What grading report do 1 ct lab stones carry?
All stones we read in the Friendly Diamonds 1 ct filter carried an IGI report1. Ask for the report number and verify it at igi.org before paying.
Will the price drop if I wait?
Wholesale lab-grown prices fell 13% year-over-year in Q2 2026 (Edahn Golan7). Retail prices follow wholesale, but timing is uncertain. A 30-day return window is not price protection.
Sources
- Friendly Diamonds round lab diamonds, 1.00-1.10 ct filter
- Lab grown diamonds (45,150 stones listed)
- Lab-grown diamonds
- Lab grown round diamonds
- Ring settings (225, from $430 to $5,020, Oct 5, 2026)
- Return policy (30 days from delivery)
- After a 96% decline, what's next for lab-grown diamond prices
- Lab-grown diamond resale value
- 16 CFR 23.12 (FTC Jewelry Guides)
About this page
We may be paid when you buy through links on this page.
We may be paid when you buy through links on this page.
Diamond listings change by the hour: stones sell, prices move and sales start and end. Every price here is the merchant's listed price on the date shown. The merchant's own page is the final word on price, availability and terms.
RingPrice Index does not sell jewelry, does not grade stones and does not take your details. We read merchants' public listing pages and report what they showed.
