Lab-Grown Diamonds Continue to Disrupt Industry in 2025 – BriteCo

Improved manufacturing, a change in buyer preferences, price declines and a Covid-19 inflation spike have all contributed to an increase in the popularity of lab-grown diamonds over the past five years, according to a recent report from BriteCo.

Some 42% of all diamond jewelry sold contained lab-grown diamonds, including 48% of engagement rings and 22% of other jewelry types, the report revealed. In 2025, a natural 1-carat diamond cost on average $4,200, with a typical range of $3,000 and $6,000. The average price of a lab-grown 1-carat diamond was around $1,000 or less, the jewelry insurer observed.

Additionally, lab-grown diamonds have affected engagement-ring styles. As consumers bought bigger stones, they opted for higher quality and shifted away from rounds, the report said. In 2025, oval was the most popular shape for lab-grown diamonds.

The average size of a lab-grown center diamond for an engagement ring also increased from 1.31 to 2.45 carats between 2019 and 2025, BriteCo explained.

The insurance company predicted that moving forward, natural-diamond producers would increase their marketing, lab-grown diamonds might become their own category of jewelry and consumers may start choosing natural diamonds for engagement rings again. It also forecast that fancy-colored lab-grown diamonds could become more popular because of their affordability and advances in technology.

Image: Lab-grown diamonds. (Shutterstock)