Most Popular Lab-Grown Diamonds By Category
Which lab-grown diamonds are the most popular by category? These man-made stones are fairly new in the engagement ring scene, making them a mystery to some buyers. Mostly favored for their lower price points and eco-friendly properties, lab-grown diamonds have quickly risen in the ranks of center stone favorites for Lauren B clients.
What is a Lab-Grown Diamond?
Since introducing lab-grown diamonds to the Lauren B inventory, clients who previously didn’t anticipate being able to buy a diamond ring are now able to do so.
To set the record straight (again), lab-grown diamonds are just as real as natural, mined diamonds. The only difference in the stone is where it was formed. Natural diamonds were formed over 1-3 billion years ago, deep in the Earth’s mantle. They were then thrust into the Earth’s surface through volcanic eruptions, traveling with the magma, where miners have been finding them for centuries.
Lab-grown diamonds are still 100% real diamonds, but without the billion-year waiting period for one to form. Just like natural diamonds, lab-grown diamonds start out as pure carbon and undergo extreme heat and pressure. The only difference? These carbon atoms are going through this process in a lab and fully mature into diamonds after 6-12 weeks.
Most Popular…
Since introducing lab-grown diamonds to the Lauren B inventory, clients who previously didn’t anticipate being able to buy a diamond ring are now able to do so. For natural diamonds, with an increase in carat size comes an exponential increase in price as well. With lab-grown diamonds, the price increase per carat is not nearly as steep. The same goes for color range, clarity, and shape.
Since lab-grown diamonds are the perfect answer to “how to get more for your money,” here are the most popular lab-grown diamonds by category.
By Carat Weight Range
The most popular carat weight range for Lauren B clients interested in lab-grown diamonds is 2.00-2.99ct with a whopping 50% of all lab-grown clients buying a diamond within this range. In comparison, the most popular carat weight range for natural diamond clients is under 2ct.
2.20ct Lab-Grown Radiant Diamond Solitaire Ring
1.81ct Radiant Cut Diamond Super Slim Band Ring
Coming in second is a tie between 1.7-1.99ct and 3.0-3.99ct. 15.4% of clients chose a lab-grown diamond at the end of the 1ct range and another 15.4% of clients chose a lab-grown diamond in the 3ct range.
Third on the list is 2.21-2.49ct, with 14.1% of Lauren B clients opting for a lab-grown diamond in this range.
By Color
When it comes to diamond color, the ideal range for most clients is D-F, also referred to as colorless. The next best range is G-J, also referred to as near colorless. If you think you need a little refresher on how color in diamonds works, watch our IGTV about it!
Like other factors, the higher up on the color spectrum you go, the pricier the stone becomes. Unlike natural diamonds, however, finding a lab-grown diamond that is colorless or near colorless is easier and won’t cost as much. At Lauren B, we only carry natural and lab-grown diamonds in the D-J range to ensure our clients are getting the best diamond for their money.
Not shocking, the most popular color range for Lauren B clients buying lab-grown diamonds is D-F, or colorless, with nearly 71% of clients opting for these stones in this range. In comparison, only 49.2% of natural diamond clients purchase a stone in the D-F color range. 48.9% purchase a stone G-J, and about 1.5% purchase a fancy color natural diamond.
The most popular color between both lab-grown and natural diamond clients is F color.
1.40 carat Antique Cushion Diamond Three-Stone Ring
By Clarity
You would think because lab-grown diamonds are man-made that they wouldn’t have inclusions. However, that is not the case. While the inclusion spectrum goes to I3, the Lauren B inventory only carries loose stones to SI2.
Unlike other factors, diamond clarity popularity isn’t as harshly divided… so I’m just going to give you all the stats.
36.2% of lab-grown clients purchase a diamond with VS2 clarity.
34% of lab-grown clients purchase a diamond with VS1 clarity.
15.4% of lab-grown clients purchase a diamond with VVS2 clarity.
12.1% of lab-grown clients purchase a diamond with SI1 clarity.
2.0% of lab-grown clients purchase a diamond with VVS1 clarity.
2.10ct Pear Shape Lab Diamond Pave Engagement Ring
Similarly, with natural diamond clients, the most popular clarity option is VS2.
3.26 ct Pear Shape Diamond Triple-Row Engagement Ring
By Cut
If you need a refresher on the Top 6 Shapes of 2021, they are Oval, Radiant, Round, Cushion, Pear, and Emerald. Luckily, the same order goes for lab-grown and natural diamonds!
28.2% of all lab-grown clients have purchased an oval lab-grown diamond as compared to 25.6% of natural diamond clients who have purchased an oval natural diamond. 27.5% of all lab-grown clients have purchased a radiant lab-grown diamond as compared to 19.3% of natural diamond clients who have purchased an oval natural diamond.
3.20ct Lab Grown Oval Diamond Signature Wrap Engagement Ring
2.30ct Oval Diamond Solitaire Engagement Ring
3.06ct Lab Grown Radiant Cut Diamond Engagement Ring
3.50ct Radiant Cut Diamond Double Signature Wrap Ring
Would You Buy a Lab-Grown Diamond?
There has been a lot of debate, especially in our Instagram comments, about the differences between natural and lab-grown diamonds and whether or not our clients would like a lab-grown diamond ring.
Some people, even faced with the facts, still believe lab-grown diamonds aren’t real diamonds and wouldn’t want a ring with a lab-grown center stone. To that, we say to each their own.
So, what would you do?
