Diamond Prices in 2026: The Honest Truth About Value
If you have read the headlines this year, you will know the diamond world is in flux. Mined diamond prices have come under heavy pressure, mining houses have cut prices and production, and lab grown diamonds keep growing their share. Here is what it means if you are buying today.
What is happening
- Lab grown prices have fallen as technology improved. Appraisal data shows the average lab grown price per carat roughly halved between 2019 and 2025.
- Demand has shifted. More than half of newly appraised engagement rings in early 2026 had a lab grown centre stone.
- The mined market is resetting. Oversupply and changing consumer preferences have pushed mined diamond prices down from their peaks.
What it means for you
Buy jewellery as jewellery, not as an investment. This has always been good advice, for mined and lab grown alike. Fine jewellery has a retail price that reflects design, craftsmanship, gold and service, and resale values are lower.
Pay for what you can see and feel. Colour, clarity, cut and solid gold are what make a piece beautiful and durable. Lab grown diamonds let you get more of all four.
Look for honest pricing. Our pricing is simple: no inflated "was" prices and no artificial sales. Every piece is listed at one fair NZD price, GST included.
The bottom line
The best value is a piece you love wearing for decades. A certified E–F, VVS–VS diamond in solid 14K gold, priced honestly, is a choice you will not second-guess.
Keep reading: Lab Grown vs Mined Diamonds: What Is Actually Different?
Our debut lab grown diamond collection, set in solid 14K gold, is coming soon to KlōT͟HiNG. Explore KlōT͟HiNG →