Engagement Rings
Lab Diamond vs Mined Diamond Price Comparison
Real Canadian prices, carat by carat, for diamonds of the same cut, colour and clarity.
The Short Answer
A lab diamond costs a fraction of a mined diamond with the same cut, colour and clarity. At Quorri, a 1 carat round lab diamond graded D to F colour and VS1 to VVS1 clarity is $999 to $1,299 CAD. A mined diamond of the same grade typically starts around $10,000.
Both are real diamonds, made of pure carbon and rated 10 on the Mohs scale. The difference is where they come from, and that's what shapes the price.
Lab Diamond vs Mined Diamond Prices in Canada
Round brilliant, ideal cut, D to F colour, VS1 to VVS1 clarity. Prices in CAD.
| Carat weight | Quorri lab diamond | Mined diamond | You save at least |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.00 ct | $999 – $1,299 | $10,000 – $19,000 | 87% |
| 1.50 ct | $1,499 – $1,999 | $19,000 – $41,000 | 89% |
| 2.00 ct | $1,699 – $2,199 | $41,000 – $90,000 | 94% |
| 2.50 ct | $1,999 – $2,499 | $62,000 – $135,000 | 95% |
| 3.00 ct | $2,299 – $2,699 | $88,000 – $200,000 | 96% |
1.00 ctSave 87%+
Quorri lab diamond$999 – $1,299
Mined diamond$10,000 – $19,000
1.50 ctSave 89%+
Quorri lab diamond$1,499 – $1,999
Mined diamond$19,000 – $41,000
2.00 ctSave 94%+
Quorri lab diamond$1,699 – $2,199
Mined diamond$41,000 – $90,000
2.50 ctSave 95%+
Quorri lab diamond$1,999 – $2,499
Mined diamond$62,000 – $135,000
3.00 ctSave 96%+
Quorri lab diamond$2,299 – $2,699
Mined diamond$88,000 – $200,000
Mined diamond prices are approximate Canadian retail ranges for GIA-graded natural diamonds of the same cut, colour and clarity, based on published 2026 market data. Lab diamond prices reflect current Quorri pricing as of October 2026. Savings compare our highest lab price with the lowest mined price at each size.
Same Diamond, Different Origin
Price is the main difference. Here’s how a lab diamond and a mined diamond compare on everything else.
| Property | Lab diamond | Mined diamond |
|---|---|---|
| Composition | Pure carbon | Pure carbon |
| Hardness | 10 Mohs | 10 Mohs |
| Brilliance and fire | Identical | Identical |
| Grading | IGI certified | GIA or IGI certified |
| Origin | Grown in a lab | Mined from the earth |
| Conflict free | Always | Varies by source |
Why Lab Diamonds Cost So Much Less
Lab and mined diamonds are the same material. The price gap comes from how each one is made and how it reaches you.
Grown, Not Mined
A lab diamond grows from a tiny diamond seed using HPHT or CVD technology. These methods recreate the heat, pressure and carbon of the earth's mantle in a matter of weeks rather than billions of years.
There's no mine to build and no tonnes of earth to move, so the cost of creating each diamond is far lower.
A Shorter Path to You
A mined diamond can pass through miners, cutters, traders and wholesalers before it reaches a jewellery case, and each step adds to the price.
Lab diamonds move from grower to cutter to jeweller in far fewer steps, so more of your budget goes into the diamond itself.
Priced on Quality, Not Scarcity
Mined diamond prices have long been shaped by rarity and tightly controlled supply. Lab diamonds are priced on what you can actually see: cut, colour, clarity and carat.
You get the same brilliance without paying a premium for scarcity.
What You Pay For With a Mined Diamond
A mined diamond's price reflects more than the stone you see. Here's what's built into it.
The Cost of Mining
Finding and extracting natural diamonds takes heavy machinery, large-scale excavation and years of development. Those costs, along with the environmental footprint of mining, are built into the price of every mined stone.
Rarity and Tradition
A natural diamond formed over billions of years, and for some people that story is part of its meaning. Rarity is what the premium pays for, since a mined and a lab diamond of the same grade look the same to the eye and can only be told apart with specialized equipment.
What About Resale Value?
Neither mined nor lab diamonds are a reliable investment. Mined diamonds usually resell for well below their retail price, and lab diamonds have limited resale value.
We believe a diamond should be chosen for love, not as an asset. That's why our lifetime upgrade program lets your stone grow with your story.
Getting the Most From Your Budget
Same Budget, More Diamond
A budget of about $10,000 might buy a 1 carat mined diamond on its own. At Quorri, the same budget covers a 3 carat lab diamond of the same grade, set in a handcrafted solid gold ring.
Put Your Budget Where It Shows
Cut has the biggest effect on sparkle, so it's the last place to save. With the difference you save by choosing lab-grown, you can step up in colour, clarity or carat weight, or choose a more detailed setting.
Certified and Guaranteed
Each PURE® lab diamond is IGI certified, so you know exactly what you're getting. Every ring is handcrafted in Canada and backed by our Lifetime Guarantee.
Find Your Lab Diamond
Want the full picture beyond price? Our Canadian guide to lab-grown vs mined diamonds covers how they're made, how they're graded and what to look for.
You can also learn more about our PURE® lab diamonds or browse our lab diamond engagement rings.
DISCOVER OUR LAB DIAMOND COLLECTION
Lab Diamond Price Questions
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At Quorri, a 1 carat round lab diamond with an ideal cut, D to F colour and VS1 to VVS1 clarity is $999 to $1,299 CAD. A mined diamond of the same grade typically costs $10,000 to $19,000 CAD.
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For the same cut, colour and clarity, a lab diamond costs at least 87 percent less than a mined diamond. The gap grows with carat weight, and at 3 carats the savings are more than 95 percent.
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Yes. A lab diamond is made of pure carbon with the same crystal structure as a mined diamond. It rates 10 on the Mohs hardness scale, has the same brilliance and fire, and is graded on the same cut, colour, clarity and carat standards.
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Lab diamonds are grown in weeks rather than mined from the earth, and they reach you through a much shorter supply chain. They're priced on their quality rather than on rarity, so you pay for the diamond, not its scarcity.
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Lab diamonds have limited resale value, and mined diamonds usually resell for well below their retail price too. We recommend choosing a diamond for its beauty and meaning rather than as an investment. Our lifetime upgrade program lets you trade up as your story grows.
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Not by eye. A lab diamond and a mined diamond of the same grade look identical, even to a trained jeweller without specialized testing equipment. Certified lab diamonds also carry a tiny laser inscription on the girdle that matches their grading report.