Whats is Lab Grown Diamonds Price: Excellent Cut vs Very Good Cut in the USA?

Author : Olivia Millar | Published On : 24 Oct 2026

Lab grown diamonds price is usually higher for an Excellent cut than for a Very Good cut because Excellent stones take more skill to cut, waste more rough crystal, and return more light. In the United States, one step on the cut grade scale can change the price of an otherwise identical lab grown diamond by roughly 5% to 15%, depending on size and seller.

At Precious Carbon, we help shoppers compare lab grown diamond rings, lab diamond rings, and other pieces of diamond jewelry so they know exactly what each grade is worth. Whether you are looking at lab grown engagement rings, lab grown diamond earrings, or a lab grown diamond tennis bracelet, the cut grade is one of the few choices that changes both sparkle and cost.

By the end of this guide you will understand why lab created diamonds are priced differently by cut grade, how to decide between Excellent and Very Good, and how to avoid paying for a difference your eyes cannot see.

What Is Lab Grown Diamonds Price for Excellent and Very Good Cut Stones, and Why Does It Matter?

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Lab grown diamonds price by cut grade is the difference in cost between stones graded Excellent and stones graded Very Good when their carat weight, color, and clarity are the same. It matters because the cut can change both the brilliance of a lab grown diamond and the amount you pay for it.

A lab grown diamond, also called a laboratory-grown diamond, lab diamond, lab manufactured diamond, or lab created diamonds in everyday shopping language, is graded with the same cut terms as a mined stone. GIA's grading system for standard round brilliant diamonds uses five cut grades, from Excellent down to Poor, and Excellent and Very Good are the two grades most buyers compare.

Buyers are comparing carefully. The Knot's 2025 Jewelry and Engagement Study reported that lab grown diamonds made up 52% of engagement ring center stones purchased in 2024, so small price differences between cut grades now affect a very large share of ring buyers.

Excellent Cut vs. Very Good Cut: What's the Difference?

The table below compares the two grades for a round lab grown diamond. Figures are indicative 2026 U.S. ranges and will vary by seller, size, and certificate.

Aspect	Excellent Cut	Very Good Cut
Light performance	Maximum brilliance, fire, and scintillation	Strong sparkle, slightly less light return in some stones
Cutting precision	Tightest proportions, polish, and symmetry	Slightly wider tolerances, still well made
Rough weight kept	Lower; more of the crystal is cut away	Higher; more carat weight from the same rough
Typical price	Higher, a premium of roughly 5% to 15%	Lower for the same carat, color, and clarity
Visible to the eye	Best light return, most noticeable in larger stones	Often looks nearly identical in face-up view
Precious Carbon guidance	Our top pick for engagement ring center stones	Our smart pick for earrings, side stones, and budget-focused rings

Why Does Cut Grade Change the Price of a Lab Grown Diamond?

Cut grade changes price because it changes how much work goes into a stone and how much of the original crystal remains. Lab diamonds are grown to similar chemical standards, so cut is one of the biggest ways two stones of the same carat, color, and clarity end up with different price tags.

How Does Cut Quality Work?

Cut quality measures how well a diamond's facets, angles, and finish work together to bring light back to your eye. A well-cut lab grown diamond reflects light cleanly from the top, while a weaker cut lets some light leak out of the sides or bottom.

Proportions

Table size, crown angle, pavilion depth, and overall depth control how light travels inside the stone. Excellent grades require these measurements to stay within a tight range.

Polish and Symmetry

Polish describes how smooth the facets are, and symmetry describes how evenly they line up. Both are part of the final cut grade on many certificates.

Rough Weight Yield

A cutter can keep more weight by cutting a little deeper or wider, which often leads to a Very Good grade. Cutting for an Excellent grade can mean removing more of the crystal, and that lost weight is a major reason the Excellent stone costs more per finished carat.

What Is a Cut Grade on a Certificate and Why Does It Matter?

A cut grade is the lab's rating of how well a diamond was cut, and it appears on the grading report alongside color, clarity, and carat weight. GIA assigns a cut grade to standard round brilliants, while IGI also reports cut grades on many other shapes, so always check what the report actually says.

Precious Carbon encourages buyers to read the cut line first. When we help a customer compare two lab grown diamond ring options, we start by showing how the cut grade, proportions, and price line up.

A trustworthy certificate should let you verify at least:

Cut grade, such as Excellent, Very Good, or Ideal where the lab uses it.
Polish and symmetry grades, which support the overall cut.
Table percentage and total depth percentage.
Carat weight, color, and clarity, so you compare like with like.
A report number you can look up with the grading lab.

Are Very Good Cut Lab Grown Diamonds Real Diamonds?

Yes. A lower cut grade does not make a stone less real or less genuine. Both Excellent and Very Good lab grown diamonds are diamonds with the same crystal structure and hardness.

Are Lab Grown Diamonds Real Diamonds?

Are lab grown diamonds real? Yes. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission's Jewelry Guides recognize a lab grown diamond as a diamond, as long as the seller clearly discloses how it was made. A lab grown diamond is a real diamond with a different origin.

Is a Lab Grown Diamond a Real Diamond?

Is a lab grown diamond a real diamond? It is, because it is made of crystallized carbon just like a mined stone. When shoppers ask are lab grown diamonds real diamonds, the honest answer is yes, and the only difference is where and how the stone formed.

Are Man-Made Diamonds Real?

Are man-made diamonds real? Yes. Man made diamonds vs real diamonds is a common search, but a man-made diamond grown in a lab is a real diamond. The term fake diamonds applies to simulants such as cubic zirconia or moissanite, which are different materials and are not lab diamonds.

Lab Grown vs. Natural Diamond: Does Cut Grade Pricing Work the Same Way?

Cut grade affects the price of both types, but the starting prices are very different. When people compare lab grown diamonds vs natural diamonds, they usually find the difference between lab grown and natural diamonds is mostly origin and price, not appearance.

You will see the same question phrased many ways, including lab grown vs natural diamonds, lab grown diamonds vs natural, lab grown diamonds versus natural, lab vs natural diamond, and lab grown diamond vs natural. Each one points to the same trade-off: a lab diamond vs natural diamond of the same grade looks alike, but a lab grown stone costs far less.

Others search lab grown diamonds vs real, lab diamonds vs real diamonds, lab grown diamonds vs real diamonds, lab grown vs real diamond, or lab diamonds vs real. These phrases can be misleading, because a lab grown diamond is itself a real diamond. A fair comparison is between lab grown and natural, and between a real diamond mined from the earth and a real diamond grown in a lab.

In short, a diamond real diamond label belongs to both types, and real diamonds from either source can be graded Excellent or Very Good. The price premium for Excellent cut is a percentage on top of a much lower base price for lab grown stones.

How to Choose Between Excellent and Very Good Cut: Step-by-Step

Follow these steps to decide which cut grade gives you the best lab grown diamonds price for your piece of jewelry.

Set your total budget: decide what you can spend on the stone and the setting combined.
Pick the jewelry type: an engagement ring center stone deserves more attention to cut than a small side stone or earring.
Compare certificates: ask for the grading report and compare proportions, polish, and symmetry, not just the grade name.
Compare two stones side by side: look at an Excellent and a Very Good stone in person or in high-resolution video if you can.
Test the savings: if a Very Good stone saves enough to move up in carat weight, such as from 1.5 to a 2 carat lab grown diamond, the larger stone may be worth it.
Check the return policy: choose a seller that allows returns so you can confirm the sparkle yourself.

Precious Carbon can guide you through step three and step five by showing certified stones with clear grading details, so you can see what each grade means for your budget.

Excellent Cut vs Very Good Cut Lab Grown Diamonds Price by Size in 2026

The dollar gap between the two grades grows as the diamond gets larger. These are indicative U.S. ranges for round, near-colorless, eye-clean stones.

Carat Weight	Excellent Cut (approx.)	Very Good Cut (approx.)	Typical Gap
1 carat	$700 to $1,200	$600 to $1,050	$100 to $150
2 carats	$2,200 to $4,500	$1,900 to $4,000	$300 to $500
3 carats	$4,000 to $9,000	$3,500 to $8,000	$500 to $1,000

Ranges are estimates based on 2026 market trends and vary by seller, shape, color, and clarity. Always compare a specific certified stone before buying.

A 2 carat lab grown diamond is a good example. The Excellent-to-Very Good gap may be a few hundred dollars, which can be better spent on a stronger setting or a higher clarity grade if the Very Good stone looks just as bright.

Which Cut Grade Suits Different Types of Lab Grown Diamond Jewelry?

The best grade depends on what you are buying, since stone size and how closely people look at it differ across diamond jewelry.

Lab Grown Engagement Rings

For a lab grown engagement ring, Excellent cut is usually worth the premium because the center stone is the focal point. This applies to a lab grown diamond engagement ring, lab diamond engagement rings, lab created diamond engagement rings, and any engagement ring lab created diamond. If you are browsing engagement rings lab grown, or lab grown diamonds engagement rings and lab grown diamond engagement rings in general, start with Excellent and then test whether Very Good is close enough.

Everyday Rings and Other Ring Styles

A lab grown diamond ring for daily wear, a lab diamond ring, or a stack of lab grown diamond rings can use Very Good cut stones to save money without much visible change. The same holds for lab made diamond rings, lab created diamond rings, laboratory made diamond rings, and lab produced diamonds rings, where side stones and accent stones are small. Many shoppers also search lab grown diamonds rings, and the same logic applies.

Earrings and Tennis Bracelets

Lab grown diamond earrings and a lab grown diamond tennis bracelet use many small stones, so a Very Good grade is a practical way to keep the total cost down. Lab grown diamond jewelry and lab diamond jewelry in this category often look equally lively when worn.

The Future of Lab Grown Diamonds Price by Cut Grade: Trends to Watch

Cut-grade pricing keeps shifting as more producers enter the market and as buyers become more informed.

Better Cutting Technology

Modern scanning and cutting tools help cutters reach Excellent proportions with less waste, which can narrow the price gap over time.

How Will Falling Prices Change the Excellent vs Very Good Decision?

As the overall lab grown diamonds price keeps falling, the dollar gap between Excellent and Very Good will likely shrink, making Excellent easier to afford. That said, prices vary by seller and no one can guarantee future trends.

Precious Carbon keeps cut grade front and center so you can see how each grade affects the lab grown diamonds price before you commit.

Conclusion

Lab grown diamonds price differs between Excellent and Very Good cut because Excellent stones require tighter proportions, more careful cutting, and often lose more rough weight, even though both grades are real diamonds.

Key takeaways from this guide:

Excellent cut usually costs about 5% to 15% more than Very Good for otherwise identical stones.
Both grades are real diamonds, and the cut grade has no bearing on whether a stone is lab grown or natural.
Excellent is best for engagement ring center stones; Very Good can be a smart value for earrings, bracelets, and side stones.
Always compare the certificate, not just the grade name.

Ready to compare? Explore certified lab grown diamonds at Precious Carbon and find the cut grade that fits your budget and your style today.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is lab grown diamonds price higher for Excellent cut than Very Good cut?

Excellent cut lab grown diamonds cost more because they require tighter proportions, finer polish, and more careful cutting, and the cutter often removes more of the original crystal. That lost weight and extra labor raise the cost per finished carat compared with a Very Good cut of the same color and clarity.

How much more does an Excellent cut lab grown diamond cost?

In the USA, an Excellent cut typically costs about 5% to 15% more than a Very Good cut with the same carat, color, and clarity. The dollar difference grows with size, from roughly a hundred dollars at one carat to several hundred dollars at larger sizes.

Can I see the difference between Excellent and Very Good cut?

Often not by eye alone. A well-made Very Good stone can look almost the same face-up, especially in smaller sizes or in earrings. Differences are more noticeable in larger center stones, which is why comparing certificates and viewing stones side by side is helpful.

How Does Precious Carbon Help With Lab Grown Diamonds Price and Cut Grade?

Precious Carbon helps buyers understand how Excellent and Very Good cut grades affect lab grown diamonds price by explaining the certificate details and showing certified stones clearly. That makes it easier to choose the cut that gives you the sparkle you want without paying for differences you cannot see.

Are Very Good cut lab grown diamonds a good value?

They can be. A Very Good cut often gives strong sparkle at a lower price and may let you step up in carat weight. For an engagement ring center stone many buyers still prefer Excellent, while Very Good works well for earrings and side stones.