Walk into a jewelry store today and ask to see a lab-grown diamond, and you might notice something subtle—but telling. A pause. A slight redirect. Maybe a polite “Are you sure?” before they nudge you toward a natural stone instead.
It’s not always about quality. It’s not always about tradition. Sometimes—it’s just about business.
The truth is, margins matter
In retail, everything is about markup. And in the diamond world, natural stones carry much higher margins than lab-grown diamonds. That means a jeweler makes way more money selling you a mined diamond than a lab one—even if the lab-grown is bigger, cleaner, and better value for you.
It’s not shady. It’s not evil. It’s just economics. Natural diamonds are harder to restock. There’s more variation, more complexity in sourcing, and more brand prestige tied to them. Lab-grown diamonds, on the other hand, are easier to produce at scale, prices are dropping fast, and competition is fierce. That means smaller profit for the seller.
Some jewelers just weren’t ready for the shift
Let’s be real: the rise of lab-grown diamonds happened faster than most of the industry expected. For decades, mined diamonds were the cornerstone of fine jewelry. Suddenly, lab-grown came in and disrupted that model—with transparency, affordability, and availability.
Many jewelers had inventory—millions tied up in natural stones. Others had long-standing supplier relationships. And lab-grown felt like a threat to everything they built. So instead of adapting quickly, some tried to resist the wave. They still do.
The education gap is real
Some jewelers genuinely don’t understand lab-grown diamonds well enough to sell them confidently. They may believe (or were taught) that lab diamonds are inferior. And even if that’s not true anymore, that perception lingers. If a salesperson doesn’t fully understand or believe in the product, they’re not going to pitch it with excitement.
So what ends up happening is a kind of gentle steering—away from lab-grown, toward natural. It’s not always malicious. It’s just old training meeting new demand.
But consumers are savvier now
This is where things get interesting. Today’s buyers are researching. They’re comparing GIA to IGI, checking brilliance in natural light, asking about origin. And they’re calling out the sales pitch. More people are asking jewelers directly: “Why are you only showing me mined diamonds?” And that question shifts the power dynamic.
Many buyers don’t want to be sold to—they want to be informed. And if a jeweler can’t be transparent about price, value, and origin? They’re going to lose the sale.
What good jewelers are doing differently
The best jewelers today give you both options—no bias, no pressure. They lay out the facts: here’s a natural diamond, here’s a lab-grown one. Same cut, same size. Here’s what’s different in price, value, resale, and energy footprint. They trust you to decide what matters most.
These are the jewelers who are winning in the long run—because they understand the customer is changing, and transparency is everything.
Will lab-grown diamonds ever be as profitable?
Maybe not in the traditional sense. But they’re bringing in a whole new wave of clients—especially younger, design-forward buyers who want ethical sourcing, modern settings, and smart luxury. And those clients? They don’t just buy one ring. They come back for gifts, upgrades, and custom designs. Lab-grown may have smaller margins upfront, but the lifetime value of those customers is huge.
Final word
If you ever feel like you’re being steered toward a mined diamond you didn’t ask for, don’t take it personally. Take it as a signal. Not about you—but about the system. Ask questions. Push back. And know that a truly great jeweler won’t care which option you choose—as long as you walk away happy, informed, and in love with what you’re wearing.