Interactive guide

How Big a Diamond Does
My Budget Buy?

Drag the slider to see exactly what carat size your budget gets you, in both natural and lab-grown diamonds. The difference is significant and worth understanding before you walk into any jeweller.

All figures assume a round brilliant cut, standard gold setting, and a stone with good cut quality and certification (GIA or equivalent). Prices are approximate London market averages at time of writing. Lab-grown prices have fallen significantly in recent years.

Your budget
£5,000
£1,000 £5,000 £10,000 £15,000+
Natural diamond
0.90ct
Lab-grown diamond
2.00ct
Natural diamond
0.90ct
VS2 clarity · G colour · excellent cut

A premium natural stone with strong provenance and GIA certification.

Lab-grown diamond
2.00ct
VVS clarity · E–F colour · excellent cut

Visually identical to a natural stone worth multiples of your budget.

At £5,000, lab grown gives you more than twice the stone for the same money. Both are excellent quality with GIA certification. The only difference is origin.
Take the full quiz → Understanding the 4Cs → Setting a realistic budget →