LAB-GROWN DIAMONDS have become one of the most polarizing products in jewelry retail. And according to INSTORE’s January Brain Squad survey, that tension isn’t going away — jewelers are profiting from lab-growns even as many remain philosophically opposed to selling them.
The numbers tell a conflicted story. When asked about the business impact of lab-grown diamonds, 61 percent of respondents reported a positive effect — with 44 percent calling it “strong positive” and another 17 percent saying “weak positive.” Only 19 percent saw a negative impact, while 20 percent remained neutral.
Yet when we asked those same jewelers to describe their feelings about lab diamonds in three words, the responses were anything but warm. “Sign of the apocalypse,” wrote one Illinois retailer. “Garbage, trash and s***,” said another from Texas. A Canadian jeweler offered a creatively censored verdict: “S_hit, sh_t, SHI_.”
Others were more measured in their disdain. “Substitute for cubics,” said a Calgary retailer. “Costume jewelry,” wrote a New Jersey jeweler. “For poor people,” offered one from New York.
On the other side, enthusiasts made their case just as bluntly. “Love. Those. Moneymakers!” wrote a Pennsylvania jeweler. “Sell, sell, sell,” said one from North Carolina. A Wisconsin retailer summed it up: “Lovely, perfect, easy.”
The pragmatic middle ground may have been best captured by a Virginia Beach jeweler: “We are selling them at a good profit, but kind of ‘hold my nose’ in doing so.”
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Most Jewelers Aren’t Panicking
When it comes to the future of natural diamonds, most jewelers aren’t panicking. Just over half — 51 percent — said they don’t worry that lab-growns are threatening naturals, while 25 percent said “possibly” and just 18 percent expressed genuine concern.
INSTORE Brain Squad Survey: January 2026, 115 responses
Consumer confusion is another matter. Asked whether lab-growns are creating confusion among buyers — specifically around the idea that “both are the same, only the price is different” — 42 percent of jewelers said yes. Another 32 percent acknowledged some confusion but said it wasn’t at a worrying level, while 25 percent saw no confusion at all.
As one Lake Havasu City retailer put it: “Cat’s outta the bag, so embrace them.” Or as four separate jewelers said, with varying degrees of resignation: “Here to stay.”
The takeaway? Lab-grown diamonds are firmly in the product mix right now, and numerous jewelers have found a way to profit from them. But the market hasn’t finished having its say — one jeweler already sees “a two-tier market now: lab for fashion or young buyers.” If that split continues, lab-growns could land squarely in discount territory, following the lead of former diamond substitutes like cubic zirconia or moissanite, while natural diamonds become the higher-end signal.
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