Diamond prices are about 70% below their 2011 all-time high and have reached their lowest level this century. The Bloomberg Diamond Standard Index, cited by Barchart, stands at 2,500, down from about 8,450 in 2011, and has broken a floor near 4,700 that held from 2005 to 2020, according to BeInCrypto. The IDEX polished diamond index has nearly halved since March 2022, from about 158 to around 80, while the U.S. diamond import price index was 97.6 in September, below its 2000 baseline of 100. Prices vary by stone: IDEX’s sub-index for 1-carat round diamonds is about 61, compared with roughly 149 for 5-carat emerald cuts.

Lab-grown stones accounted for 61% of U.S. engagement rings in 2025, and a certified 1-carat lab-grown diamond sells wholesale for under $90. Other pressures include the unwinding of record sales in 2021 and early 2022, inflation, tighter consumer finances and falling demand in mainland China. De Beers sold 71% more rough carats in the third quarter after cutting prices in July; its average price fell 45% to $84 per carat. Gold has dropped 31% from its January record. A 50% U.S. tariff on Indian goods imposed in 2025 hit a major diamond-cutting center; India’s gem and jewelry exports to the U.S. fell 44% before the rate dropped to 18%.

Anglo American paid nearly $13 billion for the Oppenheimer family’s De Beers stake in 2011 and is now reportedly selling its holding for about $1 billion. On November 9, Botswana’s president backed a consortium led by former De Beers CEO Gareth Penny. De Beers says large, high-quality stones remain in demand, while 1-carat diamonds face price competition from lab-grown supply.