Hatton Garden Price Index · Q4 2026
What engagement rings really cost in the UK right now
A quarterly index of real UK prices for diamond and gemstone rings, the live gold price, and what buyers are searching for. Collected 9 October 2026; next edition January 2027.
1ct natural solitaire
£3,348
median of 16 UK listings
1ct lab-grown solitaire
£1,595
median of 9 UK listings
2ct lab-grown solitaire
£2,350
median of 11 UK listings
18ct gold, per gram
£76.29
live, 12 Oct 2026, 08:15 BST
Key findings
Five things the Q4 2026 data shows
- 1A 1ct lab-grown diamond solitaire typically lists for £1,595, 52% less than a 1ct natural one at £3,348.
- 2A 2ct lab-grown solitaire (typically £2,350) now costs less than a 1ct natural one.
- 3Oval is the shape of the moment: 45.3% of shape searches, up 6.7 points. Marquise is the riser, up 5.0 points to 14.4%.
- 4Interest in natural diamonds is recovering: 33.8% of “natural vs lab-grown” ring searches, up from 28.6%.
- 5Rose gold is fading fast, down 5.8 points to 12.2% of metal searches.
Diamond rings
What UK retailers are charging
Solitaire engagement rings listed by UK retailers on 9 October 2026, where the listing states the carat and whether the diamond is natural or lab-grown.
| Ring | Listings | Lowest | Median | Highest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1ct natural diamond solitaire | 16 | £753 | £3,348 | £14,289 |
| 1ct lab-grown diamond solitaire | 9 | £510 | £1,595 | £4,838 |
| 2ct lab-grown diamond solitaire | 11 | £1,700 | £2,350 | £3,840 |
How Hatton Garden compares
A certified 1ct round, G colour, VS2 clarity, excellent cut, in an 18ct white gold solitaire, typically costs £3,900–£5,600 natural or £1,650–£2,850 lab-grown in Hatton Garden. The lowest online listings are usually lower grades or 9ct–14ct gold, so compare like for like with our price checker.Watch the “was” prices
- High-street chains often show a “regular” price far above the sale price: one listed a 1ct platinum solitaire at £6,000 against a “regular” £15,000, another £5,499 against £12,199.
- Many listings don’t say whether the diamond is natural or lab-grown. We left those out of the figures above.
What buyers want
What UK buyers are searching for
Each item's share of UK Google searches within its group, Sep–Nov 2025 against Jun–Aug 2026. Using shares rather than raw numbers removes the seasonal swing: engagement searches peak every autumn.
Share of searches within the group, %
- Oval+6.7 pts38.6%45.3%
- Emerald cut−1.9 pts17.3%15.4%
- Marquise+5.0 pts9.4%14.4%
- Pear−1.9 pts11.5%9.6%
- Princess−1.3 pts7.7%6.4%
- Radiant−1.1 pts4.8%3.7%
- Round−3.1 pts5.8%2.7%
- Cushion−2.6 pts5.1%2.5%
See the data as a table
| Shapes | Sep–Nov 2025 | Jun–Aug 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oval | 38.6% | 45.3% | +6.7 pts |
| Emerald cut | 17.3% | 15.4% | −1.9 pts |
| Marquise | 9.4% | 14.4% | +5.0 pts |
| Pear | 11.5% | 9.6% | −1.9 pts |
| Princess | 7.7% | 6.4% | −1.3 pts |
| Radiant | 4.8% | 3.7% | −1.1 pts |
| Round | 5.8% | 2.7% | −3.1 pts |
| Cushion | 5.1% | 2.5% | −2.6 pts |
Share of searches within the group, %
See the data as a table
| Natural vs lab-grown | Sep–Nov 2025 | Jun–Aug 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lab-grown | 71.4% | 66.2% | −5.2 pts |
| Natural | 28.6% | 33.8% | +5.2 pts |
Share of searches within the group, %
- White gold+6.7 pts40.5%47.2%
- Platinum+0.4 pts27.0%27.4%
- Yellow gold−1.5 pts14.6%13.1%
- Rose gold−5.8 pts18.0%12.2%
See the data as a table
| Metals | Sep–Nov 2025 | Jun–Aug 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| White gold | 40.5% | 47.2% | +6.7 pts |
| Platinum | 27.0% | 27.4% | +0.4 pts |
| Yellow gold | 14.6% | 13.1% | −1.5 pts |
| Rose gold | 18.0% | 12.2% | −5.8 pts |
Gold
Today's gold price, per gram
Live, updated 12 Oct 2026, 08:15 BST.
24ct
£101.61
22ct
£93.17
18ct
£76.29
14ct
£59.50
9ct
£38.14
Gemstone rings
Gemstone engagement ring prices
Median price of gold and platinum gemstone engagement rings listed by UK retailers, October 2026.
| Stone | Listings | Median | Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sapphire | 11 | £2,350 | £499–£6,530 |
| Emerald | 21 | £1,750 | £499–£6,500 |
| Ruby | 11 | £1,676 | £649–£2,850 |
| Aquamarine | 18 | £1,351 | £249–£1,850 |
| Alexandrite | 7 | £1,219 | £375–£3,500 |
| Tanzanite | 9 | £929 | £278–£5,599 |
| Amethyst | 7 | £922 | £375–£2,122 |
| Opal | 7 | £721 | £245–£1,734 |
| Morganite | 10 | £574 | £310–£2,307 |
Method
How the index is built
- Diamond and gemstone prices are UK retail listings from Google search and shopping results, collected through DataForSEO. We keep only listings whose title states the carat of the centre stone and whether it is natural or lab-grown, and exclude silver, simulants, total-weight and multi-stone rings, sets and category pages. We report the median because a few very high or very low listings would distort an average.
- They are online prices, not shop quotes. Listings mix colour and clarity grades and 9ct to 18ct gold. Our Hatton Garden figures come from the same model as our price checker. Once our Hatton Garden mystery shop is published, we'll add written quotes from jewellers for one fixed specification.
- Search demand is UK Google search volume from DataForSEO, summed over three months and shown as each item's share of its group.
- Gold is the live spot price in pounds (gold-api.com), multiplied by purity.
- Every edition is kept. From the next edition, each figure will show its change since the last quarter.
Journalists and researchers
Free to quote: please credit “The Hatton Garden Guide Price Index” and link to this page.
Download the data (CSV)Common Questions
How much does a 1 carat diamond ring cost in the UK?+
In our Q4 2026 index, 1ct natural diamond solitaires listed by UK retailers had a median price of £3,348 (range £753–£14,289, 16 listings). In Hatton Garden, a certified 1ct round G VS2 solitaire in 18ct white gold typically costs £3,900–£5,600.
How much less do lab-grown diamond rings cost?+
About half. The median 1ct lab-grown solitaire was £1,595 against £3,348 for natural, 52% less. A 2ct lab-grown solitaire had a median of £2,350.
What is the most popular engagement ring shape in 2026?+
Oval, with 45.3% of UK engagement ring shape searches in Jun–Aug 2026. Marquise grew fastest, to 14.4%.
How often is the Hatton Garden Price Index updated?+
Every quarter. This is the Q4 2026 edition, collected on 9 October 2026. The next edition is due in January 2027. The gold price on this page updates every 10 minutes.
Can I quote the Hatton Garden Price Index?+
Yes. Please credit “The Hatton Garden Guide Price Index” and link to this page. The data is free to download as a CSV.