Wholesale moissanite pricing is quoted by the millimeter, not by the carat, because moissanite's density differs from diamond. Buyers still ask for the price per carat equivalent, though, because that is the number they compare against diamond. This is what a carat-equivalent round costs at wholesale in 2026, what has moved the price over the last two years, and where it is likely to settle next.
How moissanite is actually priced
A 6.5mm round is the one-carat equivalent, but the price is set by the diameter and the proportion band, not by the weight. Doubling the diameter from 6.5 to 10.0mm does not double the price; it multiplies it by seven to nine times, because large clean rough is rarer. That non-linear curve is the single most important thing to understand when you budget a moissanite order.
| Diameter (mm) | Diamond equivalent | 2024 band (USD) | 2026 band (USD) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5.0 | ~0.25 ct | $6 - $10 | $6 - $11 | flat |
| 6.5 | ~1.0 ct | $16 - $28 | $18 - $32 | up ~12% |
| 7.5 | ~1.5 ct | $28 - $46 | $32 - $52 | up ~12% |
| 8.0 | ~2.0 ct | $40 - $65 | $45 - $75 | up ~12% |
| 9.0 | ~3.0 ct | $70 - $115 | $80 - $130 | up ~12% |
| 10.0 | ~4.0 ct | $120 - $190 | $140 - $220 | up ~15% |
What moved the price
The 10 to 15 percent rise across sizes is not a demand spike. It reflects two quieter shifts. First, factories tightened proportion standards to reduce face-up rejects, which raised the yield cost per sellable stone. Second, D-F VVS1 grading with GRA certification became the expected baseline rather than a premium option, so the price you now see includes certification that used to be charged separately. Lower-grade stones exist in the market, but they sit below the band we quote.
Color and clarity premiums
D-F color and VVS1 clarity are the stock grades and carry the base price. Stepping down to EF or VS saves roughly 10 to 15 percent at wholesale, but the saving is only worth it on stones under 6.5mm, where the lower grade is not visible face-up. On larger stones, the body color shows, and the discount does not survive the retail comparison. We do not recommend buying below VVS1 for rounds above 8mm.
The outlook
Pricing is likely to stay stable through 2026 rather than spike. Demand for moissanite has grown steadily, but cutting capacity has grown with it, which keeps the market from overheating. The sizes most likely to tighten are the 8mm and 9mm engagement-ring diameters, which are the ones factories allocate first during engagement season. Order those by September rather than December. Smaller sizes and larger statement stones move on steadier supply.
- Order 6.5 and 8.0 mm by September.
- Smaller and larger sizes buy on the normal cycle.
- Expect a 10 to 15 percent premium on engagement-season reorders.
Price differs by cut shape
The table above is for rounds. Fancy shapes cost more per carat equivalent, because they waste rough. An oval of the same face-up size runs about 15 to 25 percent above a round, a marquise runs 20 to 30 percent above, and a heart or an asscher runs 25 to 35 percent above. Those premiums have held steady over the last two years; the demand growth has been on ovals and radiants, not on the rarer shapes. When you budget a mixed order, expect the fancy shapes to eat a larger share of the cost than their count suggests.
Buying ahead of engagement season
The 6.5 and 8.0mm rounds tighten every November through February, because engagement proposals cluster in that window. Order those sizes by September rather than December, when the cutting bench is allocated to rush reorders. The smaller accent sizes and the larger statement stones do not see the same squeeze, so you can buy those on the normal cycle. A small float of 8mm rounds bought in September often covers the whole engagement season without a reorder panic.
What the price does not include
The wholesale band covers the loose stone and the GRA certificate. It does not cover the mounting, the setting labor, the insurance on shipping, or any import duty on your side. When you price a ring for retail, build those costs on top of the stone band rather than treating the stone price as the whole cost. A common error is to triple the stone price and forget the mounting, which leaves a margin thinner than it looks on paper. Add the mounting, the labor and a freight allocation, then apply the retail multiple to that landed cost.
It is easy to underprice a ring when the stone looks cheap on the wholesale invoice; the margin disappears in the setup costs you forgot to load.
Price the landed cost, not the stone invoice.
Current round pricing by diameter is in the loose stone catalog under Round Brilliant Cut.