Lab Grown Diamond Pendants
Shop QSE makes 48 lab grown diamond pendants in solid gold, from $455 for a 0.50 carat cross to $4,556 for a halo, with carat weights from 0.10 to 5.00. Solitaires are the largest group at 16 designs, then halos at 12, hearts at 7 and crosses at 4. Every stone is IGI certified at E-F color and VS1-VS2 clarity.
A pendant is the one piece of diamond jewelry with no fit to get wrong, which is why it is the most common first diamond purchase and the most common gift. The decisions that remain are the setting, the carat weight and the chain.
The settings, and what each costs
| Setting | Live designs | Price range | What it is |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solitaire | 16 | $665 - $3,980 | One stone, held in prongs, nothing around it. The reference point. |
| Halo | 12 | $690 - $4,556 | A center stone ringed with smaller ones, so it reads larger than its weight |
| Heart | 7 | $485 - $3,895 | A heart-shaped stone, or a heart outline set with stones |
| Cross | 4 | $455 - $760 | The lowest entry price in the range |
| Bezel | 2 | $690 - $760 | A metal rim fully enclosing the stone — nothing to snag |
| Cluster or floral | 2 | $690 - $915 | Several stones arranged as one shape |
| Three stone | 1 | $690 - $1,300 | Three stones in a line |
| Circle | 1 | $495 | An open circle set with stones, supplied with a cable chain |
The halo is worth singling out for the same reason it is on earrings: smaller stones cost far less per carat than one large one, so a halo buys apparent size cheaply. Our post on halo and cluster earrings prices that trade-off out in detail, and the same arithmetic applies here.
Which carat weight?
Pendant carat weights across the range run 0.10, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75, 1.00, 1.25, 1.50, 2.00, 2.25, 2.50, 3.00 and 5.00. Unlike earrings, a pendant carat figure is the whole piece — there is only one of it — so a 1 carat pendant carries a full carat, not half.
- 0.10 to 0.25 carat. Visible close up, reads as a point of light at any distance. The everyday pendant that does not come off.
- 0.50 carat. The most made weight in our range, at 18 of the 48 designs. Clearly a diamond at conversational distance.
- 1.00 carat. The second most made, at 11 designs. Reads across a table.
- 2.00 to 3.00 carat. Statement weights, and where the halo settings stop being about value and start being about scale.
- 5.00 carat. One design. Occasion wear.
A pendant carries its weight differently from a ring or a stud. It hangs, so it moves and catches light as you do, and it sits against skin at the sternum where there is nothing to give it scale. The practical consequence is that a pendant can carry more carat weight than you would wear on your hand without looking excessive.
The chain question
Read the design name. Where a chain is included its length is stated there — the 0.10 carat heart is a 20 inch pendant, the 18K halo comes with an 18 inch chain, and the 0.25 carat circle is supplied with a cable chain. Where the name says nothing about a chain, ask before ordering rather than assuming one is in the box.
On length, 18 inches sits at or just below the collarbone on most adults and is the safest choice as a gift. Sixteen inches sits at the base of the neck; 20 inches sits toward the top of the chest and works better under an open collar. Our tennis necklace guide has the full length-to-neckline table, which applies equally to a pendant chain.
Metals
Pendants are made in 14K white and yellow gold across the range, with 18K white gold and rose gold on selected designs. Settings are solid gold, not plated. On a pendant that matters less than on an earring post or a ring shank, because a pendant sits against clothing more than skin and wears slowly — but a plated bail will still rub through where the chain passes.
What to check on a diamond pendant specifically
- The bail. That is the loop the chain passes through. It should be closed, and large enough for a chain you might upgrade later. An undersized bail limits you to a thin chain forever.
- Whether the carat figure is the center stone or the total. On a halo or cluster it can be either. Ours are stated as the total weight of the piece.
- Certification. Every Shop QSE diamond is IGI certified, with the grades published before you buy.
- Chain included or not. Covered above, and the most common surprise on a pendant order anywhere.
The honest disadvantage
A lab grown diamond resells for substantially less than a mined stone of the same grades. On a pendant bought to be worn that is largely academic, but it is true and worth saying. What you are buying is the same specification without the mining cost, at E-F color and VS1-VS2 clarity in solid gold.
Delivery, returns and care
Shipping within the United States is free and fully insured from Austin, Texas. Ready-to-ship designs are dispatched within 24 hours; made-to-order pieces take 15 to 18 business days. Eligible pieces can be returned within 30 days, with custom and engraved work excluded, and every pendant carries a lifetime manufacturing warranty. Clean it with warm water, a drop of dish soap and a soft brush behind the setting — full method in our guide to cleaning lab grown diamond jewelry at home.
Common questions
How much is a lab grown diamond pendant?
Shop QSE lab grown diamond pendants run from $455 for a 0.50 carat cross to $4,556 for a halo, in solid 14K or 18K gold with every stone IGI certified at E-F color and VS1-VS2 clarity.
Is a pendant carat weight the total or the center stone?
At Shop QSE it is the total weight of the piece. Elsewhere it can be either, particularly on halo and cluster designs, so it is worth confirming — the difference on a halo can be substantial.
What carat weight should I choose for a diamond pendant?
Half a carat is the most made weight in our range and reads clearly as a diamond at conversational distance. A pendant hangs and moves, so it carries more weight without looking excessive than the same carat figure would on a hand.
Does a diamond pendant come with a chain?
It depends on the design, and the design name says so — the 0.10 carat heart is a 20 inch pendant, the 18K halo includes an 18 inch chain, and the 0.25 carat circle comes with a cable chain. Where the name does not mention a chain, ask before ordering.
What chain length should I choose for a pendant?
Eighteen inches is the safest choice and the best gift length, sitting at or just below the collarbone on most adults. Sixteen inches sits at the base of the neck and 20 inches toward the top of the chest.
Which pendant setting makes the diamond look biggest?
A halo. Smaller surrounding stones add width and cost far less per carat than one large stone, so a halo reads larger than a solitaire of the same total weight. We make 12 halo pendants from $690.
What is a bail on a pendant?
The loop the chain passes through. Check it is closed and wide enough for a chain you might upgrade to later, because an undersized bail restricts you to a thin chain permanently.