CaratBrands

Index

Retailer reviews

What each retailer commits to in writing, who owns it, and what it is actually built for. Read from the published policies with the date attached.

Check live prices — we don't print them here, because they change daily.

Illustration of a four-prong solitaire diamond engagement ring

Rings

The centre stone is where nearly all the money goes. Compare the same specification at each — shape, carat, colour, clarity, cut grade and grading laboratory held identical, or you are not comparing anything.

Illustration of a pair of four-prong round brilliant diamond stud earrings

Earrings

Sold by total carat weight across the pair, so a 1ct pair is two half-carat stones. Cheap enough to make a sensible first purchase from a retailer you have not used before.

Illustration of a classic diamond tennis bracelet

Bracelets

Check the clasp and the safety catch before the stone quality. A tennis bracelet that springs open on the wrist is the most common way people lose one.

Illustration of a solitaire diamond pendant on a fine chain

Necklaces

The chain matters more than buyers expect. Check the gauge and the clasp — a heavy pendant on a thin chain is a repair waiting to happen.

Links open each retailer's own category page. Rare Carat links are affiliate links and earn us a commission if you buy, at no extra cost to you. The other three are plain links that earn us nothing today; if that changes, this line changes with it. Every relationship is listed on the disclosure page.

  • Blue Nile review VALUE

    The volume player. Largest certified-diamond inventory, keenest pricing on plain settings.

    Signet Jewelers · trading since 1999

  • James Allen review WINDING DOWN

    Being retired. Signet announced the site is closing; the name continues as a collection inside Blue Nile.

    Signet Jewelers · trading since 2006

  • Brilliant Earth review PROVENANCE

    The provenance premium. Traceable sourcing, showrooms, and a price to match.

    Brilliant Earth Group (NASDAQ: BRLT) · trading since 2005

  • Rare Carat review MARKETPLACE

    The aggregator. Searches other vendors' inventory and undercuts on price.

    Independent · trading since 2016

  • Grown Brilliance review LAB-ONLY

    Lab-grown only. No natural inventory at all, which is the whole proposition.

    Independent — founded by Akshie Jhaveri, a third-generation jeweller · trading since 2021