Buying diamonds online has gained traction recently, thanks to the convenience and the variety it offers. High-resolution images, competitive pricing, and quick shipping have made online vendors a viable alternative to traditional in-person retailers.
My personal journey began when I decided to buy an engagement ring and a wedding ring online. Through this process, I got a firsthand look at what the online diamond marketplace offers.
I took the time to evaluate numerous online diamond stores, focusing on crucial factors like the quality and variety of diamonds and settings, user-friendliness of the website, pricing, certification of diamonds, and customer service among others.
Below is a compiled list of the top 10 online diamond stores, highlighting the unique aspects of each that might cater to your diamond shopping needs.
Here’s my list of the 10 best online diamond stores and what makes each worth exploring.
1. James Allen
James Allen was founded in 2006 as an online jewelry store.
It tops my list of best online diamond stores because it’s where I purchased my wife’s engagement ring, which was a round-cut diamond in this setting.
I had an exceptional experience from start to finish.
They’re best known for a wide selection of:
- Diamonds
- Settings
- Fine jewelry
- Wedding rings
When you’re buying a diamond online, it’s important you know what to expect when it arrives. So what I like most about James Allen is their image and video technology.
Select any diamond on their website, and view a detailed picture and video.
The feature allows you to identify how inclusions may affect its appearance and whether those flaws are visible without magnification.
For example, this diamond earned a VS1 clarity grade.
The image provides certainty the diamond is eye-clean, which means the blemishes aren’t noticeable with the naked eye.
You can also pair your diamond with any of its hundreds of settings using the “create your own engagement ring feature.“
It’s how I created the one I bought for my now-wife.
They’ll show what the combination looks like so you can mix and match diamonds and settings to learn which is right for you.
James Allen also has prices that are almost unbeatable.
For less than $5,500, you can buy a one-carat, eye-clean diamond that appears colorless.
They also frequently run sales offering 25 percent off settings. This year, they ran their first-ever sale for three percent off natural diamonds.
Their combination of an easy buying experience, high-quality images and videos, low prices, and quality customer service means James Allen earns my full recommendation.
2. Clean Origin
Clean Origin was founded in 2017. Its mission is providing quality lab-grown diamonds that avoid the negative reputation that’s plagued the industry for decades.
That’s evident in their slogan, which is “Diamonds Without Compromise.”
Instead of worrying whether they’re truly conflict-free or about the environmental impact of mining, buyers can choose a lab-grown diamond from Clean Origin that looks flawless to the naked eye.
In this way, Clean Origin is comparable to Brilliant Earth.
Their diamonds are certified by the GIA, GCAL, and the IGI, three reputable certifying organizations when it comes to lab-grown diamonds.
Their online experience is similar to competitors.
For example, you can create your own engagement ring by starting with a diamond or setting and pairing them together.
They offer 10 types of cuts running from round and oval cuts to marquise and princess cuts.
Once you’ve chosen your diamond, combine it with close to 200 types of settings, including ones made with 14K yellow, white, or rose gold or platinum.
In terms of additional diamonds on the ring, they offer many of the same designs as competitors such as:
- Halos
- Pave
- Channel
- Three-stone
Because their diamonds are lab-grown, they’ll cost far less than a natural one.
Their 1.05-carat round cut diamonds, with G color and VS2 clarity grades, start around $2,000, like this one.
This is around half of what you’d pay for a natural diamond.
This is slightly less than what you’d often pay at Brilliant Earth, where diamonds with the same grades begin around $2,300.
One advantage Clean Origin has over their competition is they allow free returns for 100 days. Most online diamond stores allow buyers to return their purchase within 30 days.
One of the downsides of Clean Origin is the frequent popups that appear on the website. Whenever I’m browsing their selection, I’m interrupted by their latest promotion.
It’s a small criticism, but after viewing their site hundreds of times over the past couple years, I’d prefer to browse uninterrupted.
3. Blue Nile
Blue Nile pioneered the process of buying a diamond online when it was founded in 1999 in Seattle, Washington.
In the process, they perfected the model of listing diamonds directly from wholesalers and manufacturers to ensure the lowest cost.
Their most known for engagement rings and fine jewelry but also sell:
- Wedding bands
- Loose GIA diamonds
- Necklaces
The reason I consider Blue Nile one of the best places to buy a diamond online is their feature allowing buyers to create their own engagement ring.
At the top of their website, under “Engagement Rings”, start with a setting or diamond.
For quick access, you can visit the page directly here.
From there, explore their huge selection of both, and find the right pair.
As an example, you could begin with a princess cut diamond.
Once you’ve chosen your diamond, you’ll have the option to place it on top of more than 700 types of settings.
One of my favorites is their line of halo settings.
A circle of diamonds surrounds the main one, which gives the illusion of a larger diamond for a lower cost.
Here’s an example of one set in 14K white gold.
They’ve also stayed competitive with the quality of their images and videos. If you check out the setting above, you can view it in a 360-degree video.
Like many online diamond stores, Blue Nile offers free returns for 30 days, a lifetime manufacturer warranty, and quality packaging.
Check out my complete Blue Nile review to learn more.
4. Brilliant Earth
Brilliant Earth is another online jewelry retailer that sells diamonds, settings, gemstones, and fine jewelry. The company was founded in 2005 in San Francisco, California.
One of its main selling points is related to how they source diamonds.
While most vendors follow the Kimberley Process of ethical sourcing, Brilliant Earth believes this standard can fall short and decided to build their brand on going above and beyond typical criteria.
Instead, they promote their diamonds as “Beyond Conflict Free.”
One reason some buyers opt against the company is they often have higher prices compared to competitors like James Allen and Blue Nile.
This is a result of their eco-friendly sourcing.
For example, a one-carat, eye-clean diamond that appears colorless start at close to $6,000.
If you’re focused on eco-friendly, ethical diamonds, I recommend checking out Brilliant Earth. Additionally, the designs of their settings to hold your diamond are stunning.
Just view this three-stone setting in rose gold, and you’ll agree.
You’ll pay a slightly higher price than elsewhere, but the quality doesn’t disappoint.
Check out my full Brilliant Earth review to learn everything you need to know about the company.
5. Whiteflash
Whiteflash makes my list of best online diamond stores because of their huge selection of quality brands and diamonds.
They sell pieces from Tacori, Ritani, and more.
So whether you’re interested in a handcrafted setting, a radiant cut diamond, or an emerald cut with baguettes accents, Whiteflash has you covered.
You first select a diamond and then a setting, and they’ll put both in your cart.
While some vendors show you what the setting and diamond look like paired together, Whiteflash keeps them separate.
So even if you choose a princess cut, the image of the setting will show it with a round cut.
But if you choose one of the pre-set diamond rings, you’ll get the full picture.
Whiteflash also promotes their “A Cut Above” line of super ideal diamonds. They emphasize its superior fire and brilliance because cut is the quality that impacts light performance the most.
Relatedly, Whiteflash includes Angular Spectrum Evaluation Technology (ASET) imaging of their diamonds, which helps demonstrate the way light travels through and is reflected by the stone.
Cut is the quality that most affects a diamond’s brilliance, so having this complete view from Whiteflash of its light performance is essential to choosing a dazzling gem.
Like many in the industry, Whiteflash offers free returns for 30 days, a trade-in program, free shipping, and a one-year service plan.
I’ve personally worked with the Whiteflash team and often send my readers their way when they’re searching for the perfect diamond ring.
I’m also impressed with the quality of educational content on their website, which demonstrates they’re experts in the field.
6. Ritani
Ritani was founded in 1999 as a family jeweler.
They sell more than natural and lab-grown diamonds. Their inventory includes wedding bands, necklaces, bracelets, and more.
What makes Ritani one of the best online diamond stores is their:
- Wide selection of GIA and AGSL diamonds and settings
- Transparent pricing and price match
- Diamond recommender
I’ve personally connected with the Ritani team and was impressed with their system, responsiveness, and knowledge about the jewelry industry.
They have almost 100,000 round cut diamonds available to browse.
But if you’re looking for an alternate cut, there are still plenty of options, such as more than 6,000 pear and cushion cuts, 8,000 princess and oval diamonds, and 1,500 marquise cuts.
The same idea is true for settings.
There are close to 150 designs to choose from across pave, channel, solitaire, and more.
Ritani’s prices aren’t always lower than competitors, but they do attempt to price match similar diamonds.
If one of their competitors offers a similar diamond for a lower price, Ritani will search for one that earned the same grades but costs less.
My word of caution is to make sure the diamond was evaluated by the same organization, such as the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) or American Gem Society (AGS).
Each organization can have slightly different standards. So to find a true comparison, it should have the same letters behind it.
Ritani also assists buyers who don’t have confidence in their ability to choose a quality diamond.
They have an online tool that recommends diamonds with the right blend of the four Cs.
It’s important to find the right combination to avoid the premiums charged for higher quality diamonds.
For example, VS1 diamonds less than 1.50 carats often don’t have inclusions visible to the naked eye.
With Ritani’s diamond recommendation tool, you’ll find a quality diamond that isn’t overpriced.
7. Brian Gavin
Brian Gavin is a renowned jeweler who founded his company in 2009.
He’s from South Africa, which is where a significant number of the world’s diamonds are mined.
After decades in the industry, and co-founding Whiteflash (see more on Whiteflash below) in 2001, he went on to develop a super ideal cut called the Brian Gavin Signature Hearts & Arrows diamond.
It has exceptional fire and brilliance because the facets are cut in a way that maximizes light performance.
He’s known to have some of the highest standards when it comes to cut quality, which is why Brian Gavin diamonds shine more than others.
The company sells a variety of cuts, including:
- Cushion
- Princess
- Oval
- Pear
Its selection includes much of the fine jewelry offered by competitors.
Some of its diamonds are comparable in price to other online diamond stores, but you’ll pay a premium for its Hearts & Arrows line.
For example, one of its 1.05 carat diamonds with a G color and VS2 clarity grade costs $10,844.
At James Allen, one with the same qualities, but an ideal cut, starts at $6,600.
The premium is because of the brand and name recognition he’s built over several decades, but you can be confident it’s one of the best diamonds on the market.
If you decide on one of from the company, explore Black by Brian Gavin.
It’s another one of their signature cuts. The stones are carefully chosen for their ideal proportions, minimal fluorescence, and perfect symmetry.
8. Adiamor
Adiamor is a jewelry retailer that handcrafts their pieces in Los Angeles, California. For five decades, they’ve designed jewelry from engagement rings and wedding bands to pendants and earrings.
They boast close to 150,000 diamonds online with a minimum color grade of G and clarity grade of VS2. So nearly all their diamonds will appear colorless and flawless to the naked eye.
Adiamor’s website functions like many of its competitors. If you’re shopping for an engagement ring, start by choosing a diamond or setting.
One area where Adiamor is lacking is their image technology. The images are a lower quality than what you’ll find on Blue Nile and Brilliant Earth.
In some cases, you have to request an image of the diamond, which adds an extra step to the process.
I recommend you don’t buy a diamond unless you’ve seen a high-quality image or viewed it in-person, so you’ll have to go through this process with each one.
On the positive side, they do display the GIA certificate on the website.
Some online diamond stores force you to request it by submitting your email. Not only does this display your experience, you’ll then be put on their list and receive unwanted updates.
Adiamor avoiding this step is a benefit.
Its prices are often comparable with what you’ll see from competitors.
For example, I explored diamonds with the following grades:
- Carat weight: 1.00
- Color: G
- Clarity: VS2
- Cut: Very good
Prices for these diamonds at Adiamor begin at $5,561. At James Allen, they begin at $5,510. So Adiamor and James Allen have similar pricing.
Blue Nile’s diamonds with these qualities start at $5,700.
Adiamor’s diamonds are certified by the GIA and American Gem Society, two of the most regarded institutions for assessing diamonds.
So you can be confident the diamond’s quality is accurately reflected on the report.
For a more detailed look at the company, read my full Adiamor review.
9. Friendly Diamonds
Friendly Diamonds is based in New York City and specializes in lab-grown diamonds.
I first connected with them a year ago to learn about the brand and how they differentiated themselves from others in the space.
The company’s goal is similar to Brilliant Earth and Clean Origin — creating diamonds in a way that’s sustainable and goes above and beyond the standards laid out in the Kimberley Process.
What makes Friendly Diamonds stand out among competitors is the extensive customization options.
They’ll connect with you personally to design your ring from start to finish, all within your budget as low as $2,000.
Share your ideas, and they’ll send you sketches and 3D renderings from their artisans of what your ring can look like.
Learn more about their custom designs here.
Even if you don’t choose the customized option, they still have stunning designs like the one below.
Whether you want an eternity setting where small accents circle the full ring, or a halo of small diamonds that surround the main one, you’ll have plenty to choose from at Friendly Diamonds.
Their diamonds are certified by the IGI, so you can be confident in what to expect. They also provide extensive detail on its grades across the four Cs.
When you’ve landed on the page for a particular diamond, scroll to learn about its carat weight, color and more.
If you’re searching for a natural diamond, you’ll have to look elsewhere. In this way, they’re comparable to Clean Origin.
They only sell lab-grown stones. But if you’re in the market for one, Friendly Diamonds should make your list of places to evaluate.
Buying diamonds online has become a seamless experience thanks to the advent of high-resolution imagery and detailed certification. As someone who educates buyers on jewelry and diamonds, I can vouch for the transparency and variety that online platforms offer. In particular, platforms like James Allen and Clean Origin are setting new benchmarks in the industry with their customer-centric approach, competitive pricing, and an extensive selection of certified diamonds. This digital shift not only empowers buyers with information but also provides them with a broader marketplace to find that perfect gem.
Jacob Clarke
Jacob Clarke is the founder of TeachJewelry.com.
He earned an Applied Jewelry Professional Diploma from the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) and now brings you essential information about diamonds, settings, and more.
Jacob has consulted with leading jewelry brands, and his work has been cited in Clean Origin, Diamond Nexus and industry publications.
He's also a member of the International Gem Society.
He enjoys discussing jewelry with readers, so contact him with any questions at jacob.clarke@teachjewelry.com.
