Best Places to Buy Diamond Engagement Rings
A review of the top rated online diamond retailers of 2023
We’ve visited and reviewed many diamond retailers, online and offline. In the process, we’ve come across several diamond engagement ring vendors that consistently outperform the competition.
- James Allen – Our favorite to recommend
- Blue Nile – Along with James Allen, the best out there.
- Abe Mor – Great option fine jewelry and for budgets over $20,000
- Brian Gavin Diamonds – Best for Super Ideal Cut Diamond engagement ring
- Leibish & Co. – Best for Fancy Color Diamonds
Buying a diamond engagement ring is a tricky process that can feel overwhelming at times. We have many articles that help you with the 4Cs and more. This article will help you with one of the most fundamental questions; Where to buy an engagement ring from and should you buy an engagement ring online?
Let’s get the obvious out of the way. We think you will be far better served if you buy an engagement ring online rather than buying in a store. We explain the fundamental advantages of buying online in this article.
There are plenty of options to sift through when it comes to finding the best online jewelry store and where to buy engagement rings online. We go more in depth on our favorites below, but the best way for us to help you settle on the right company, engagement ring, and diamond would be via our personal help. Feel free to contact us for personal help.
Deal Alert: Now save 25% off engagement ring settings or get a free pair of diamond earrings with a $1,000 purchase at James Allen!
Best Place to Buy Engagement Ring
The following online jewelry stores are, in our opinion, the best options for anyone who is in the market for a diamond engagement ring – whether you’re after a classic solitaire affordable engagement ring, a rare or high-priced diamond, fancy colored diamonds, lab-created diamonds, and everything in between.
James Allen (Now save 25% during Valentine’s Day sale!)
This one is a no-brainer. We have loved James Allen for years and they are one of the industry leaders. Their customer service is fantastic and they offer all the necessary tools to buy a diamond and engagement ring online. For example James Allen recently introduced an easy to use Ring Studio which according to National Jeweler was “…an enjoyable process from start to finish.”
What Are They Known For?
James Allen are the pioneers of bringing high quality videos to the online consumer.
James Allen’s video technology, fantastic customer service, broad selection of some of the best engagement rings, and excellent prices have made them one of our favorite companies to recommend. Hundreds of our readers purchase from James Allen every month and hear rave reviews back from them.
Despite other companies catching up a bit on the technology side (see above), James Allen still has the best videos out there. That is advantageous when selecting any diamond and a must when you are picking fancy shaped diamonds (like ovals, pears and marquise).
As James Allen’s stature has grown, they’ve been able to partner with some fantastic designers as well. This has allowed them to add some gorgeous rings like this stunner from Verragio and this unique take on a halo from Danhov.
The high quality imagery that James Allen provides is what enabled us to develop our industry first Ringo AI tool that can identify and make recommendations of eye-clean diamonds. Below you can see some of the latest recommendations generated by Ringo.
See the full James Allen review.
What is Ringo?
Blue Nile
Online diamond engagement ring shopping and Blue Nile have been synonymous for years. They literally built the market. They were the first company to develop the concept of removing all middle-men and virtually listing loose diamonds direct from the manufacturers so that you can build and buy engagement rings online.
According to The Wall Street Journal Blue Nile “…was founded in 1999 by Mark Vadon, who was frustrated with his search to buy a wedding ring. He bought the domain name InternetDiamonds.com in 1999, renamed it Blue Nile and promised to give consumers a better diamond-buying experience.”
What Are They Known For?
The hallmark of Blue Nile is their range of diamonds. To date, Blue Nile has far better relationships with diamond and jewelry vendors than anyone else and are able to offer the largest selection of diamonds and engagement ring settings.
While they allowed James Allen to take the lead in technology the last five years, they have taken great strides in closing that gap. They have recently introduced their own video technology to rival James Allen. They have also taken an almost maniacal approach to fulfillment that has vastly improved their quality control and speed of delivery.
Their place as the industry leader of engagement ring retailers has allowed them to cultivate relationships with some great designers as well. Most prevalent is their relationship with Monique Lhuillier. I adore this take on the classic baguette engagement ring.
Couple that with their strong relationships with vendors and a streamlined business model (which means they are often better priced than their competitors) and they have earned our seal of approval for our readers as one of the best places to buy diamond engagement rings online.
See the full Blue Nile review.
Abe Mor
Recently, though, we have expanded our relationship with them to include readers of ours who are looking for a more customized bespoke shopping experience buying a high-end diamond and/or expensive piece of fine jewelry, diamond jewelry, or engagement ring.
What Are They Known For?
Abe Mor is an interesting option for people with a budget of $20,000 or more. They specialize in large and rare diamonds, and are able to offer a fantastic experience for consumers looking to make a high-end purchase.
Abe Mor is one of the most well respected “upstairs” diamond wholesalers in New York’s famous Diamond District. By “upstairs,” of course, I mean that they are not just a retail shop on the street level masquerading as a wholesale operation. They are the real thing. Everybody we have sent to Abe Mor has been blown away by the personal attention they have received from Abe Mor, including CEO Eric Mor – both on the phone and in person.
Even if you’re not quite in the market for the “…striking pair of drop-shaped, vivid green emeralds weighing 53 cts” reported by JCK Online, Abe Mor is an excellent choice for your unique or higher end needs.
See the full Abe Mor review.
Brian Gavin Diamonds
Brian Gavin’s Signature and Black lines have been quite popular for a certain segment of our readers. For those readers who are hyper-focused on cut and looking to find a truly spectacular diamond in terms of brilliance, Brian Gavin Diamonds is the way to go.
What Are They Known For?
Brian Gavin is one of the industry leaders when it comes to diamond cutting. Speaking honestly, his knowledge of cut is far superior to mine. Their Signature and Black diamonds will be more brilliant than anything else you can find.
BGD’s customer service and jewelry craftsmanship matches the quality of their product. There is a premium for such high quality craftsmanship and in Brian Gavin’s case, it’s 100% justified. That doesn’t mean it’s for everyone. Most of our readers prefer to go for the bigger diamond and sacrifice a bit on cut. But for those who want to make brilliance their target, Brian Gavin is the way to go.
According to JCK Magazine Brian Gavin is “… is the fifth generation of a diamond family originating in Amsterdam.” See more about Brian Gavin Diamonds in our full Brian Gavin Diamonds review.
Leibish & Co.
If you’re considering non-standard options to really make your engagement ring stand out, a ring with a fancy colored diamond can be a great option.
What Are They Known For?
Our go to company for fancy color diamonds is Leibish. They are the best. Period. End of story. They are one of the biggest purchasers at the Argyle auctions and have a stunning array of fancy color diamonds like black diamonds in all budget ranges.
Many of our readers have purchased diamonds and diamond jewelry from Leibish, and all of them have been ecstatic with the end result. Not only do they have an amazing selection of diamonds, but they are also the masters of building the jewelry piece around the diamond to bring out the color in the best way possible.
According to Brittany Siminitz of JCK “…Leibish & Co. is the leading source for natural colored diamonds and jewelry.” We couldn’t agree more! There are other options for fancy colors. But we have found Leibish to be head and shoulders above the competition.
See the full Leibish & Co. review.
Tips For Buying an Engagement Ring Online
Shopping for a diamond ring (especially an engagement ring) can be exciting. Yet it can be also stressful, dealing with a purchase of this magnitude.
To help you enjoy the process, and get the best value out of your purchase, here are some tips to follow when buying a diamond engagement ring.
Buy engagement rings online only from reputable jewelry stores that sell certified diamonds
The best way to ensure you get a high-quality diamond and engagement ring for the best price is to shop at a trusted jewelry store. Online diamond retailers like James Allen and Blue Nile not only have the best range and prices, they also provide stellar customer service to assist you on your journey.
You also want to look for stores that offer peace of mind in the form of a lifetime warranty and insured shipping, both of which you can get when shopping with the jewelry companies mentioned above.
Inspect each diamond up close
Close inspection is vital to ensure your diamond lives up to its grades. The best online retailers give you the ability to magnify and examine each diamond in 360° HD, which will help you look for any imperfections, and pick out the perfect diamond.
Check the diamond’s certification
Ensure your diamond is real and graded fairly by checking it has a certificate from a trusted grading entity, such as the GIA or AGS.
Focus on cut
Cut is the most important quality for a diamond, bar none. A low-quality cut will greatly reduce the beauty of your diamond, even if its other grades are exemplary. When buying a diamond engagement ring, make sure you choose a diamond with an Excellent or Ideal cut.
Find a diamond that’s colorless and eye-clean
On color and clarity, you should be aiming for colorless and eye-clean diamonds. For most diamonds, this means a color grade in the range of F to H, and a clarity grade around VS2. Aiming for these grades means you get a beautiful diamond, without overpaying for grades you’re not going to notice.
Get a second opinion
A diamond engagement ring is a big purchase, so make use of other peoples’ opinions, particularly diamond experts. This is especially important for picking out a diamond and an engagement ring setting that pair well together.
The customer service experts at retailers like James Allen and Blue Nile are incredibly helpful, and you can reach out to us for assistance and with any questions you have, before you make a purchase.
Contact Our Experts For Assistance With Buying Engagement Rings Online
Of these top diamond engagement ring retailers, James Allen and Blue Nile are hard to beat. Both offer everything a customer needs to buy engagement rings online: broad selection of conflict free diamonds, low prices, and modern technology like high-quality imagery and 360 degree inspection tools. Both James Allen and Blue Nile also provide top-tier customer service, which contributes to a superb customer experience every time.
Other diamond engagement ring vendors we recommend are Brian Gavin Diamonds, Abe Mor and Leibish & Co. These retailers each offer special expertise and specialize in specific areas. Brian Gavin is one of the best diamond retailers for high-quality diamond cuts. Abe Mor is the best for high-quality, rare and expensive diamonds, while Leibish & Co is the number one fancy colored diamond vendor.
Now you know what places we think have the best service and quality and you can start engagement ring shopping on their sites. And if you need some guidance on how to choose a perfect diamond and buy an engagement ring you can check out our useful tips or contact us directly and one of our diamond experts will be happy to answer your questions.
What we love about them:
- No questions asked returns within 30 days of shipment. James Allen will send you a paid shipping label to return the ring.
- Lifetime Warranty
- Free International Shipping
- Free prong tightening, repolishing, rhodium plating and cleaning every 6 months
- Provide insurance appraisals
- One free resizing within 60 days of purchase
- Free ring inscriptions
- Best-in-class high quality imagery of all diamonds in stock
- 24/7 Customer Service
- Best-in-class packaging
What we love about them:
- No questions asked returns within 30 days of shipment. Blue Nile will send you a paid shipping label to return the ring.
- Lifetime Warranty
- Free Shipping
- Free prong tightening, repolishing, rhodium plating and cleaning every 6 months
- Provide insurance appraisal
- One free resizing within the first year of purchase
- High quality images of about half of their diamonds
- 24/7 Customer Service
- 100% credit towards future upgrades (must be at least double in value)
- Best in class fulfillment
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