Best Places to Buy Natural Diamonds | The Diamond Pro

By Mike Fried | Updated October 20, 2026

Natural diamonds are still the classic choice for engagement rings and fine jewelry. Even so, you need to look closely at where you buy one. You want a store that gives you the tools to find the right diamond, shows you where it came from, and backs the sale with clear return rules.

I’m a diamond expert with over 25 years in the industry, and I started The Diamond Pro in 2007. I’ve secret shopped hundreds of diamond stores and helped tens of thousands of readers find the right diamond. This guide shares what I’ve learned about where to buy a natural diamond today.

A diamond is one of the few things you buy where you can’t judge quality by looking. So the store matters as much as the stone. I judge each store on selection, lab reports, sourcing, return rules, and how easy it is to see the diamond before you commit.

The bottom line: Brilliant Earth is the best overall place to buy a natural diamond for most people. Brilliant Earth carries over 100K natural diamonds, and every one comes with a report from an independent lab. Brilliant Earth also runs 40+ stores. Its sourcing standard is one that less than 1% of the world’s diamonds meet.

The other three stores in this guide each focus on a narrow slice of the market. I explain what each one sells and what to know before you buy.

Top Natural Diamond Retailer Picks

1. Best Overall: Brilliant Earth
2. Best for Super Ideal Round Diamonds: Whiteflash
3. Best for Shopping at a Local Chain: Shane Co.
4. Best for Hearts and Arrows Cushion Cuts: Brian Gavin Diamonds

1. Best Overall: Brilliant Earth

Brilliant Earth opened in 2005 and now sells over 100K natural diamonds online. Brilliant Earth also runs 40+ stores across the US, where you can see diamonds and settings with a jeweler. That mix is rare. Most people want to research online and still see a diamond in person before they pay.

The natural diamond search gives you a lot of control. You can filter by shape, cut grade, color, clarity, carat weight, and price. You can also filter by origin, lab report, and Hearts and Arrows. Hearts and Arrows diamonds are round diamonds cut so precisely that you see eight arrows from the top and eight hearts from the bottom.

Every diamond listing shows the same details. You see cut grade, color, clarity, carat weight, table, depth, polish, symmetry, fluorescence, origin, and the lab report. Brilliant Earth keeps its prices competitive across every filter, and stock changes daily.

What Brilliant Earth offers:

• Big natural diamond selection: Brilliant Earth carries over 100K natural diamonds in more than 10 shapes, from round and oval to old mine cut and heart. A bigger pool means you can wait for the right stone instead of settling.
• Outside lab reports: Every Brilliant Earth natural diamond comes with a grading report from an independent lab such as GIA, IGI, or GCAL. A grading report is the diamond’s official spec sheet.
• 360° video: Many listings include 360° Real View video, so you can check the stone from every angle before you buy.
• Cut options built for sparkle: Brilliant Earth grades cut up to Super Ideal and offers Hearts and Arrows diamonds. Cut drives sparkle more than any other factor, so it is the right place to spend.
• Stores and video visits: Brilliant Earth offers 50 minute engagement ring appointments in its stores. If you don’t live near one, you can book a virtual appointment.
• Returns and warranty: Brilliant Earth offers free 30-day returns, free shipping both ways, and a free lifetime warranty. There is also a lifetime diamond upgrade program.

Once you pick a diamond, the Design Your Own tool lets you pair it with a setting and preview the finished ring before you buy. Settings include solitaire, halo, bezel, three-stone, vintage-inspired, and hidden halo styles. So you can choose the diamond first and build the ring around it.

Brilliant Earth also lets you shop by origin. The origin filter lists Canada, Botswana Sort, Angola, and recycled diamonds. Recycled diamonds were mined, cut, and polished before and are now sold again, so they need no new mining. If you want the highest clarity, the Flawless Collection has diamonds with no internal flaws and no surface flaws.

What Does Beyond Conflict Free® Mean?

Most stores say their diamonds are conflict free. That usually means the diamonds follow the Kimberley Process. The Kimberley Process only covers diamonds that fund wars against legitimate governments. It says nothing about worker abuse or damage to the land.

Brilliant Earth’s Beyond Conflict Free® standard adds rules for labor, trade, and the environment. Less than 1% of the world’s diamonds meet it. Brilliant Earth sources these diamonds from Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, and Canada, which all carry a low to moderate risk rating. Brilliant Earth also stopped selling Russian diamonds the day after Russia invaded Ukraine.

Brilliant Earth has sold blockchain diamonds since 2019. A blockchain record tracks a diamond from the mining company to the moment it reaches you. So what does that get you? A permanent record of where your diamond came from.

Good to know: Blockchain records come with select natural diamonds, not every stone. Popular stones also sell fast, and the site marks them “Going Fast.” If you find one you love, move quickly or book a virtual appointment.

2. Best for Super Ideal Round Diamonds: Whiteflash

Whiteflash is a Texas store that focuses on round and princess cut diamonds with tight cut standards. It is best for shoppers who want a round or princess cut diamond with a Super Ideal cut and are comfortable buying online. Its flagship line is A CUT ABOVE, a Super Ideal brand. A Super Ideal cut means the angles and facets are very precise, which helps the diamond return more light.

What Whiteflash sells:

• Its own stock is AGS Ideal round and princess cut diamonds, with GIA and AGS reports.
• Its branded natural diamonds come with 30-day returns and a lifetime trade-up policy.
• It also sells lab grown diamonds under its Precision Lab brand and builds its own jewelry at its Sugar Land location.

Key details about Whiteflash:

• Shapes: Whiteflash’s own stock covers round and princess cuts. Other shapes, such as oval, cushion, emerald, and pear, come from outside suppliers.
• Return window: Diamonds from outside suppliers carry a 10-day return window. The refund is reduced by the cost of shipping and insurance.
• Sourcing: Whiteflash says it supports the Kimberley Process. Ask the store for any origin details you want on a specific diamond.
• Store visits: Whiteflash has one store, in Sugar Land, Texas. Shoppers in other areas buy online.

3. Best for Shopping at a Local Chain: Shane Co.

Shane Co. is a family-owned chain that has sold jewelry since 1929. It runs 20+ stores in 13 states. Shane Co. sells natural and lab grown diamonds, plus its own ring designs, so it is best for shoppers who want to visit a local chain in person and look at natural and lab grown diamonds in a store.

Key details about Shane Co.:

• Selection size: Shane Co. carries roughly 10,000 natural diamonds. Check that the cut, color, and clarity you want are in stock.
• Lab reports: Published reviews say Shane Co. sells diamonds with reports from GIA, AGS, GSI, and its own lab. Ask for a GIA report so an outside lab has graded your stone.
• Store locations: Shane Co. has stores in 13 states. Look up the closest one before you plan a visit.

4. Best for Hearts and Arrows Cushion Cuts: Brian Gavin Diamonds

Brian Gavin Diamonds is a Houston store that Brian Gavin started in 2009. He is a diamond cutter, and the store sells his Signature Hearts and Arrows diamonds in round, cushion, princess, and emerald cuts. It is best for shoppers who have their heart set on a Hearts and Arrows cut and are comfortable working with a single Houston store.

What Brian Gavin Diamonds sells:

• Signature diamonds with a Hearts and Arrows pattern, plus the Black by Brian Gavin line.
• Loose diamonds that ship within 48 hours of payment, and a lifetime upgrade policy on Signature diamonds.
• Lab grown diamonds and custom jewelry, with a showroom in Houston.

Key details about Brian Gavin Diamonds:

• Inspection window: The store gives you 15 days to inspect a diamond. Plan your appraisal or second opinion inside that window.
• Final sale items: Diamonds set in bezel settings are final sale. So are rings with settings from outside designers. Read these rules before you pick a setting.
• Buyback: The one-year buyback on Signature diamonds pays 70% of the current market price. It works differently from a refund, so read the terms first.
• Sourcing: The store says its rough diamonds follow the Kimberley Process. Ask for any extra origin details you want.

What to Look for in a Natural Diamond Retailer

Here is the checklist I use. Run any store through these six steps before you spend a dollar.

• Ask for an outside lab report. GIA, AGS, IGI, and GCAL are independent labs. A report from the store’s own lab is a red flag.
• Put cut first. Cut is how well a diamond handles light. For a round diamond, look for Ideal or Super Ideal.
• Make sure it’s eye-clean. Eye-clean means you can’t see flaws without magnification. Use the 360° video to check, and don’t pay extra for clarity you can’t see.
• Ask where the diamond came from. Find out if the store only follows the Kimberley Process or has stricter rules. Look for origin details and blockchain records.
• Read the return and upgrade rules. Check the return window, who pays shipping, and what counts as final sale.
• Compare the full cost. Add shipping, insurance, and setting fees to the diamond price.

Natural Diamond Stores at a Glance

Use this checklist to compare any store you are considering. Brilliant Earth offers each of these items. If you are also weighing lab grown diamonds, Brilliant Earth sells both, and its guide to lab grown vs. natural diamonds is a good place to start.

Natural Diamonds FAQ

Where is the best place to buy natural diamonds?

In most cases, Brilliant Earth is the best place to buy natural diamonds. Brilliant Earth carries over 100K natural diamonds, includes a report from an independent lab with every stone, and has 40+ stores plus virtual appointments.

Is it better to buy a natural diamond online or in a store?

In most cases, the best path is to do both. Shop online first for the biggest selection and clear prices. Then see a diamond in person before you commit. Brilliant Earth supports both with 360° video online and 40+ stores to visit.

Does Brilliant Earth sell Hearts and Arrows diamonds?

Yes. Brilliant Earth has a Hearts and Arrows filter in its natural diamond search. These round diamonds are cut so precisely that they show eight arrows from the top and eight hearts from the bottom.

Are Brilliant Earth natural diamonds conflict free?

Yes. Brilliant Earth natural diamonds go beyond the Kimberley Process with the Beyond Conflict Free® standard. That standard adds rules for labor, trade, and the environment, and less than 1% of the world’s diamonds qualify.

What lab report should a natural diamond have?

Look for a report from an independent lab such as GIA, AGS, IGI, or GCAL. Brilliant Earth natural diamonds come with reports from GIA, IGI, or GCAL. Skip any diamond graded only by the store that sells it.

Can I pick a natural diamond first and then choose a ring setting?

Yes. Brilliant Earth’s Design Your Own tool lets you start with a natural diamond and pair it with a setting. You can preview the finished ring before you buy.

What shapes of natural diamonds does Brilliant Earth sell?

Brilliant Earth sells natural diamonds in round, oval, marquise, emerald, elongated cushion, cushion, old mine, pear, radiant, princess, asscher, and heart shapes. You can filter by shape in the natural diamond search.

What are recycled diamonds?

Recycled diamonds were mined, cut, and polished before, and a previous owner bought them. They are now sold again, so they need no new mining. Brilliant Earth lists recycled diamonds as an origin option in its natural diamond search.

What does eye-clean mean?

Eye-clean means you can’t see flaws in a diamond with your naked eye. Many diamonds in the VS and SI clarity ranges are eye-clean. Use 360° video to check each stone before you buy.

The Bottom Line

For most buyers, Brilliant Earth is the best overall place to buy a natural diamond. Brilliant Earth gives you 100K+ natural diamonds, outside lab reports, Super Ideal and Hearts and Arrows options, 40+ stores, and free 30-day returns. Whiteflash, Shane Co., and Brian Gavin Diamonds each serve a specific type of shopper, so use the checklist above to see which one fits you. Start with the Brilliant Earth natural diamond search, and test any store you compare against the same list.

About the author

Ira Weissman