Brilliant Earth vs. Helzberg 2026 Comparison

I have spent more than 25 years in the diamond business, and I have secret-shopped hundreds of stores. People ask me all the time how the newer, design-led brands stack up against the traditional mall names. Brilliant Earth vs. Helzberg is one of those matchups.

Both sell diamonds and engagement rings. But they are very different companies. Brilliant Earth started in 2005 with a focus on ethical sourcing and its own ring designs. Helzberg opened its first store in 1915 and now sits inside malls across the country, owned by Berkshire Hathaway. Here is my honest take on which one is the better place to buy.

Bottom Line Up Front

Brilliant Earth is the one I would point most buyers toward. Three reasons stand out.

First, the buying experience is more personal. At Brilliant Earth you get real one-on-one help, whether you book an appointment, walk in, or meet a specialist online. Someone takes the time to walk you through the diamond, the setting, and the metal. You get real time and attention, with no rush. For a lot of buyers, that is the most important thing.

Second, Brilliant Earth designs its own rings. An award-winning team creates hundreds of original settings, so you are not looking at the same styles you see everywhere else. Helzberg’s selection is smaller and sticks closer to classic styles.

Third, Brilliant Earth backs every purchase with a free lifetime warranty against manufacturing defects. At Helzberg, the standard guarantee runs 12 months, and its lifetime plan costs extra.

Here’s What We’ll Cover:

• Quick Comparison
• The Shopping Experience
• Design and Ring Collections
• Diamond Selection and Certification
• What You Get for Your Money
• The Verdict
• FAQ

Quick Comparison

The Shopping Experience

Brilliant Earth runs more than 40 stores across the US. You can book an appointment or walk in, and either way you work one-on-one with a specialist who helps you through the diamond, the metal, and the setting. There is no rush and no pressure. Online, the experience is just as strong. Nearly every diamond comes with a 360-degree video, so you can study the stone up close before you buy. You can also book a virtual appointment and get the same guided help from home. Support is available 24/7 by phone, chat, or text.

Helzberg has an edge on raw store count. It runs roughly 150 stores in about 36 states, mostly inside malls, so there is a good chance one is close to you. If you want to walk in today and shop in person, that is easy to do. That convenience is real, and for some buyers it is enough.

Here is the trade-off. Helzberg’s stores focus on quick, in-person visits. Brilliant Earth’s focus on time and attention, plus deeper online tools like 360-degree diamond videos and the Design Your Own builder. More locations help you find a store. More time and help make you feel sure about what you bought. That is where Brilliant Earth pulls ahead the most.

Design and Ring Collections

Brilliant Earth designs its own rings. An award-winning team works out of a San Francisco studio and creates hundreds of original settings. You get classic solitaires but also designs you will not find anywhere else. Their Design Your Own tool lets you pick a setting, a diamond, and a metal, and see it all come together before you buy.

Helzberg sells rings too, but most of the selection sticks to classic styles you see at a lot of stores. Helzberg does offer a custom ring builder and a wedding band builder, so you can put together your own piece. The catch is that the starting selection is smaller and the designs are less original.

That difference shows up when you shop. At Brilliant Earth, you are choosing from a design brand. At Helzberg, you are choosing from a general jewelry store.

Diamond Selection and Certification

Brilliant Earth carries more than 300,000 lab grown diamonds online, plus a large selection of natural diamonds. Every loose diamond is independently certified by a respected lab like GIA, IGI, or GCAL. That certificate is your proof of what you are actually buying, graded by an outside expert instead of the store selling it to you.

Helzberg is less consistent here. In our secret shopping, some Helzberg stones were sold with only a “minimum” grade, meaning the store tells you the lowest quality you will get rather than the exact grade of your specific diamond. When you cannot see the exact grade, it is harder to know the value of what you are paying for.

Selection is a gap too. Brilliant Earth’s lab grown diamond inventory is one of the largest I have seen. Helzberg’s online diamond selection is smaller. The short version is that Brilliant Earth gives you more stones to choose from and an independent report on every loose diamond, so you always know the exact stone you are getting.

What You Get for Your Money

This is where things really take a turn. We did a simple price comparison between Helzberg and Brilliant Earth on one of the most common requests we get from our readers; a 2 carat lab-grown diamond in a solitaire setting.

Helzberg offers this ring for $3,999. It should be H+ VS2+. We can’t see the cut quality, but its probably well cut (as most lab-grown diamonds are). Its a very nice ring, but that price really surprised me.

Take a look at this 2.00 ct G VS1 diamond from Brilliant Earth. It is superbly cut and will be stunningly brilliant. The price for this diamond is $1,240. If you pair it with a similar setting, you are getting an identical ring for $1,890. That is saving you more than $2,000 (more than 50%).

2.00 Carat Round Lab Grown Diamond

Four-Prong Comfort Fit 1.5mm Ring in 14K Yellow Gold

This makes it a no-brainer for me. If the price difference is 10-15% one way or the other, we usually recommend ignoring the price. After all, it’s a one-time purchase that will be worn every day for the rest of your life. But Brilliant Earth is offering far superior value.

The Verdict

After years of reviewing diamond stores, I land on Brilliant Earth for most buyers here.

The experience is the thing I keep coming back to. Buying a ring is a big deal, and it should feel like it. At Brilliant Earth you get real one-on-one help, in person or online, with time to ask questions and no pressure to decide fast. Add the 360-degree diamond videos and the Design Your Own tool, and you have more ways to feel sure before you spend the money.

Then there is the rest of the package. Original ring designs from Brilliant Earth’s own team. 99% repurposed gold and Beyond Conflict Free Diamonds™ sourcing. An independent grading report on every loose diamond. And a free lifetime warranty that Helzberg charges extra for. Put it together and the choice gets clear.

Helzberg still has its place. It has more stores, it is easy to find in a mall, and it runs regular sales. If in-person convenience today matters most to you, it is a reasonable stop. But for service, design, sourcing, and long-term value, Brilliant Earth is the stronger pick.

FAQ

Is Brilliant Earth better than Helzberg? 

For most buyers, yes. Brilliant Earth offers more personal service, its own original ring designs, ethical sourcing, and a free lifetime warranty. Helzberg has more stores and frequent sales, so it can be a good fit if walk-in convenience matters most to you.

Which has a better shopping experience, Brilliant Earth or Helzberg? 

Brilliant Earth, in my view. You get one-on-one help from a specialist in person or online, with no rush. Helzberg’s stores focus more on quick, walk-in visits.

Does Brilliant Earth take walk-ins? 

Yes. Brilliant Earth welcomes walk-ins at its stores and also lets you book an appointment ahead of time. Booking is recommended if you want the most personalized experience.

Are Brilliant Earth diamonds GIA certified? 

Yes. Every loose diamond at Brilliant Earth is independently certified by a respected lab like GIA, IGI, or GCAL. That gives you an outside grading report for the exact stone you buy.

Is Brilliant Earth or Helzberg cheaper? 

Brilliant Earth is significantly cheaper. In our comparison above, Brilliant Earth would save you more than 50% (in our case, over $2,000) for a similar ring than what you would find at Helzberg.

Does Brilliant Earth have a good warranty? 

Yes. Brilliant Earth includes a free lifetime warranty against manufacturing defects on all of its jewelry. It also offers free 30-day returns, one free resizing within 60 days (or up to a year if the new size is within range), and a lifetime diamond upgrade program.

Can I design my own ring at Brilliant Earth? 

Yes. Brilliant Earth’s Design Your Own tool lets you choose a setting, a diamond, and a metal, then see them combined before you buy. Helzberg also offers a custom ring builder, but its starting selection of settings is smaller.

About the author

kyle Kristoffersen