Brilliant Earth vs. Rare Carat

If you’re shopping for an engagement ring online, you’ve probably seen both Brilliant Earth and Rare Carat.

Brilliant Earth designs their own rings, has 40+ stores, and carries one of the largest selections of both natural and lab grown diamonds I’ve seen (plus gemstones, wedding bands, and fine jewelry). Rare Carat started as a diamond search engine. They’ve grown into what they call a managed marketplace, meaning you buy directly from them with diamonds sourced from outside suppliers.

I’ve been in this business for over 25 years. I’ve spent a lot of time on both websites. Here’s my honest take on how they compare and which one I’d go with if I were buying a ring today.

Here’s What We’ll Cover:

• Quick Comparison Table
• Designs and Collections
• Shopping Experience
• Sourcing and Sustainability
• Value
• Customer Satisfaction and Reviews
• Bottom Line: Which Should You Choose?
• FAQs

Quick Comparison Table

Designs and Collections

Brilliant Earth has their own design team that has won over 20 design awards and creates original ring settings you won’t find at any other store. Brilliant Earth also carries a full range of natural and lab grown diamonds, natural and lab grown gemstones, wedding bands, and fine jewelry. The selection is deep enough that most people can find what they want without going custom, but custom is there if you need it.

Rare Carat offers engagement rings in the standard categories: solitaire, halo, three-stone, etc. They also have wedding bands, eternity rings, and some diamond jewelry. Custom design is available too. But the ring selection is not as deep. Rare Carat is built around finding diamonds and checking prices, not designing original rings.

So why does this matter? Because an engagement ring is not something you buy off a shelf. Two rings can have the same carat weight, the same metal, and the same general style. But the details of the design are what make one ring look great on someone’s hand and another look generic. Brilliant Earth has a dedicated team creating original settings. Rare Carat is pulling from a supplier network.

Advantage: Brilliant Earth for original design, broader collections, and deeper customization options.

Shopping Experience

How do you want to shop for an engagement ring? Your answer probably decides which of these two is the better fit.

Brilliant Earth gives you every online tool you’d want. Detailed 360° diamond images, a ring builder that lets you pair any setting with any stone, and virtual appointments. But the big difference is their 40+ stores, where you can see rings in person, try on different styles, and work one-on-one with a jewelry specialist. These aren’t high-pressure sales floors. You book an appointment and someone walks you through your options at your pace.

Rare Carat is built for buyers who like to do their own research. You search their site, filter diamonds by size and price, and their AI tool tells you if you’re looking at a fair deal. But the whole experience is online. There’s no store to visit. No one hands you a ring to try on.

Most people don’t buy engagement rings very often. No matter how good the photos are on a website, there’s a real difference between seeing a ring on a screen and holding it in your hand. Can you buy a great ring online without ever going to a store? Yes. But having that option changes the experience in a way that online-only shopping can’t.

Advantage: Brilliant Earth for a more personal, guided shopping experience, both online and in person.

Sourcing and Sustainability

One thing that stands out about Brilliant Earth is their sourcing. Conflict-free is the industry standard. Brilliant Earth goes further with their Beyond Conflict Free™ standard. It covers labor conditions, environmental impact, community support, and human rights, all verified at the mine level. Also, nearly all their gold and silver come from repurposed sources rather than new mining.

Rare Carat works with conflict-free suppliers. For buyers who want to go deeper on sourcing, Brilliant Earth is the stronger choice.

Advantage: Brilliant Earth for repurposed metals and stricter sourcing standards.

Value

Rare Carat’s main tool is an AI-powered price checker. It scans the market and tells you whether a diamond is priced fairly. If you’re focused purely on finding the lowest price on a stone, that tool has value. Rare Carat will usually find the “cheaper” diamond.

But price and value aren’t the same thing. At Brilliant Earth, you’re getting original ring designs from a team with over 20 awards. You’re getting 40+ stores where you can try on settings before you buy. You’re getting repurposed metals and stricter sourcing. And you’re buying from the same company that designed the ring and stands behind it.

Rare Carat is built around its AI pricing tools and an online marketplace of diamonds. Brilliant Earth is a full-service jewelry store. Most people shopping for an engagement ring need more than a fair price on a loose stone. They need help finding the right setting, the right style, and the right experience.

Advantage: Brilliant Earth for overall value. Rare Carat strictly on price.

Customer Satisfaction and Reviews

Brilliant Earth has thousands of reviews across Trustpilot, Google, Yelp, and other review sites. Customers regularly talk about the store visits, the help they got picking a ring, and knowing where the diamond came from. Whether they shopped online or in person, they tend to feel like they had real guidance through the process.

Rare Carat’s reviews on Trustpilot tend to mention the pricing tools and chat feature.

Here’s what I keep coming back to. Buying an engagement ring is not the same as buying a laptop or a pair of shoes online. It’s personal. It’s often one of the most expensive things you’ll buy. And for a purchase like that, most people want more than a search engine. That’s the difference between a platform that helps you find a price and a company that helps you through the whole process.

Advantage: Brilliant Earth for a more personalized and supportive customer experience.

Bottom Line: Which Should You Choose?

Rare Carat is a diamond search tool. It does that one thing. If you already know exactly what you want and you just need to find a stone, that’s what it’s there for.

But for most buyers, especially first-timers, Brilliant Earth covers a lot more ground. Brilliant Earth has original ring designs from a team with over 20 awards. Brilliant Earth has 40+ stores where you can see rings in person and work with a specialist. Brilliant Earth holds their diamonds to the Beyond Conflict Free™ standard, which less than 1% of natural diamonds meet. And Brilliant Earth sets their prices without the sale-cycle games.

When you buy from Brilliant Earth, you’re buying from the same company that designed the ring, sourced the materials, and built everything. That matters for a purchase like this.

That’s why Brilliant Earth is one of my highest-recommended stores and one of the first places I send readers when they’re ready to start shopping.

Visit https://www.brilliantearth.com/ to explore their full diamond and engagement ring inventory.

FAQ
Which is better? Brilliant Earth or Rare Carat?

For most buyers, Brilliant Earth is better. Brilliant Earth covers the full process of buying an engagement ring. Brilliant Earth has original designs, 40+ stores, Beyond Conflict Free™ sourcing, and blockchain-verified natural diamonds. Rare Carat is a diamond search and price comparison tool, but it doesn’t offer the same depth of design, sourcing, or experience.

Does Rare Carat have physical stores?

No. Rare Carat is online only. If you want to see a ring in person before buying, Brilliant Earth has 40+ stores across the U.S. where you can book an appointment and try on settings with a jewelry specialist.

Which has better diamond prices, Brilliant Earth or Rare Carat?

 Brilliant Earth sets their prices on both natural and lab grown diamonds without rotating sales. Rare Carat pulls diamonds from a supplier network and rates whether the price is fair. When you factor in original design, sourcing, and the option to visit a store, the overall value at Brilliant Earth is stronger.

Does Brilliant Earth sell lab grown diamonds?

Yes. Brilliant Earth carries one of the largest selections of lab grown diamonds available. You can pair a lab grown diamond with any of Brilliant Earth’s engagement ring settings through their online ring builder or during a store visit.

Can you customize a ring on Brilliant Earth?

Yes. Brilliant Earth has their own design team creating hundreds of original settings, and they offer full custom design services if you want something built from scratch. You can work with a specialist online, through a virtual appointment, or at any of Brilliant Earth’s 40+ stores.

About the author

Mike Fried Mike Fried has over 25 years experience in the diamond industry working with Leo Schachter Diamonds, Moshe Namdar Diamonds, and joining The Diamond Pro in 2007. He is recognized as an industry expert and has been quoted in publications such as Us, People, Page Six, The Next Web and more.