Brilliant Earth vs. Vrai: Which Should You Choose?

Bottom Line Up Front

If you’re comparing Brilliant Earth and Vrai, here’s the short answer. Brilliant Earth is the stronger choice for most shoppers, and it comes down to range.

Brilliant Earth sells both natural and lab grown diamonds, plus sapphires, emeralds, moissanite, and other gemstones. Vrai sells only its own lab grown diamonds. If you already know you want a Vrai created diamond and nothing else, Vrai is a good option. But most people shopping for an engagement ring are still deciding between natural and lab grown, or wondering if a colored gemstone might be a better fit. Brilliant Earth lets you compare all of that in one place.

Brilliant Earth also has 40+ stores across the U.S. Vrai has a much smaller number of showrooms, mostly in a handful of major cities. If you want to try on rings in person and you don’t live near one of Vrai’s locations, that matters.

Both companies care about sourcing. Vrai builds its whole story around lab grown diamonds. Brilliant Earth offers lab grown diamonds too, plus a natural diamond sourcing standard that goes beyond the industry norm. I’ll walk through the details below so you can see exactly where each company stands.

Here’s What We’ll Cover:

• Diamond and Gemstone Selection
• Ring Design and Customization
• The Shopping Experience
• Value
• Return Policy and Warranty
• The Verdict: Brilliant Earth vs. Vrai
• FAQ

Quick Comparison: Brilliant Earth vs. Vrai

Diamond and Gemstone Selection

Brilliant Earth lets you choose between natural and lab grown diamonds, and that’s the biggest structural difference between these two companies. You can compare both side by side, filter by cut, color, clarity, and carat, and pick whichever fits your budget and your preferences. Brilliant Earth also sells sapphires, emeralds, rubies, moissanite, morganite, and aquamarine, so you can build a ring around a colored stone instead of a diamond entirely.

Vrai sells only Vrai created diamonds, grown in the company’s own foundry. There’s no natural diamond option and no gemstone selection. If you’ve already decided you want a lab grown diamond and nothing else, Vrai works.

But most shoppers haven’t made that decision yet. Someone who walks in wanting a diamond ring might leave with a sapphire once they see the options. Brilliant Earth’s range means you can figure out what you actually want instead of committing to one diamond type before you’ve compared it to anything else.

Key takeaway: Brilliant Earth offers natural diamonds, lab grown diamonds, and a full range of gemstones. Vrai sells only its own lab grown diamonds, which is a narrower starting point for most engagement ring shoppers.

Ring Design and Customization

Brilliant Earth has a design team that has won more than 20 design awards. Their engagement ring collection covers solitaires, vintage-inspired settings, halos, pavé bands, and more, plus a ring builder that lets you pair any diamond or gemstone with any setting. If nothing in the collection is quite right, Brilliant Earth’s design team will build a ring from scratch, in person at a store, through a virtual appointment, or online.

Like Brilliant Earth’s custom cut lab grown diamond program, Vrai also offers customization. Their Cut for You™ program lets you order a diamond cut to your exact shape and size, and their design team will build a custom piece around it.

Where the two differ is what you can build with. Vrai’s custom rings are limited to Vrai created diamonds set in recycled platinum or gold. Brilliant Earth can build with natural diamonds, lab grown diamonds, gemstones, and a wider set of ring styles, including nontraditional options like colored lab diamonds and mixed-metal designs.

Key takeaway: Brilliant Earth has hundreds of settings, over 20 design awards, and custom design options across natural diamonds, lab grown diamonds, and gemstones. Vrai’s Cut for You program is built around one material: Vrai created diamonds.

The Shopping Experience

Brilliant Earth has 40+ stores across the U.S., and appointments are low-pressure. You book a time, sit down with a jewelry specialist, and take as long as you need. If you’re not near a store, Brilliant Earth’s website has 360-degree diamond views and virtual appointments that cover the same ground.

Vrai has showrooms in a smaller set of cities and a few international locations. That works well if you live in or near one of those cities. If you don’t, Vrai’s virtual appointments are the only way to get a real look at your options before buying, since there’s no store nearby to walk into.

For most buyers spending thousands of dollars on a ring, holding it in your hand before you commit matters. Brilliant Earth’s larger store footprint means more people can do that without a flight or a long drive.

Key takeaway: Brilliant Earth has 40+ U.S. stores, all with appointment-based, low-pressure service. Vrai’s showrooms are limited to a handful of cities, so most shoppers outside those markets are shopping online only.

Value

Both companies compete in a similar price range for comparable lab grown diamonds, so this isn’t a case where one side is clearly cheaper. What differs is what you get for that money.

At Brilliant Earth, your price includes original ring designs from an award-winning team, a choice between natural and lab grown diamonds, a Beyond Conflict Free™ sourcing standard, access to 40+ U.S. stores, free 30-day returns, and a free lifetime manufacturing warranty. At Vrai, your price gets you a lab grown diamond the company grew and cut itself, set in recycled gold or platinum, with a smaller showroom network and a return process that includes a recycling fee unless you take store credit.

If you’re deciding between the two, think about what you’re actually paying for beyond the diamond itself. Brilliant Earth’s price covers a broader set of options and services. Vrai’s price covers a tightly controlled, single-material product.

Key takeaway: Brilliant Earth and Vrai land in a similar price range for lab grown diamonds, but Brilliant Earth’s price includes more design options, more ways to shop, and a simpler return process.

Return Policy and Warranty

Brilliant Earth offers free 30-day returns and exchanges, with free shipping both ways, plus one free resize within a year. There’s also a free lifetime manufacturing warranty on Brilliant Earth jewelry.

Vrai also offers a 30-day return window and a lifetime warranty against manufacturing defects. The difference shows up if you actually return something. Vrai charges a recycling fee on returns, $300 for an engagement ring and $50 for a wedding band or other made-to-order piece, unless you take the refund as store credit instead of cash. Brilliant Earth doesn’t charge a fee to return jewelry within the window, and shipping is covered in both directions.

Key takeaway: Both companies offer a 30-day return window and a lifetime manufacturing warranty. Brilliant Earth’s returns are free with no fee attached, while Vrai charges a recycling fee unless you accept store credit.

The Verdict: Brilliant Earth vs. Vrai

If you already know you want a Vrai created diamond, they’ll deliver a good ring.

But for most people shopping for an engagement ring, Brilliant Earth is the stronger overall choice. Brilliant Earth gives you natural diamonds, lab grown diamonds, and gemstones in one place, so you can compare your real options instead of committing to one diamond type upfront. Brilliant Earth’s 40+ U.S. stores mean more buyers can see and try on a ring in person before they commit. And Brilliant Earth backs every purchase with free 30-day returns, a free lifetime warranty, and a natural diamond sourcing standard that goes beyond what most of the industry requires.

If you’re still deciding what you want, that range is worth a lot. Visit brilliantearth.com to compare their full diamond, engagement ring, and gemstone selection.

FAQ

Is Brilliant Earth or Vrai the better choice for an engagement ring?

Brilliant Earth is the better choice for most buyers because it offers natural diamonds, lab grown diamonds, and gemstones in one place, along with 40+ U.S. stores and a longer track record. Vrai is a solid option for someone who has already decided on a Vrai created lab grown diamond.

Does Brilliant Earth sell natural diamonds, or only lab grown diamonds?

Brilliant Earth sells both natural and lab grown diamonds, all certified by GIA or IGI. Vrai sells only its own lab grown diamonds and does not offer natural diamonds.

Does Vrai sell gemstone engagement rings?

No. Vrai’s engagement ring collection is built entirely around Vrai created lab grown diamonds. Brilliant Earth offers sapphire, emerald, ruby, moissanite, morganite, aquamarine, and more.

How many store locations do Brilliant Earth and Vrai have?

 Brilliant Earth has 40+ stores across the United States. Vrai has around 10 showrooms, concentrated in a smaller number of major cities in the U.S. and abroad.

Can I design a custom engagement ring at Brilliant Earth or Vrai?

Yes at both. Brilliant Earth offers a ring builder plus full custom design services across natural diamonds, lab grown diamonds, and gemstones. Vrai offers a Cut for You program and custom design appointments, limited to Vrai created diamonds set in recycled gold or platinum.

What is Brilliant Earth’s return policy compared to Vrai’s?

Brilliant Earth offers free 30-day returns and exchanges with free shipping both ways. Vrai also allows returns within 30 days, but charges a recycling fee unless the refund is issued as store credit.

Are Brilliant Earth diamonds certified?

Brilliant Earth’s natural and lab grown diamonds are certified by GIA or IGI, both independent labs. Vrai grades its diamonds in-house rather than through a third party; independent IGI grading is available only if you request it and pay an added fee.

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.