We would choose Brilliant Earth over Jared for its jewelry designs, diamond-selection tools and overall buying experience. Jared is worth considering if you want a nearby store for fittings and ongoing service, but we would compare its complete price before ordering.
Our comparison favored Brilliant Earth, and that recommendation still stands. What has changed is the price argument: we no longer describe Brilliant Earth as one of the cheapest jewelers. We rate it 4.5/5. It is best for buyers who value those benefits over higher prices.
Read our Brilliant Earth review Visit Brilliant Earth
A quick comparison of Brilliant Earth vs. Jared
| What matters | Brilliant Earth | Jared |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Buyers who want a distinctive setting, a good online diamond search and showroom access | Buyers who value a nearby jeweler for fittings, repairs and custom work |
| Main strength | Design choice and the ability to select a diamond for different jewelry types | In-person service and a useful loose-diamond search |
| Price | A premium-priced jeweler, not our lowest-cost recommendation | Compare the full piece with online alternatives |
| Main caution | A higher price does not guarantee a better diamond | Finished jewelry may provide less detail about individual stones |
| Eligible returns | 30 days, with exclusions | 30 days, with exclusions; the clock starts at purchase or online shipment |
Our recommendation
Diamond selection
Brilliant Earth gave us more options within the grades we wanted in our dated search. Jared had plenty of higher-color diamonds, but fewer matches for our warmer-color reference. A large catalog is helpful only if it contains stones that fit your budget and preferences.
Jewelry beyond engagement rings
We particularly like Brilliant Earth's build-your-own options for earrings and pendants as well as rings. Choosing the individual stone lets you assess its report and images instead of relying only on a finished piece's minimum grades.
Price
Brilliant Earth cost less in our dated comparison. Those figures are preserved below as historical research, not today's quotes. For current value, compare both sellers with Ritani and include the setting, metal, delivery and any conditions attached to the price.
Shipping and returns
Both offer an eligible 30-day return window, but the deadlines and exclusions matter. Neither policy means that every engraved or custom-designed piece can be returned.
Sustainability
Brilliant Earth makes sourcing and materials easier to explore while shopping. Jared also publishes responsible-sourcing commitments through Signet; our earlier suggestion that it did virtually nothing was too sweeping.
Why Brilliant Earth remains our choice
Its design range and online tools make it our preference between these two. Choose Jared instead if local service is important enough to justify the price of the particular piece you want. Neither brand name should replace checking the diamond itself.
Company backgrounds
Brilliant Earth
Founded in 2005, Brilliant Earth sells lab-grown and natural diamonds online and through US showrooms. Its own setting designs, sourcing focus and broad jewelry range are central to its appeal.
Our full Brilliant Earth review explains its strengths and why we lowered its overall rating to 4.5 to account for higher prices.
Jared
Jared began in 1993 and is part of Signet, alongside brands including Kay, Zales and Blue Nile. Its stores offer jewelry shopping, repairs and custom-design services. The 1910 date in our article referred to Sterling's history, not the launch of Jared.
See our Jared review for the broader assessment. Here, we focus on how its diamond shopping compares with Brilliant Earth.
Lab-grown diamond selection
Brilliant Earth's diamonds
Our research recorded more than 50,000 loose lab-grown diamonds at Brilliant Earth and over 400 results for our reference search. We were looking for a round diamond weighing 0.93–1.07 carats, I–J color, VS1–VS2 clarity, with the seller's highest available cut category.
That choice was deliberate: a well-cut diamond just below one carat can offer good value, and a warmer color may suit yellow gold. It is not the only sensible specification. With today's lower lab-diamond prices, a higher color grade may add relatively little.
Brilliant Earth's selection also covered fancy shapes and colored diamonds. The advantage was not simply the number of listings, but the ability to find different combinations of shape, size and setting.
Jared's diamonds
Our earlier Jared search recorded 5,294 lab diamonds within broader filters: at least J color, VS clarity and Excellent/Ideal cut. That was not the same narrow one-carat sample used for pricing.
We liked its loose-diamond search much more than its finished-jewelry shopping experience. Jared still has a dedicated loose lab-diamond search, but the numbers in our research screenshots are not current inventory counts.
Color and clarity choices
Within the broader historical search, Jared returned 41 I–J-color stones and 4,614 D–E-color stones. That showed a strong bias toward higher color grades. It did not prove that every D or E diamond was overpriced.
Choose color for the shape, size and metal you want. Compare the actual price difference; do not pay extra simply because a grade is higher, or dismiss an affordable D or E stone because our older search favored I and J.
Cut and image checks
The cut deserves close attention, especially for a round diamond. Check the grading report and the individual stone's video, rather than treating a seller's filter label as the complete assessment.
Our review noted inclusions visible in some magnified Jared images. Magnification can make tiny marks look prominent. It does not establish that a laboratory grade is wrong or that an inclusion would be visible in normal wear.
Diamond price comparison
Brilliant Earth's earlier prices
The article's one-carat reference search produced the following advertised ranges. These are useful records of what we compared, not a live shopping list.
| Historical reference search | Advertised loose-diamond prices |
|---|---|
| Brilliant Earth | $1,100–$1,890 |
| Jared | $1,470–$2,670 |
Both searches aimed at round lab diamonds near one carat, I–J color, VS1–VS2 clarity and the highest cut category. Individual stones still differed in proportions, appearance and availability.
How competitive was Brilliant Earth?
It was cheaper than Jared in that sample. Our earlier description of Brilliant Earth as a price leader no longer reflects our assessment. We now recommend it for design and buying experience, while our one-carat price guide is the better place to compare more recent examples.
Include the setting
A low loose-diamond price is only part of the cost. Compare the same metal, setting style and side-stone weight. A simple solitaire and a detailed halo can produce very different totals even with similar center diamonds.
We like choosing a stone separately when practical, but finished jewelry can also make sense. What matters is whether the seller gives you enough information to judge the piece.
Jared's earlier prices
Jared's original range started at $1,470. After reviewing the available images, our writer preferred examples closer to $1,800. That was a shopping judgment within the old sample, not a claim that every cheaper diamond had poor clarity.
Lab-grown prices have changed substantially since that research. We have not repeated a matching live price sample for this update, so we would not use these amounts to set a budget today.
Price verdict
The search favored Brilliant Earth. Today, get a like-for-like quote from both and compare at least one value-focused seller. A percentage discount is less useful than the final price for the diamond and design you actually want.
Shopping experience
Shopping at Brilliant Earth
This remains a major reason for our recommendation. Its website makes it straightforward to move between diamonds, designs and appointments.
Finding diamond information
Our review praised the navigation, images and access to grading reports. Some report images needed zooming to read. Check that the report number matches the chosen stone before you commit.
Building your own jewelry
Brilliant Earth's options go beyond engagement rings. We like being able to choose the diamond for earrings or a pendant, particularly when clarity, color or a matching pair matters to you.
This gives you more control; it does not automatically make every custom combination better than a ready-made piece.
Getting help
Brilliant Earth offers consultations and online support. Use that help for specific questions: can you see the chosen stone, what does the setting price include, and which return or resizing terms apply? Our recommendation does not imply that a gemologist independently inspects every listing for us.
Visiting a showroom
Brilliant Earth announced its 43rd US showroom in August 2026, replacing the outdated 19-location figure in our article. Check its current locator and book ahead if you want to try a particular style; a showroom need not hold every online diamond.
Shopping at Jared
Jared's strongest reason to be on your shortlist is its combination of online shopping and local service.
In-person service
A nearby store can help with ring sizing, trying styles, repairs and ongoing care. Jared also advertises custom-design studios. Ask what can be done at your particular location and whether a service is included or costs extra.
Comparing online first
We would still shortlist diamonds online before visiting. It gives you time to compare reports and complete prices without making an immediate decision. A store visit and careful online research can complement each other.
The online diamond search
Our review found the loose-diamond interface useful and similar to the former James Allen experience. The dedicated search is still available. That does not mean Jared has identical inventory, prices or policies to Blue Nile's current James Allen collection.
Customizing a ring
Selecting a loose diamond and a setting gives you more choice than a preset ring. Jared also offers custom work through its studios. Establish whether your order is a standard diamond-and-setting combination or a custom design, because the return terms can differ.
Buying finished jewelry
Our earlier criticism was that finished pieces gave us less control over the individual stones. That remains the right thing to check, rather than judging the piece by how modern the website looks.
For studs or a bracelet, ask for the color and clarity range, total carat weight, metal and any individual grading reports. Do not mistake total carat weight across a pair or bracelet for the size of one diamond.
Shopping verdict
We prefer Brilliant Earth for choosing diamonds across different jewelry types. Jared is a more compelling alternative when you will use its local services. In either case, make sure the final order records the details you agreed.
Sourcing and sustainability
Brilliant Earth's approach
Brilliant Earth makes sourcing, recycled metals and environmental initiatives prominent in its shopping experience. Its published reporting gives buyers more to investigate than a general “eco-friendly” label.
Natural and lab-grown options
Both are available. Lab-grown diamonds avoid diamond mining, but growing and cutting them still uses energy and materials. Neither origin alone establishes the full environmental or labor impact.
Specific lab-diamond claims
Our article showed Brilliant Earth's sustainably rated selection. When comparing today's listings, check which certification or renewable-energy claim applies to the particular diamond or collection.
Recycled-metal, packaging and energy claims cover different parts of the product. None should be read as proof that every piece has no environmental impact.
Jared's approach
Jared describes responsible sourcing and Signet's participation in the Responsible Jewellery Council. Its published sourcing protocols are relevant and deserve recognition.
We still prefer the visibility of Brilliant Earth's product-level information. That is different from claiming Jared has no standards, or declaring one particular diamond greener without comparable evidence.
Shipping and returns
Delivery
Brilliant Earth offers complimentary shipping on eligible orders to its supported destinations. Check the promised arrival date for the finished piece; making or setting jewelry takes time in addition to transit.
Jared currently advertises free expedited shipping on orders over $199, plus free ship-to-store options. This replaces our old blanket statement that all orders received free two-day delivery. Availability and timing depend on the order.
Returns and ongoing care
Brilliant Earth's eligible returns are generally within 30 days of shipment. Jared allows eligible returns within 30 days of purchase, or shipment for an online order; exchanges are handled in store. Check exclusions before ordering engraved or custom-designed jewelry.
Jared's diamond guarantee requires documented inspections every six months. That is an ongoing condition, not unconditional insurance. For both sellers, confirm resizing eligibility and any charges before ordering a ring that may need adjustment.
Pros and cons
What we like about Brilliant Earth
- A wide choice of settings and jewelry styles.
- Individual diamond selection for more than engagement rings.
- Useful images, reports and consultation options.
- Showroom access and visible sourcing information.
What we do not like about Brilliant Earth
- Higher prices than some of our recommended sellers.
- Premium branding is not a substitute for checking the chosen diamond.
- Customization, resizing and return exclusions need attention.
What we like about Jared
- Local fittings, repairs and custom-design services.
- A useful dedicated loose-diamond search.
- Online and store options for shoppers who want both.
What we do not like about Jared
- Higher prices in our comparison.
- Less individual-stone control for some finished jewelry.
- Return exclusions and recurring inspection requirements to keep in mind.
More comparisons and reviews
For a closer look at the seller we prefer here, read our Brilliant Earth review. If you are comparing design-focused brands, Brilliant Earth vs. Vrai is a useful next step.
Read our Brilliant Earth review Visit Brilliant Earth
About the comparison
The price and inventory figures come from our dated searches. Jared's broader inventory counts and the narrower one-carat price sample used different filters. The screenshots show the websites at that time, not current stock or prices.
For a purchase today, check the current return terms, including Brilliant Earth's policy, for the specific piece you choose.