In this comparison
Start with Rare Carat if you want to choose a specific lab-grown diamond and see how far your budget goes on a simple solitaire. Start with Brilliant Earth if trying on settings could change the ring you buy. Both let you choose the diamond separately. The difference is what each helps you decide before you order.
The Rare Carat ring I priced came to $1,215 in the cart before tax. At Brilliant Earth, our earlier research included a purchase and return, and we tried on settings in a showroom. These were different shopping exercises. The price and the showroom experience each answer a question you might have about your own ring.
Read our Rare Carat review Read our Brilliant Earth review
Rare Carat vs. Brilliant Earth at a glance
| What matters to you | Rare Carat | Brilliant Earth |
|---|---|---|
| Our editorial review rating | 4.0/5 | 4.5/5 |
| Where I would start | Finding an individual stone and checking its report number | Trying settings and comparing individual diamonds |
| What we did | Filtered listings, checked availability and built a sample cart | Bought and returned jewelry, tried showroom settings and checked online tools |
| What to confirm | Whether the exact diamond is available and qualifies for a price match | Which settings the showroom has and whether it can show your exact diamond |
| How to compare the price | Add the exact diamond and setting, then check tax | Price the same kind of complete ring and decide how much the setting and service matter |
Our ratings cover different evidence. Rare Carat’s score covers the online shopping experience and published terms. Brilliant Earth’s includes broader firsthand experience. Use them with the details that matter for your order.
When I would start at Rare Carat
Rare Carat was easy to use once I had a shape, a size range and a budget. I looked for rounds between 1.45 and 1.60 carats. Four selectable E/VS2 diamonds came in at $615 to $790 in our November 7, 2026 shopping check. Two other listings I reached through search were already unavailable, so I would begin inside the live diamond finder and keep a couple of candidates open.
The report number lookup is the feature I would come back for. If another retailer lists that exact report, you have something firmer to compare than two stones that happen to share color and clarity. Rare Carat requires the same report and an eligible, available competing offer before purchase. We found an indexed listing elsewhere for our sample stone and could not confirm that it was still available. We left the price match untested. Rare Carat price-match terms
When Brilliant Earth is worth a visit
If you are torn between a low solitaire and a ring with a higher profile or side stones, a showroom can save you time. During our visit, seeing the rings on a hand helped us judge the proportions in a way that close-up photos did not. If you plan to stack the engagement ring with a wedding band, try both together and see whether a gap bothers you.
Call ahead if you want to see a specific setting. Ask whether the appointment includes the exact diamond you have shortlisted or an example for trying the style. You can still use the report and video to choose the stone separately. Our Brilliant Earth review also covers an earlier purchase and return, which helps explain why the setting and service carry more weight in that review.
How to choose the actual diamond
For a round, compare face-up diameter along with carat weight. Then look at how evenly the stone lights up as it turns. If you’re considering an oval, pay attention to the outline and how dark the center looks in motion. At either retailer, check that the report number and measurements belong to the stone in the listing.
I would narrow the choice to two or three diamonds before spending much time on grading. If two reports look similar, use the actual videos and compare the completed rings. Pay for a difference you can see or a setting you prefer.
Which shopping route suits your ring?
| If you are deciding between… | What to check first |
|---|---|
| Two round diamonds for the same style of solitaire | Open the actual reports and videos. Compare diameter and appearance before moving up in weight. |
| A slim solitaire and a wider band | Try both widths, or ask for the finished measurements. The width changes how much of the hand the band covers. |
| A low setting and one that leaves room for a wedding band | Bring the band to a Brilliant Earth appointment if you already own it. For a Rare Carat build, ask for the finished profile and whether the rings can sit flush. |
| Two listings for what may be the same stone | Match the laboratory and report number, then confirm the stone is available before relying on either price. |
The Rare Carat setting I priced was a slim 1.5 mm band. That was useful for setting a budget, but I would get a separate quote for a wider band or a setting with side stones. If you find a Brilliant Earth setting you prefer during an appointment, ask for its name and metal so you can price that exact version later. A showroom sample can settle the shape and feel of a setting even when the stone you plan to buy is elsewhere.
Compare the complete ring prices
| What we priced at Rare Carat | November 7, 2026 |
|---|---|
| 1.46 ct E/VS2 round lab-grown diamond | $615 |
| Linda Comfort-Fit solitaire in 14K white gold | $600 |
| Cart estimate before tax | $1,215 |
Brilliant Earth’s review has its own loose-diamond samples, taken for a different comparison. We did not price a matching Brilliant Earth ring for this Rare Carat cart, so those figures do not give us a dollar saving. The clean comparison is two quotes with a similar shape, diameter, grading report and setting. Keep the gold purity and any accent stones comparable.
If Brilliant Earth comes out higher, look at what you would get for the difference. I would pay more for a setting that sits better beside my wedding band or a design I like enough to wear every day. For a simple solitaire where both quotes give you the look and terms you want, the full price carries more weight.
What I would ask both jewelers to quote
Give both jewelers the same brief, such as a round lab-grown center with a similar face-up diameter in a plain 14K white-gold solitaire. Ask for the diamond and setting prices separately and then the complete total for your ZIP code. Check whether the setting quote includes mounting the stone, and whether a listed promotion applies to the stone, the setting, or both.
If you are working toward a proposal date, get the estimated ship or pickup date for the assembled ring. A loose diamond can be available before the jeweler can finish and size the ring. A higher quote is easier to assess when you can point to the design or service you prefer.
Returns, sizing and delivery
Rare Carat’s standard US policy gives eligible orders 30 days from shipment. Brilliant Earth describes its standard window from when the item is available for shipment or pickup. Check the deadline for your exact order, including any holiday terms. Rare Carat excludes items sent in for resizing from returns. At Brilliant Earth, altered or custom pieces can also have different terms. Decide whether you are keeping the ring before you send it for work. Rare Carat returns · Brilliant Earth returns
Which jeweler would I choose?
For a simple solitaire with a center stone I can inspect online, I would price Rare Carat first. If the setting is the part I am unsure about, I would try on Brilliant Earth rings and bring home a quote to compare. In either case, get a completed-ring price and check whether the setting in the quote is the one you actually want.
Frequently asked questions
Does Rare Carat price-match Brilliant Earth?
Ask Rare Carat about the exact listing. It needs the same grading report number and an eligible, available competing offer. Similar grades or an expired listing do not establish eligibility.
Can I try on a Brilliant Earth ring before ordering?
You can book a showroom appointment. Ask whether the location has the setting you want to try and what kind of stone it can show you.
Can I choose the center diamond separately at both?
Yes. Both offer loose diamonds and settings for a ring build. Confirm the setting can take the exact stone you choose and ask for the finished height and delivery estimate.
Does an appointment let me see the exact diamond?
Ask the showroom before booking. A sample ring can show you the setting height and band width. If the exact loose stone is unavailable to view, ask for its report and actual-stone video so you can make that decision separately.
How we compared the two
This comparison draws on our Rare Carat listing and cart checks and our Brilliant Earth showroom research and earlier purchase and return. The prices describe the products and dates shown above. Read the Rare Carat review and Brilliant Earth review for the full evidence.
Questions and experiences
Join the discussion
Ask a question or share your experience. We review comments before publishing them.