Ritani Lab-Grown Diamond Review (2023) – Is Ritani Too Cheap?

Last Updated on October 2, 2023 by Rolf Hartmann

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+ 10-30% on lab-grown diamonds at Ritani

Summary of Our Ritani Lab-Grown Diamond Review

If you have searched for the cheapest diamonds online, either mined or the better and cheaper sourced lab-grown diamonds, you will likely have come across Ritani. As we’ll learn in this review of Ritani lab-grown diamonds, Ritani offers the lowest-priced high-quality diamonds. How can Ritani be so much cheaper than its competitors? Keep reading our Ritani lab-grown diamond review and learn why and how to save even more!

Ritani is also known for marrying online and offline diamond shopping. They do this by offering the benefits of shopping online on their website and offering to send the jewelry order to a local jeweler, where you can preview the final product. If you like it, you can purchase it right there and then. If not, you can “walk away” and not buy it—no strings attached.

Finally, Ritani offers the largest selection of lab-grown diamonds that we have found. They have lab diamonds in all shapes and the most popular fancy lab diamond colors. And if the choices are too overwhelming, Ritani will recommend which diamonds to pick, including better alternatives, even when they are lower-priced!

In summary, in our review of Ritani lab-grown diamonds, we have found that Ritani is one of the best places to buy lab-grown diamonds and one of the top places for lab-grown diamond engagement rings. That’s why our Ritani review rewards them with our maximum rating of 5 out of 5 stars for their excellent service, including the ability to see your diamond in a store, exceptional prices, and a massive selection of lab-grown diamonds!

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Keep reading to learn why we recommend them in our Ritani lab-grown diamond review.

Ritani company history (the whole story)

The history of Ritani is a little messy. Ritani was founded in 1996 by Harout Aghjayan. Some years later, Ritani partnered with the jewelry magnates of the Julius Klein family, taking investments to develop the company further. The Julius Klein Group is a massive player in wholesale diamonds and jewelry.

Harout stayed as CEO until 2008/9, when he was ousted, and the Klein family entirely took over the Ritani company. From 2009 to this day, the CEO has been Joel Klein.

Oddly, this history seems to have been buried, and most accounts of the Ritani story omit either the story’s first or second half. Nevertheless, it did require a bit of investigation to get to the bottom of it, including reading through the legal files of a case between Harout and the Klein family (it was not a pretty breakup).

In 2012, Ritani entered the e-commerce market with a fresh capital injection. In 2014, the Julius Klein Group sold its remaining stake to Cantor Ventures for $15M to further develop the online and offline business. Brian Watkins was brought in as CEO (coming from Blue Nile), who led the project to partner with physical jewelry stores (more on that later). He left the company in 2016, and from what we can gather, Joel Klein returned (or took over).

But all this does not really matter. In the past little over a decade, Brian Watkins and Joel Klein have managed to turn Ritani into the company it is today, with exceptional customer service, the largest diamond selection, a transparent buying approach, and unbeatable diamond prices.

As a result, Ritani has developed into becoming one of the leading online diamond and jewelry sellers, bridging the gap to the brick-and-mortar world of jewelry stores (more on that below) and saving shoppers thousands of dollars with their rock-bottom diamond prices.

We’ll start our Ritani lab-grown diamond review by looking into their collaboration with physical jewelers and what that means for you as a lab diamond shopper.

How Ritani bridges online and offline shopping

As we have already mentioned in our review of Ritani, one key feature that sets them apart from most other online jewelers is their innovative approach to partnering with offline jewelers. Ritani offers you the opportunity to pick up, view, and inspect your ring at a local jewelry store with which they partner (or several participating WeWork offices).

In addition to the benefits of picking up some free-flowing kombucha at your local WeWork along with your diamonds, it makes a lot of sense to partner with jewelry stores. That allows you, as a consumer, to inspect the diamonds and your purchase while being able to ask questions (and, perhaps, borrow a loupe).

You can decide then and there if you want to keep or return your diamond. Of course, it does remove some of the convenience of shopping from your couch, but it’s a reasonable compromise.

Of course, you still have to invest time researching if you want to find the perfect diamond (before they’re sent to the local jeweler), so consider reading our guide to finding the perfect lab-grown diamond online.

So Ritani is the perfect jeweler if you value the physical jeweler experience and in-person customer service but also want the convenience and broad selection of shopping online. Or if you just want the best-priced lab-grown diamonds on the market! So, keep reading our Ritani review to learn how they are able to offer some of the absolute best prices on lab diamonds.

Ritani’s factory and leaner supply chains

To explain why Ritani can offer its incredibly low diamond prices, we must first understand how they are organized and operate.

Ritani is headquartered in White Plains, NY, close enough to the diamond district of NYC but with space to build its own factory. Through well-established (family) connections in the diamond world, Ritani can lower its supply chain costs and keep most of its jewelry production in-house (diamond cutting is usually handled overseas), all to the customer’s benefit through competitive pricing.

This also means that Ritani has better control of the production process and the quality of its products. And the quality of their products, such as settings and craftsmanship, is indeed superior to most competitors.

Additionally, this allows Ritani to offer one of the largest selections of diamonds we’ve seen. Let’s look at that next in our Ritani review.

Ritani lab-grown diamond selection

Ritani sells both mined and lab-grown diamonds but features lab-created diamonds almost as prominently as its mined inventory. They also feature a learning section on lab-grown diamonds, which is informative and, unlike other places such as Zales or Kay, very honest and not trying to undermine lab diamonds, as the owners of Lightbox Jewelry do.

We would have liked Ritani to offer sustainably rated diamonds, as we saw in our Brilliant Earth review. However, lab-grown diamonds are already a much more environmentally friendly diamond choice than mined diamonds.

Some of Ritani’s offerings, such as their trade-in program, do not extend to lab-grown diamonds. Unfortunately, this is pretty common in the diamond industry since the price of lab-created diamonds is not as well-understood as mined diamond prices (which fluctuate considerably). It’s a shame, but it does not set Ritani apart from its competitors and should not be a worry.

Ritani currently has shy of 207,000 mined diamonds and about 180,000 lab-grown available. Compared to most other mixed-diamond sellers, that’s a pretty good ratio (47% of their available inventory is lab-grown). Prices for lab-grown diamonds start as low as $50, but you would want to go higher than that to ensure you get a sparkling and clear diamond (more on that in the following section). Still, a lab-grown diamond for $50 is pretty wild!

In all our lab diamond reviews, only GemsNY gets close to boasting such an extensive inventory of lab-grown diamonds. And with close to 180,000 lab-grown diamonds to choose from, you can be sure to find a diamond that fits your needs!

We looked up our reference diamond (0.93-1.07ct, I-J color, VS1-VS2 clarity, and ideal cut) and got 472 matches. Not all of these live up to our standards, but we were impressed with their high-quality inventory. And it’s a significantly higher number than at any other lab-grown diamond jeweler we have reviewed!

But what about the prices at Ritani? We’ve already explained how their lean and direct model allows them to sell diamonds much cheaper. And unlike Diamond Direct, Ritani passes the savings on to the consumer. Next, in our Ritani review, we’ll closely examine their lab diamond prices.

Ritani lab-grown diamond prices

As we have already alluded to, Ritani offers the best prices for high-quality lab-grown diamonds of any jeweler we have come across.

As you can read in our comparison of 1-carat lab diamond prices (and 2-carat, 3-carat, 4-carat, 5-carat, and 6-carat lab diamonds), Ritani, in basically all instances, offers the lowest diamond prices.

And as you may know, lab-grown diamond prices are already 60-80% lower than mined diamonds (of the same quality and size). So not only are you saving a ton compared to mined diamonds, but you can save even more if you shop at Ritani. Or, if your budget is set, you can significantly increase the size and quality of the diamond you’re buying when you shop lab-grown diamonds at Ritani.

Not only are Ritani’s prices the lowest, but they’re also the most transparent of any diamond jeweler. Ritani breaks down the diamond cost, from gross purchase price to their margin on the particular stone! We’ll go into that in the coming section of our Ritani review, but suffice it to say that you can be confident that you know what you’re paying for at Ritani!

Their low prices are even more impressive because Ritani has a semi-offline shopping setup. Only Clean Origin and, sometimes, With Clarity and Grown Brilliance can match their prices.

Compared with any offline jewelers, such as mall jewelers like Helzberg, Jared Jewelry, or Zales, Ritani’s prices are far better than any you can find at a traditional jeweler and the lowest you’ll find online (even with the ability to see your diamond in a physical store).

Having learned that Ritani’s prices are the best, let’s find out what shopping for diamonds at Ritani stacks up with their competitors next in our Ritani review.

The Ritani lab-grown diamond buying experience

Like James Allen and Brillant Earth, Ritani sells both mined and lab-created diamonds. And while Ritani does not specialize in lab-grown diamonds, they offer both the largest and lowest-priced selection of lab-grown diamonds.

As noted, the buying experience is incredibly transparent and informative. Ritani not only suggests better diamonds, but they are often lower-priced alternatives! They even tell you the profit they are making, as we’ll note later.

The lab-grown diamond inspection features fall slightly short of what James Allen offers but are similar to what you see at our other top-rated diamond sellers, such as Brilliant Earth and Clean Origin.

Ritani makes the buying process extremely easy. They go to great lengths to make the process less daunting and scary and make information easily accessible and digestible. As a result, the buying experience is especially well-suited for a first-time buyer or someone who is unable (or willing) to invest too much time in the purchase (you should).

As seen above, the lab-grown diamond characteristics (the lab diamond 4Cs) are explained in a very approachable manner, which other diamond sellers could learn a lot from. Therefore, everyone should be able to make a relatively informed decision based on the above.

However, the ease of the buying process can be deceiving. As you will have learned from our lab-grown diamond educational articles, buying the perfect diamond requires a bit more legwork.

It can be daunting, but buying a diamond, even if lab-grown, is a significant investment. But don’t despair; we walk you through the process and make it easy in our lab-grown diamond buying guide.

But even if you cannot invest time in learning the ins and outs of diamonds, you can still find the perfect diamond if you shop at Ritani (or any of our recommended lab-grown diamond jewelers). As we’ll get into later in our review of Ritani, they offer objective and professional guidance focused on finding you the perfect diamond, not on how much they can earn.

The customer service at Ritani is fantastic and very friendly. It’s clear that Ritani cares about its customers. Even after you have made your purchase through their excellent post-purchase services. These include free diamond tightening, ring cleaning, and annual precious metal preservation!

Transparent buying and price comparison

We have already mentioned it a few times, but Ritani’s pricing is incredibly transparent. Ritani features a transparent diamond pricing tool showing you the wholesale diamond price, their operational costs (shipping, packaging, and processing), and even the profit made by Ritani. That’s price transparency on a whole other level!

And it doesn’t stop there. Ritani also compares the diamond you browse with a vast database of other diamonds to find better alternatives. We found that their suggestions were accurate and valuable almost every time, and their recommendations will undoubtedly be very helpful for any first-time diamond buyer (and even for the diamond pros).

We’re pretty excited about these diamond shopping features, which make buying easier, safer, and more enjoyable. And faster, too. Generally speaking, you should still invest time in the purchase process to educate yourself and ensure you end up with just the right diamond.

The process at Ritani is almost deceivingly easy, and you must dedicate enough time to assess any diamond purchase critically (it’s a significant investment, even with lab-grown diamonds). Luckily, Ritani offers help if you are not yet a diamond expert, which we’ll look at in the next section of our Ritani lab-grown diamond review.

Live-chatting with trained gemologists

Ritani, like competitors such as James Allen and Grown Brilliance, will help you find the perfect diamond. The best way to do that is to chat with their team of trained gemologists.

Though not quite as advanced as what we found in our James Allen review, the live chat option (together with excellent phone and email support) works really well. You can chat with trained gemologists who are focused on your needs over the price of the diamond.

And in our experience, that actually holds true. The experience is as good as what we saw in our Clean Origin review and the aforementioned James Allen and Brilliant Earth. And miles and miles ahead of the lackluster support that LightBox Jewelry offers through Facebook Messenger.

Of course, this is in addition to seeing the diamonds in person at any participating jewelers. However, you would want to ensure that the diamonds you will see in person are the best possible pick.

That’s why you must be able to evaluate the diamonds online before you make any commitment. We’ll take a closer look at that feature next in the Ritani review.

Ritani lab-grown diamond inspection

The research and inspection features of Ritani are on par with With Clarity, Clean Origin, and Brilliant Earth, among the best places to buy lab-grown diamonds online. Only James Allen is slightly ahead of Ritani regarding diamond inspection, as we found in our comparison of James Allen vs. Ritani.

Ritani offers 360-degree HD videos for almost all their lab-grown diamonds. However, some of their smaller diamonds do not have these. For these, you’ll have to contend with low-resolution images like the below example.

We think that Ritani could do better here. HD video and images should be standard for all diamonds so you can perform your own inspection, not just for some. Luckily, it’s a rare occurrence, and in our updated 2023 Ritani review, we’ve found that a lot fewer diamonds do not have 360-degree views.

Ritani offers to create HD images for your inspection as part of the gemologist’s support. But, there is an up to 48-hour turnaround time, and they will only be made for the specific diamonds you’re interested in (they should be readily available for the entire catalog).

Ritani does provide the grading report, and it’s readily available for download on their website (good). This is more than many other lab-grown sellers offer. Their lab diamonds are graded by reputable grading institutes such as IGI, the leading lab-grown diamond grader.

Ritani diamond shipping

Ritani offers complimentary overnight shipping with FedEx on every order and free return shipping (currently US only). Orders are shipped securely after a 3-14 day production time, and they offer both discreet and flexible delivery to avoid making anyone suspicious (of an impending proposal, for example). This is comparable to another of our lab diamond jewelers, Clean Origin and James Allen.

Shipping is fully insured, and upon delivery, a signature is required (so if delivered somewhere else, make sure it can be signed off). So you do not have to worry about shipping or your expensive order getting lost.

Ritani diamond return policy

Ritani offers risk-free 30-day returns and free exchanges. The process is straightforward, and they’ll guide you through the process, send you a return label, and even arrange a pickup if you can’t be bothered to go to the local FedEx office. Returns are also overnighted and fully insured. That said, we would prefer the 100-day free return policy of Clean Origin.

Ritani post-purchase services

Ritani excels in their post-purchase experience – which in the eternal lifespan of a diamond is fairly important.

They even offer the following services free of charge to any diamond customer:

• Free center or side stone tightening
• One free ring resizing within the first year of purchase (US only)
• Annual complimentary ring cleanings for life
• Complimentary rhodium plating once a year

You only have to pay for shipping! That’s a pretty good deal and will extend the life and quality of your diamond purchase. This level of service puts them at the top of the current diamond seller offerings, and we’re very impressed. In full transparency, we have not availed of the services yet but look forward to our annual rhodium (re)plating.

Learn more about caring for your lab-grown diamond!

Pros and cons of Ritani lab-grown diamonds

Throughout our Ritani review, we have listed mostly the benefits but also a few drawbacks of shopping for lab-grown diamonds at Ritani. Here are all the pros and cons of Ritani lab-grown diamonds summed up.

Pros

• The lowest lab-grown diamond prices
• Huge inventory of lab-grown diamonds
• Extremely transparent prices
• Pre-set and ready-to-ship jewelry with set with ideal cut diamonds
• Awesome customer support and service

Cons

• The shopping experience is not as feature-rich as at James Allen
• Building your own may require contacting customer service
• Fewer unique designs than Grown Brilliance, Vrai, etc. offer.
• Shorter return period than at Clean Origin

Summary of Our Ritani Review and Ritani Lab-Grown Diamonds

We fully recommend Ritani based on its excellent customer service, radical and unparalleled pricing transparency, easy buying experience, and recommendations.

But most importantly, our Ritani review has found that Ritani sells the cheapest lab diamonds in 2023!

Finally, they get plusses for the option to preview your chosen diamonds at a local jeweler (just make sure you’ve done your homework).

So it’s no surprise that our Ritani lab-grown diamond review awards Ritani 5 very impressive and shining stars out of 5 possible. The only tiny infractions are increasingly few diamonds without 360-degree views and a less generous return policy than Clean Origin offers.

To compare with our two other recommended jewelers who carry both mined and lab diamonds, read our Ritani vs. James Allen comparison review and our comparison between Ritani and Brilliant Earth.

Don’t just take our word for it.

Ritani’s customers are overwhelmingly positive and match those of Clean Origin, James Allen, or Brilliant Earth. They’re pretty impressive and well-aligned with our Ritani lab-grown diamond review score. Most negative reviews are about the return period we have also mentioned (be sure to return within 30 days!)

Frequently asked questions about Ritani

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