Summary: Brilliant Earth is a brand dedicated to going beyond just the sparkle to create heirloom-quality fine jewelry with a thoughtful shopping experience that includes 40+ showrooms in the US and a digital platform, too. I love their lab-grown and ethically sourced stone selection, and their use of repurposed metals— all with competitive pricing since they sell direct to you. If you’re shopping online, they have tools for virtual try-on and designing your own pieces. I had the chance to try a selection of their pieces IRL and came away genuinely impressed.

What I love:

• I love Brilliant Earth’s digital tools like 360° HD diamond videos, virtual try-on, skin tone visualizer, and ring stack builder, so you can actually tell what the pieces will look like on you.
• Beyond their designs, Brilliant Earth offers a Design Your Own process that lets you build your perfect piece based on your preferences and budget.
• If you’re near one of their 40+ US showrooms, Brilliant Earth offers private, pressure-free appointments so you can carefully consider your purchase.
• The brand’s free lifetime warranty includes complimentary cleaning, free resizing, and a lifetime diamond upgrade program with every purchase.
• Because I’m a sustainability girlie, it’s important to me that Brilliant Earth uses repurposed metals (with a goal to be 100% repurposed in the near future) and lab-grown diamonds and ethical gemstones that are chemically and physically identical to natural options.

Things to note: 

• Brilliant Earth’s jewelry is lightweight, which makes it very comfortable to wear; however, some may want a heavier weight to their fine jewelry.
• As with all fine jewelry, extra care should be given to these pieces to ensure they last forever.
• Given that Brilliant Earth sells both ethically sourced natural stones and lab-grown, you’ll want to keep an eye out for each when shopping on their website, depending on what you’re looking for.

I have a unique relationship with fine jewelry. My uncle became a digital pioneer in the diamond industry in the 1980s, founding Polygon.net — one of the first online B2B diamond trading platforms, predating the internet boom. My aunt then began to sell opals across the world, and as a child, I had my own little collection of opal pendants I cherished. 

Despite that background, I didn’t grow up to be a fine jewelry person — until now. After my grandmother passed, I inherited part of her opal collection and a lab-grown aquamarine. I used those heirloom stones to create new wedding rings for my husband and me. That experience — of turning something old into something new — is the lens through which I approached reviewing Brilliant Earth, a company that thoughtfully repurposes materials and creates beautiful new heirlooms that will be handed down one day to the next generation.

About Brilliant Earth

Founded in 2005, Brilliant Earth is leading the jewelry industry with designs, pricing, and a shopping experience that is tailored to today’s shopper (aka you and me). Their huge selection of engagement, wedding, and fine jewelry has won 20+ industry design awards — and, here at The Good Trade, we love that their pieces are always ethically and environmentally mindful, too.

“Founded in 2005, Brilliant Earth is leading the jewelry industry with designs, pricing, and a shopping experience that is tailored to today’s shopper (aka you and me).”

Not only can you shop in-person at their US showrooms (over 40 in total) but you can also actually shop online for fine jewelry thanks to virtual appointments and 360° HD diamond videos, virtual try-on, a skin tone visualizer, and a ring stack builder. If you want to design your own, you can do that online or in-person as well. If you have something in mind, you can browse their diamonds and gemstones filtered by cut, color, clarity, carat, and even origin, before choosing the metal setting.

While any good piece of fine jewelry is going to be an investment, Brilliant Earth allows you to choose what you spend on with separately priced settings and gems. They also pass along savings from their direct-to-consumer model, so you have transparency into the cost and where your dollar is going. As any important purchase should, Brilliant Earth includes free two-way shipping, 30-day returns, and a 1-year resize policy so you can be secure and happy with your purchase, even if you are making it online.

I had the opportunity to personally try a selection of Brilliant Earth’s staple jewelry pieces. Each piece is made from a variety of lab-grown stones, repurposed metals, and natural, ethically sourced stones and metals. This included two necklaces, a cocktail ring, a tennis bracelet, and a pair of gold-and-diamond earrings. I was able to test and experience how each felt and truly see if I could tell the difference between lab-grown and natural. (I couldn’t!) Below is my review of each.

Floating Solitaire Pendant in 18K Yellow Gold | $595

This necklace features a round, natural (not lab-grown) diamond shape and a yellow-gold chain. It is the sweetest and most delicate delight I’ve ever put on my neck. It’s one of those forever classic pieces that you can pass down to your grandchildren. Because of its simple, classic design, it also pairs well with other jewelry pieces and is a great layering staple. Especially with my permanent gold chain that lives on my neck at all times. 

“Because of its simple, classic design, it also pairs well with other jewelry pieces and is a great layering staple.”

But what I love about this necklace is that Brilliant Earth lets you customize it to make it your own heirloom keepsake. First, you choose the diamond shape you want — they have a vast selection of different shapes you can choose from. Then you choose the metal for the chain: White gold, yellow gold, rose gold, or platinum. Lastly, you choose the chain length, so everything feels like the perfect fit.

Angled Pear Lab Diamond Tennis Bracelet | $6,200

This is hands down the most luxurious bracelet I’ve ever worn. It’s made from pear-shaped lab-grown diamonds in a tennis style. This style refers to a bracelet design that’s a continuous row of gemstones, typically diamonds, that creates a flexible circle around the wrist. I love how much flexibility and movement this bracelet has.

One of my favorite things about this piece is the clasp. It’s an experience putting the box clasp, which almost looks like a key, into the box. It’s a beautiful, secure design that ensures the bracelet won’t fall off. This was my first experience with an entirely lab-grown diamond bracelet. The sparkle and look of the diamonds looked completely natural. I found it hard to believe that the diamonds were lab-grown. 

“I found it hard to believe that the diamonds were lab-grown.”

The only thing that I didn’t love is that I have very small wrists, so bracelets are a challenge for me. The bracelet moved up and down my arm a lot. For daily wear, I’d want a bracelet like this to fit my wrist more snugly. But other than that, I loved the lightweight feel and the diamonds’ gleaming sparkle!

Jane Goodall Leaf Lab Diamond Huggie Earrings | $1,095

As a huge Jane Goodall fan, I adored the dedication to her work in these stunning, limited-edition earrings. For every purchase of The Jane Goodall Collection, Brilliant Earth donates 10% of the proceeds to the Jane Goodall Legacy Foundation Fund. You can read more about the collection here. 

“For every purchase of The Jane Goodall Collection, Brilliant Earth donates 10% of the proceeds to the Jane Goodall Legacy Foundation Fund.”

I actually gasped when I first saw these earrings. I have super tiny earlobes and can’t wear many heavy earrings. Luckily, these were just the right weight. I adore the details in these earrings. They are crafted with repurposed gold in a wrapped-banana-leaf design. However, when you look more closely, there’s a beautiful, delicate lab-grown line of diamonds that lines the center of the leaf, adding a touch of sparkle. I also love the way these earrings open and close in a full-circle motion — the backing goes through the ear and into a little slot so that you can’t see where it starts and ends. This is also a bonus because there’s no backing you could lose. 

Silhouette Pink Lab Sapphire Cocktail Ring in 14K Yellow Gold | $990

This ring really brought out the little girl inside me. I immediately felt like a princess wearing this pink sapphire ring. I adore the pop of color it adds to my jewelry collection, and it’s one I could wear daily or as a touch of elegance for dressing up. 

“I immediately felt like a princess wearing this pink sapphire ring.”

The ring feels sturdy yet lightweight. I love the wave-like design in the band, which gives it an asymmetrical look with the horizontal teardrop-shaped gemstone. This design makes this heirloom piece stand out in a more unique way. As another added feature, if pink is not your color, they have 3 different lab-grown gemstone options — blue sapphire, pink sapphire, or green emerald — along with your choice of white or yellow gold for the band. 

Hydrangea Bouquet Pendant in Silver | $395

This sweet necklace is made from ethically sourced gemstones and features a repurposed silver or gold chain, depending on your customizable preference. With three different gemstone “bouquet” options, this beautiful necklace can be made to be your own. The blue in the one I got to try is made from Hydrangea, with London Blue Topaz centered on a silver chain. I’ve been enjoying mixing silver and gold, and I loved how this necklace looked with my permanent gold necklace chain.

“With three different gemstone ‘bouquet’ options, this beautiful necklace can be made to be your own.”

I adore the intricate cluster of blue gemstones lightly dangling from the most delicate chain. It’s very lightweight and adds a dainty pop of color to a layered necklace combo or acts as a sweet sparkle on its own. For a matching set, they also have earrings in the same customizable bouquet options to accompany the necklace. The perfect birthday gift! 

Is Brilliant Earth worth it?

Yes, and the value that Brilliant Earth provides goes well beyond the stone itself. When you buy from Brilliant Earth, you’re getting fair pricing, customizable designs, a thoughtful shopping experience, and post-purchase programs that protect your investment for life.

“The value that Brilliant Earth provides goes well beyond the stone itself.”

Whether you’re shopping for an engagement ring, a forever pendant to pass down, or a statement piece to wear every day, Brilliant Earth has options at every price point — backed by service and craftsmanship that holds up.

THIS STORY IS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR FRIENDS AT BRILLIANT EARTH

Courtney Jay Higgins is a Contributing Editor at The Good Trade. She has a BA in Visual Communications from The Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising and is the founder of Coincide, a subscription-based yoga platform focusing on inclusive, sustainable yoga rooted in ancient Eastern practices and spirituality. Her 10+ years of experience in yoga include a 200-hr YTT certification in a Hatha-based yoga practice and a certification in prenatal yoga. She has been featured in Shoutout Colorado, Voyage Denver, and Cora’s Blood & Milk. Since 2017, she has been reviewing sustainable fashion, natural makeup, organic wellness, and safe pregnancy products for The Good Trade’s readers.