Sure, the long-awaited wedding ceremony, beautiful photos and confirming the items in your wedding registry are a ball and more to plan, but the entire “I do” process starts with one thing: the engagement ring.
Unlike years ago, the round-cut diamond, though a classic, isn’t the only one to shop for. Plus, there’s so much that goes into one piece of fine jewelry, from the clarity and cut to the color and carat.
“The classics never go out of style, but I think that today’s brides and grooms want something timeless and personal,” Nellie Barnett, a four-year diamond grader at the Gemological Institute of America, told The Post. “Considering the turbulent year and a half the world has experienced, there is a strong desire to have engagement rings with a personal touch — using symbolism, creating custom settings or requesting unique diamond cuts.”
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Purchasing an engagement ring is a personal decision and, with so many customization tools offered online nowadays, the process couldn’t be simpler. Whether you’re unable to access a jeweler or simply prefer to see prices and specifications upfront, it’s the preferred process for some.
“Whether shopping online or in a store, the quality of a diamond affects its price, which is why we highly recommend anyone considering a diamond to look for one with a GIA report,” Barnett said. “GIA Diamond Grading Reports are based on rigorous examination by trained and experienced professionals who use scientific and impartial assessment of the diamond’s four C’s —color, clarity, cut and carat — to provide the exact details of what is in the diamond, as well as any treatments.”
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There are a wealth of online retailers with thousands of traditional and offbeat engagement ring options available. To help cater to your shopping experience, we provided an assortment of rings across different cuts, settings and price points.
Ahead, find the best engagement rings to shop online, according to some of the most popular cuts. Don’t forget to read our gemologist-backed FAQ at the end of this guide, too.
And, be sure to check out our FAQ with a gemologist for expert-backed insights to buying engagement rings online. Oh, and you’ll want to check out this research on the average price of engagement rings by state.
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Brilliant Earth
Price range: ≈ $3,000 – $60,000
Return policy: Free 30-day returns and 60-day resizing
Financing: Up to 36 months with rates as low as 0% APR; no interest if paid in full within 12 months; minimum monthly payments required
From our extensive research, Brilliant Earth is not only well-respected among its client base but its keenly known for its exquisite diamond offerings. The brand has brick-and-mortar stores in select locations and it has become a supreme direct-to-consumer jeweler to celebrate and support your milestone.
Shopping for an engagement ring couldn’t be easier, either. You can shop for diamonds by shape and by particular type — including nature-inspired rings, hidden halo rings (which are *very* on trend right now, BTW), three stone rings and more — to narrow down your search.
What’s more, there’s a collection of diamond types to suit your preference and budget. The quality is there (side note: we’ve ordered a diamond bracelet from here before) and it’s our overall top pick that stands out from the pack.
Price range: $501 – $9,000
Return policy: Free 30-day returns; all pre-designed styles and Design Your Ring styles may be returned for a full refund back to your original payment method; returns without the lab grown diamond certificate (where applicable) are subject to a $100 replacement fee for each missing card.
Financing: Up to 36 months with rates as low as 0% APR; payments are accessible with credit cards, PayPal, Venmo (mobile checkout only), Apple Pay, Google Pay and bank wire transfers
What’s great about Grown Brilliance is its affinity for lab-grown diamonds, specifically. We had the opportunity to visit its showroom in NYC to scout all of the beautiful diamonds and the sparkle and styles are simply stunning — there’s no other way to put it.
Grown Brilliance works closely with GIA (the reputable diamond graders we interviewed below) and love how the brand is holistically knowledgable about the industry and the 4 Cs. Not only can you shop by diamond cut but you can also match it with your preferred metal, including yellow gold, white gold, rose gold and platinum.
There’s also a portion on its website called “Diamond Education,” where you can learn more about the 4 Cs, diamond shapes and lab-grown diamonds. The brand’s overall quality and mission to help couples find their perfect diamond is beyond compare.
Price range: Prices vary, as shoppers select diamond and setting separately upon ordering
Return policy: Free 30-day returns; ll Blue Nile engraved rings may be returned for credit, however, a re-polishing fee of $25 will apply; special orders are final sale and are not eligible for return or exchange
Financing: 9.99% APR with 24 monthly payments with a Blue Nile Credit Card (no interest if paid in full within six or 12 months); accepts VISA, MasterCard, American Express and Discover; accepts bank transfers, where purchases made to Blue Nile for over $1000 are eligible for an additional 1.5% discount
For natural engagement rings, we recommend none other than Blue Nile. While the brand has plenty of fine jewelry options on its site, they’re one of the select few to have an entire landing page dedicated to natural diamonds. In fact, natural diamonds are more so found at in-person jewelers, so we appreciate how the brand makes them more accessible than ever.
With Blue Nile, you’ll feel like you’re having a one-of-a-kind custom experience. You’ll begin by choosing a diamond, then a setting and finally seeing it all come together before checkout. Blue Nile allows you to sort by diamond type — as is the case with other online jewelers on this list — but it also provides a custom edit of “Our Engagement Ring Picks” for a more curated approach to ring shopping (and who doesn’t like the inside deets from a renowned jeweler on top options?!)
Additionally, Blue Nile offers luxe natural diamond options with its designer engagement rings, including Zac Posen, Bella Vaughan and Blue Nile Studio. It’s a wonderful destination that we recommend looking into.
Price range: $40 – $49,000
Return policy: Free 30-day returns; its Quality Assurance team will inspect your shipment before we can process a refund. If everything looks good, we will credit your original payment method, excluding delivery charges, within 5 days of receiving your return
Financing: Offers six-month financing with a minimum purchase of $300 (zero interest if paid in full within six months); 12-month financing with a minimum purchase of $750 (zero interest if paid in full within 12 months); 18-month financing with a minimum purchase of $3,000 ((zero interest if paid in full within 18 months); 36-month financing with a minimum purchase of $1,500 (16.99% APR for 36 months and, after that, variable purchase APR of 33.24%); Kay Jewelers Credit Card is also available
We’ve all heard it before: every kiss begins with KAY. With that slogan, we can practically see the commercial right before our very eyes.
As a legacy jeweler making diamonds both accessible and well-varied, KAY Jewelers reigns supreme as the best online destination for the money. Prices have an extremely vast price range and that’s largely in part to the myriad options you’ll find online, along with some prized collections that are a bit more luxe.
The brand has one of the most narrowed-down shopping experiences we’ve noticed. Choose from wedding ring sets, classic solitaire options, halo, gemstone, three-stone, vintage and more. Designer collections are also available, like Neil Lane (yes, “The Bachelor” jeweler!), Monique Lhuillier, LEO and Now & Forever.
Whatever your price point is, check out KAY Jewelers. The brand has been around for a minute but its recent elevations are impressive.
Price range: Prices vary, as shoppers select diamond and setting separately upon ordering
Return policy: Free 30-day returns; international customers pay a small return shipping fee of $50; loose diamonds must also be accompanied by the original laboratory grading report, or a $150 charge will be assessed to replace the certificate
Financing: No interest if paid in full within six months; 9.90% APR with 24 monthly payments
When we think of custom engagement rings, our minds automatically think of James Allen. If you’re familiar with the brand, you’ve likely heard of its design-and-ship options, including a try-on option at the very end. It’s also garnered plenty of attention on social media for “sending your partner hints” and notions of that sort.
To start, James Allen allows you to take your engagement ring from start to finish, allowing you to begin with a setting, a diamond, a lab-grown diamond or a gemstone. It has one of the richest cut options we’ve seen, even offering the more rare heart-shaped diamond or asscher-cut stone.
Its Ring Studio option is one of the most developed among the online retailers on this list and is in every sense of the word custom. Additionally, it’s quite inclusive, allowing you to shop from a curated list of men’s engagement rings, too, a nod toward the brand’s inclusivity.
Price range: ≈ 800 – $1,000 per carat for lab-grown diamonds; ≈ $600 – $3,000 for moissanite engagement rings; other specific pricing information will be provided upon purchase
Return policy: Free 30-day returns; Fine jewelry items that have been personalized (such as Personalized Name Necklaces) are non-returnable; Diamond upgrades are not eligible for return or exchange
Financing: With Clarity offers customers a credit card through Synchrony Bank with a revolving credit line to use again and again at withclarity.com; up to 36% APR financing with the Affirm platform to make four interest-free payments otherwise (your rate is subject to an eligibility check — for example, a $700 purchase might cost $63.18 a month over 12 months at 15% APR)
With Clarity is an online jeweler we need to place on your radar — a seamless fit for anyone looking for a traditional engagement ring. Whether you prefer natural or lab-grown diamonds, you’ll be sure to find not only a good value but a stunning diamond and band coupling at the end of the day.
The brand is one of the most transparent at letting you know how much the ring will cost per carat size and metal option. For this reason, it’s beyond easy to price-compare while shopping. Additionally it hosts some of the most beautiful, classic options we’ve seen, with a subtle variety of more intricate bands (if you’d like to explore some wedding bands for later wear at the same time).
It has the perfect amount of options online to provide variety but not too much to overwhelm you, either. As a whole, the brand is one to be considered.
Price range: Prices vary, as shoppers select diamond and setting separately upon ordering
Return policy: Free 100-day returns as long as you provide the Lab Created diamond certificate (if applicable) for a full refund or an exchange (you’ll receive a prepaid shipping label within 72 hours of applying for a return or exchange); you’ll be charged a $150 fee if you don’t provide the Lab Created diamond certificate
Financing: 0% APR for 12 months for qualifying customers on purchases more than $3,500 with the Affirm platform (no hidden costs, and you can easily spread your payments up to 36 months — for example, on a $4,000 purchase, the monthly payment for 12 months would be $333.33)
It’s interesting to note that, in more recent years, more women have been desiring a minimal ring (we’re convinced it’s why solid gold bands are trending, along with a single stone). Clean Origin is the perfect brand to visit when designing and shopping for your dream ring.
However, minimalist doesn’t necessarily mean low quality. They’re classic and some even include hidden accents, like the hidden halo everyone’s talking about.
The brand is one of the best for yellow gold and platinum bands, too. You’ll love how everything is cohesive. And, even better, the brand offers the longest window for free returns and exchanges if you so choose.
Price range: Starting at $1,000 – $2,300
Return policy: Free 21-day returns, with an extended 45-day return policy if you prefer a refund to a VRAI gift card
Financing: No interest or fees when you split your purchase into four equal interest-free installments with Klarna (available on purchases from $200 to $1,000); monthly financing is available for purchases up to $10,000; more specific payment plans on site
VRAI has been on our minds for years now and it was a no-brainer in our book to name it the best for unique engagement rings — and, it’s not only because the brand has a complete landing page dedicated to “Unique Engagement Rings.”
Namely, you’ll find the Ariana Grande-inspired engagement ring (with two asymmetrical stones), unique double-band options (like The Double Band Round Brilliant in Platinum) and V-shaped bands and marquise stones. Overall, VRAI has us adding some to our wishlists — and recommending it to brides-to-be who can’t stop Googling the ring of their dreams.
Before reading some commonly-asked questions about engagement rings, meet our expert:
“Aside from style and preference, the top considerations when diamond shopping is the 4Cs of Diamond Quality,” Barnett explains. “GIA actually developed the 4Cs – Color, Clarity, Cut and Carat Weight – and the GIA International Diamond Grading System more than 70 years ago. These two standards create a common and consistent way for people around the world to evaluate and describe diamonds and their quality.”
“Color actually describes the absence of color,” she said. “GIA’s diamond color-grading system starts with D – for absolutely colorless – and goes to Z which means that the diamond has a visibly light yellow or brown color.”
“Clarity describes any characteristic that is seen within a diamond at 10x magnification,” she said. “These characteristics are referred to as inclusions or blemishes – they can occur within the diamond or on the surface.”
For example, a small crystal inside the diamond is considered an inclusion while a scratch on the surface is considered a blemish. “A diamond that has absolutely no inclusions or blemishes is Flawless on the clarity grading scale and also has a higher value,” she adds.
“Cut describes how well a diamond’s facets interact with light by measuring the stone’s proportions and how they influence the diamond’s face-up appearance,” she said. “Only round brilliant cut diamonds receive a cut grade.”
Carat Weight is the measurement of how much a diamond weighs.
“Cutting style refers to how the diamond’s facets are arranged,” she explains. “For example, the most common facet arrangement for round diamonds is the standard brilliant cut that has a specific arrangement of 57 or 58 facets. Other cutting styles include the emerald cut, which is a square or rectangular shape that has four longer facets along the sides – these are called step cuts – and beveled corners.”
Barnett notes that the cut differs from the diamond’s shape. “Shape, which is different from cut or cutting style, describes a diamond’s outline when viewed face-up,” she adds. “By far the most popular diamond shape is round. But, there are other shapes which are called fancy shapes and those include marquise, pear, oval, rectangle, square and heart.”
“Make sure that the diamond you are considering has a grading report – preferably from GIA! The 4Cs determine whether or not a diamond is of exceptional quality,” she said. “The best quality diamond is described as Flawless, D Color and Excellent Cut but, ultimately, what is considered perfect will be determined by the person who wears the diamond.”
“There used to be an old adage that you had to spend at least three months’ salary on an engagement ring, but that’s now archaic,” she said. “Here’s a far better tip: learn the 4Cs of Diamond Quality, do some comparison shopping and find an engagement ring that makes your heart beat the way that your love does. In the end, it’s not how much you spend, but how much love the ring represents.”
“Diamond settings highlight the beauty of the stone and protect it from damage,” she said. “There are three common settings: bezel, with a thin metal strip to hold the gem; prong, which holds the diamond in place using narrow metal supports; and halo, consisting of small diamonds around the center stone.”
Another thing Barnett recommends considering is the metal used. “Selecting the right metal for your engagement ring setting is just as important as selecting the right diamond because the metal plays a big role in your diamond’s color appearance,” she adds. “Since diamonds are highly reflective, the many facets of a standard round brilliant diamond and other diamond shapes act like tiny mirrors reflecting their surroundings, including the color of the band and the prongs holding the gem.”
Keeping this in mind, you can use the color of the metal in your engagement ring to enhance your diamond’s color, too.
“Typically, items that are of high value are often insured,” she said. “Similar to having insurance for a car or a home, it is highly recommended to purchase insurance for a diamond.”
Although yellow gold is trending, white gold continues to dominate.
“We see the mixed metals trend continue to grow in 2024 with consumers embracing the mix of white and yellow gold when layering necklaces and bracelets and also selecting rings made of yellow gold with white gold accents,” Don O’Connell, CEO & president of Charles & Colvard — in the family of Signet, owned by KAY Jewelers — told The Post.
Additionally, high-carat engagement rings will continue to trend for 2024.
“This is a big opportunity for lab-grown gemstones as more and more consumers are learning that lab-grown gems provide the same quality and sparkle, but also come with the added benefits of being responsibly sourced,” O-Connell notes. “Additionally, lab-grown gems give consumers the option to go for bolder carat weights with a more accessible price point.”
Check out the New York Post Shopping section for more content.