For a well-known business with a strong brand presence (evidenced by their high Google search results ranking, influencer partnerships, functional website, and regular sustainability reports), we found ourselves disappointed by what we discovered about Brilliant Earth.

Pouring through Brilliant Earth’s customer reviews and product offerings revealed issues which, in our opinion, you should carefully consider.

“Terrible craftsmanship”
“Never shop here”
“Constant repair required”

Customer reviews (included below) highlight issues with ring quality, sharing reports of loose stones and cracks in settings. These craftsmanship pitfalls, accompanied by mentions of precious metals discolouring over time, raise our concerns about the durability and long-term value of the rings at Brilliant Earth. While we discovered that Brilliant Earth offers a lifetime warranty for manufacturing defects, we noticed that the policy excludes coverage for metal discolouration. We consider this to be a notable omission given public complaints about their metal quality in online reviews.

Reviews about customer service also shine a light on the varied experiences encountered both in-person and online. In these reviews, clients report rushed in-store consultations and pressure to make purchases. It’s our opinion that online support appears to be even worse, with reports of unreturned emails, unanswered calls, and limited assistance post-purchase. Reviews cite difficulties with engagement ring resizing, delayed return processes, and communication breakdowns, which may be troubling for clients seeking solutions for urgent issues.

Brilliant Earth’s sustainability efforts and educational resources are commendable in our opinion, but we found gaps in their international accessibility. Our research found that international buyers may encounter additional challenges such as unclear duties, taxes, and shipping policies, as well as limited local servicing options.

Despite their appealing ethical focus and clear policies, in our opinion, we find that Brilliant Earth’s product quality and customer care have failed clients who trusted them to provide a quality engagement ring. We consider these to be serious issues, so for such an important milestone like your engagement, we don’t recommend Brilliant Earth. You can continue to read this article to find out why.

James Allen, established in 2006, is a well-known American jeweller specialising in engagement rings and fine jewellery. Although we consider them to provide an impressive range of customisation options and a highly functional online shopping experience, our evaluation suggests that while James Allen may seem appealing at first glance, their service delivery and product quality leave room for improvement. For this reason, James Allen doesn’t secure our recommendation.

Ring quality at James Allen seems to be inconsistent in our opinion, and this is reflected in customer reviews. While some buyers have praised the craftsmanship, others have reported issues such as loose stones, degraded bands, and poorly crafted settings. Although our own testing revealed an adequate initial polish and a symmetrically set centrestone, it also uncovered flaws like overpolished claws and uneven melee stone settings that undermined the overall quality in our opinion. We consider these structural issues to be significant if you’re looking to invest in an engagement ring that’s likely to last a lifetime.

In terms of value, James Allen falls slightly below the other jewellers we have reviewed. Their pricing is about 9% more expensive than the competition, which we would find acceptable if their ring quality was consistently high- but, according to our research, this isn’t the case. While policies around returns, resizing, and servicing are robust, it seems that they don’t always follow through on these, evidenced by reviews that cite delayed returns, badly done repairs, and poor communication. In our opinion, these shortcomings are likely to impact trust and satisfaction, especially if you’re making a purchase online.

According to our research, customer service seems to contradict itself at times. In-store experiences seem generally positive, providing knowledgeable and friendly consultants that create a welcoming atmosphere. Online communication, however, seems inconsistent, evidenced by reports of slow or impersonal responses to inquiries. We consider that shipping appears to be similarly hit-or-miss, with some customers praising timely delivery while others report unexpected import taxes and delays.

James Allen’s sustainability and community initiatives seem to be minimal compared to the other jewellers we have reviewed. While they offer lab grown diamonds, they also sell mined diamonds, and their ethical efforts appear to be limited to compliance with the Kimberley Process, which is a standard we find inadequate. There is no evidence that they contribute to any charitable initiatives, reflecting what we perceive to be a lack of commitment to social impact.

While James Allen has strong policies and a mostly user-friendly online platform, their reported quality issues mean that we recommend considering them with caution. If you’re seeking a reliable option, we suggest considering other jewellers with stronger track records for quality and customer care.