The 15 Best Jewelry Stores for 2023 | Free Buyers Guide

Sunday, April 16th

2023 Jewelry Store Reviews

Blue Nile

• Over 4,000 jewelry pieces to choose from
• In business for over 20 years
• “A+” rated and accredited by the BBB
• Free shipping on all orders in the US, including complimentary overnight on orders over $1,000
• 30-day returns, no charge for return shipping
• Lifetime manufacturer warranty
• Complimentary cleaning and inspection on diamond rings

Blue Nile is a great place to buy jewelry online. In fact, more than two million customers have bought their jewelry from Blue Nile since 1999. This was one of the original online-only jewelry stores that made it possible for shoppers to save money by cutting out the middleman and the overhead associated with brick-and-mortar retail locations.

How much would you like to spend?

Blue Nile has a large selection of jewelry for you to browse, with prices ranging from very affordable to very lavish. What’s the most expensive jewelry you can get at Blue Nile? We don’t want to spoil it for you (or get your hopes up only to find that it was sold out), but we recommend you search for the “Pear Shaped Ruby and Diamond Ring in White Gold” to see for yourself. If that turns out to be fruitless, you can always click to see “All Jewelry” and then sort the list by price: high to low. Let’s just say there’s a reason why the most expensive pieces are marked as part of the “Extraordinary Collection” .

The winning store for diamond solitaire stud earrings

Across all of our jewelers, we looked to see what they had to offer in diamond stud earrings, and Blue Nile emerged victorious. Their highest-priced pair also happens to be in the Extraordinary Collection: 2ct.tw. in platinum for $34,000 (and can you believe they have two five-star reviews from customers who’ve purchased this item?!). For everyone else, Blue Nile takes an approach we love when shopping for diamond studs: you can see easy comparisons of every style, shape and carat weight, from a 1/2 ct.tw. round white gold pair for $176 to princess cuts set in platinum starting at 1/3 ct.tw. for $472 – and so many other combinations of metals, shapes and sizes. You can also choose “build your own” to make a pair that’s just right if you don’t find it already listed. That feature is available for necklaces as well.

No problem finding jewelry for gift-giving

Using the Gifts dropdown can be another great way to start your shopping at Blue Nile. Whether you want to see options by birthstone, find gifts under $100, or shop by an occasion like graduation or an anniversary, you’ll get plenty of inspiration.

Ample information helps you shop

No matter which jewelry item you select, this store gives you lots of details to help you make your purchasing decision. You’ll quickly see all the available options, from sizing to metals, and when you scroll down you’ll find out when it would ship and the estimated delivery. That’s really helpful if you’re on a tight schedule and need your jewelry to arrive by a certain time. And, because Blue Nile is so popular, many of their jewelry pieces have a decent number of customer reviews. For instance, when we looked at their most popular bracelets, we found a cute Petite Heart style that had three dozen ratings – and some shoppers even included pictures of how the bracelet looked on them!

Discounts available

When we visited the Blue Nile website recently, their pop-up offered a discount of up to $50 and an entry into their sweepstakes for a $15,000 shopping spree and more. While the $50 discount turned out to only apply to purchases of $1,000 or more, the email we received also included a $20 discount on a no-minimum order.

Free returns and lifetime warranty coverage on manufacturer defects

Blue Nile offers the industry-standard 30-day return policy. But, they one-up their competition by not deducting any shipping costs from your return – and they’ll provide the return label at no cost to you. You’ll also get lifetime warranty coverage for any manufacturing defects, and free cleaning and inspections on diamond rings (though you’ll have to pay to ship your jewelry to Blue Nile; they’ll cover the return trip). It’s still a good idea to get extra protection on your higher-end jewelry, and while Blue Nile doesn’t offer their own coverage, they do make it easy to connect your purchase with Jewelers Mutual for a shipping insurance quote.

Fantastic reputation

Blue Nile has earned accreditation and an “A+” rating from the Better Business Bureau. Beyond that, the overwhelming majority of customers are very satisfied with their purchase and shopping experience here. While there were some customer issues, that’s to be expected with any major online retailer, and Blue Nile addressed those issues promptly

First-place finish

Blue Nile comes in at the top of our list when buying jewelry online. Their online shopping experience is exceptional, and they offer quite a few perks that make them stand out among the competition. Combined with a large inventory of jewelry pieces, and prices among the lowest we’ve found, Blue Nile really shines. They earn our highest rating for online jewelry stores.

James Allen

• Over 1,000 pieces of jewelry to choose from
• Over 20 years in business
• “A+” rated and accredited by the BBB
• Excellent reputation for customer service and jewelry quality
• Free worldwide shipping, no order minimum
• Free returns for up to two months
• Lifetime warranty with complimentary maintenance and repairs

James Allen is one of four jewelry stores in our review that are part of the Signet Jewelers family of brands, though this retailer does an impressive job of maintaining its own unique identity. The company was founded in 2006 and is known for its inventory of more than 200,000 hand-selected diamonds – all of which can be seen on the site in highly magnified 360° HD.

Diamonds… and some other things

You’ll definitely get the impression that the jewelry focus at James Allen is diamonds, with gemstones and fine jewelry itself almost as an afterthought. If you ignore the engagement and wedding rings here – which is James Allen’s specialty – you’ll find a slightly smaller jewelry inventory than most at a little over 1,100 items. In our shopping, we found a few pieces in the $3,000 – $7,000 range, mostly earrings and bracelets and nothing super-spendy like we saw in some other jewelry stores.

Very competitive for diamond solitaire studs

How about the diamond solitaire studs we used as a comparison point across jewelers? James Allen doesn’t make it easy to see all of the options at once, but they do a terrific job of breaking down the possibilities very visually. For example, the first category is four-prong stud earrings, which they separate by earth-created vs. lab-created and then by color and clarity. Those ranged from a $209 0.25 ctw pair to a $3,345 set with a total carat weight of 2. Cushion-cut and Princess-cut styles went up to the $7,000 range, while Pear, Asscher and Marquise’s largest studs were over $8,000. In every category James Allen gives you the option to choose your own diamonds from their collection of loose stones.

Free shipping on returns

We can’t give you a clear-cut timeframe for returns here. At the time of our most recent visit, there was an extended return policy in place that gave customers up to two months to send jewelry back for a full refund or exchange. You may spot something similar if you’re shopping during the holidays. Year-round, James Allen gives you free return shipping with a prepaid FedEx label. It seems that this store errs on the side of being more generous with their policies, not less.

Unparalleled lifetime warranty

You’ll see what we mean with the warranty on all jewelry sold by James Allen. They put it simply: “we will repair and maintain your jewelry for a lifetime” . This includes complimentary prong tightening, rhodium plating, repolishing and other cleaning services. You can either send your jewelry to their office or take it to a Jared (remember the brand family relationship?) service center. If there will be any costs associated with your repair (something you did that you shouldn’t have, and not a manufacturing defect) they’ll notify you prior to performing any work.

Sets the standard for excellence in customer service

It might sound silly, but we breathed an audible sigh of relief when we found James Allen’s customer ratings. Out of the four jewelers under the Signet umbrella, two had such horrible shopper reviews that it was almost painful. We weren’t overly optimistic that this one would fare much better – but it does! Not only does this jewelry store have its own “A+” and accreditation from the BBB (and not just the blanket rating earned by Signet), it also has nearly 3,000 five-star reviews from delighted customers. Hooray for on-time shipping, knowledgeable and pleasant customer service reps, and jewelry that is as good as or better than what buyers were expecting!

Fantastic choice for buying jewelry online

At every turn, James Allen impresses. Free worldwide shipping, phenomenal attention to customer satisfaction, top-notch quality, and lifetime warranties? Keep it coming, James Allen! We’re sure you’ll love your purchase here and invite you to make the James Allen online store one of your first stops when shopping for jewelry online.

Reeds Jewelers

• Over 75 years in business
• “A+” rated and accredited by the BBB
• Free shipping in the continental US
• 30-day return policy

Family-run since 1946, REEDS strives to offer an exceptional jewelry-buying experience to each and every customer. REEDS has several dozen brick-and-mortar locations in 13 states, primarily in the South and on the East Coast, but anyone can use their online store to access their extensive jewelry inventory.

Super-easy to shop

REEDS makes the jewelry-buying experience fairly streamlined: enter what you want in the search bar, click on a category like Bracelets or Engagement Rings, or even shop by brands like Gucci or Enchanted Disney. We noticed that REEDS gives you choices between lab-grown or natural diamonds; many of their competitors only give you one or the other. On the other hand, this online store doesn’t make it easy to see jewelry specifically for men or children; it’s up to you if you find the “gender-free” approach refreshing or frustrating (or neither).

Great shopper tools

One feature we really liked while shopping with REEDS is the “shop similar” icon (it looks like a little camera). Maybe you’ve spotted something intriguing but it’s not quite a match for what you were picturing; use this button to see comparable pieces that might fit the bill. Another fun tool is the “Drop a Hint” service: look for that right under the item price if you want to email someone or post to social media that you’d really, really like to get a certain something as a gift.

Compares well with other jewelry stores

How did REEDS do on our comparison item, the diamond stud earrings? The highest-end pair were a 2 ctw classic round diamond solitaire, priced at a penny under $8,000. That’s not the most expensive we found among our retailers, but it still gives you a great option for a special gift. There were several other styles and options, including earrings by Forevermark, Marco Bicego and Roberto Coin, all $2,500 and up.

Impressive high-end selections

Looking for other luxe jewelry? How about a diamond tennis necklace for just over $19,000? A solitaire engagement ring for almost $20,000? A Rolex watch for $11,000? The sky is almost the limit if you’re shopping for something impressive here.

Ample budget-friendly inventory too

On the other hand, if your jewelry dreams are a little more…approachable…REEDS has you covered too. Our favorite way to find a good deal with this jeweler is to click on the Sale category and then visit the clearance section. We usually find Pandora charms and earrings for less than $40, and during our most recent shopping trip we spotted a men’s high polish titanium band for just $35. Whatever category of jewelry you’re buying, you can always click to it and then sort the results by price from low-to-high if you want an idea of the most entry-level pricing REEDS has at the moment.

Keep an eye out for extra savings

But wait, there’s more! As we browsed the REEDS site, we got a pop-up offer. If we subscribed to their email newsletter, we’d get $25 off a purchase of $150 or more. We also spotted coupon codes in the middle of the main Jewelry page, offering savings of $50, $100, or even $200, depending on our total purchase amount. Plus, all orders ship for free within the continental US.

Consider a care plan for added peace of mind

How about returns? REEDS’ policy isn’t exceptional, with just 30 days to get a refund on items in unworn, as-delivered condition only. We recommend that you look at one of their Care Plans, especially for higher-end jewelry items. It’ll cover wear-and-tear, loss of gemstones, cracks/chips/scratches on gemstones, broken clasps, and unlimited ring resizing. You’ll find those options in a dropdown box on each item’s page; as an example, a $2,320 pear-shaped diamond pendant by Shy Creation had two choices, a 3-year plan for an extra $160 or lifetime coverage for $230.

Stellar reputation with customers

No matter where you look, REEDS does incredibly well in terms of customer feedback. They’ve merited an “A+” rating and accreditation from the Better Business Bureau, with less than a dozen complaints filed there in the three years leading up to this evaluation. For a company that’s been around for the better part of a century, that’s extremely impressive. Over 7,700 customers have given REEDS a flawless five-star rating, describing the jewelry they purchase as being a great value for the amount they paid, the delivery as fast and on-time, and the customer service team as friendly and responsive.

Shop here with confidence

REEDS gives you the best of both worlds: the selection you’d expect from a huge jewelry store with the attention to detail and service you normally find in a hometown shop. There’s no reason not to shop here for any jewelry you’ve got your heart set on.

Zales

• Nearly 50,000 items to choose from
• In business for almost 100 years
• “A+” rated and accredited by the BBB
• 30-day return policy, 60-day exchange policy; extended during the holidays
• Free shipping for a limited time

Zales began in 1924 in Wichita Falls, Texas, originally specializing not just in jewelry but also in cameras and even appliances. There are now over 700 retail locations throughout North America and Puerto Rico, in addition to Zales’ online store. Zales is owned by Signet Jewelers, the parent company over three other jewelry stores we evaluated.

Thousands of options, even just for diamond stud earrings

For every jeweler we evaluated, we took a look at the most expensive diamond stud earrings they carried. Zales didn’t have the costliest pair on the market, but their 4 ct. tw. solitaire studs in 10k white gold were still pretty impressive at $17,499 – marked down from an original price of $25,000 and only available for purchase online. There were quite a few pairs in the $10k and up price range, among the more than 2,200 options in diamond studs alone. On the other end of the spectrum, we found lots of “diamond accent” earrings that would make a nice, sparkly gift without the hefty price tag; these were all priced under $50.

Extremely high-end pieces here if you want them

There’s no way to shop all jewelry at Zales at once, so you’ll have to go into each category to see what their biggest-ticket pieces are (if you’re interested, that is). Get a head start by clicking on the “Over $5,000” link in the dropdown. Here’s a hint: try looking in the Serena Williams collection; where else would you get the finest tennis necklace known to woman?

Plenty of budget-friendly and mid-range options too

Of course, not everyone is looking for a statement piece like that. Zales has more than enough to choose from in their inventory of over 50,000 jewelry pieces. Browse at will, or use the Jewelry Inspiration, Gift Ideas, Create Your Own or Clearance sections to spark your imagination. There are even some fun quizzes to help determine your jewelry style (or someone else’s!).

Check out the item descriptions

Each item’s description walks you through all of the pertinent details, like clasp type or chain length, plus recommendations for keeping it clean. You can also view estimated delivery times, or in-store availability if you want to order online and pick up in person. Because Zales is so well-known, much of their jewelry has customer reviews you can factor into your purchase decision as well.

Be sure to understand the extended care plans

This jewelry store made some changes to their jewelry protection plans in late 2021, so if you’ve previously purchased from Zales you might need to read up a bit to understand how their new coverage works. You’ll get complimentary protection on any diamond purchase of $200 or more, and an in-store inspection is required every 6 months to stay eligible. You can also get add-on protection for your other jewelry (and for the metal components of your diamond ring): just look for those options on the item page for pricing and coverage details.

Shipping isn’t free without a promo

Zales comes off a little stingy when it comes to shipping fees. The only way you’ll get it for free is if you have your jewelry sent to your local store for in-person pickup. That’s cool if you have a location near you; otherwise, expect to pay $6.95 for delivery in two business days or $21.95 for one business day. If you’re having it sent to a PO Box, you’ll pay $7.95, and there’s no option for express delivery. All that being said, during our visit to the Zales site they were offering free shipping on any order (PO Boxes excluded) with no minimum purchase, “for a limited time” .

30-day returns and 60-day exchanges

If you’d like to return the jewelry you bought from Zales, you’ve got 30 days for a refund or 60 days for an exchange. That’s a little more generous than some of their competitors in the industry. They extend this timeframe over the holidays: if you buy jewelry between October 15 and December 24, you’ll have until January 24 to make a return.

Some complaints are to be expected

Zales gives you a lot to choose from. If you’ve got an in-person location near you, your options are even bigger with simplified pick-up and returns too. Even if you don’t, you can still keep Zales on your “take a peek” list for your next jewelry buying experience.

JTV

• Over 30,000 items to choose from
• All diamonds are lab-grown
• In business for almost 30 years
• “A+” rated and accredited by the BBB
• 30-day return policy, extended at the holidays
• 90% of packages delivered within two days
• 14-day price matching

JTV is the rebranded name for Jewelry Television, and it’s just what you’d guess from the name: the online storefront for the 24-hour-a-day, home shopping TV show launched in 1993. You can even click on the “live” button at the top of the site and see what’s being featured in real time.

Terrific selection of 30,000+ items for men, women, and children

JTV maintains an inventory of more than 30,000 rings, earrings, bracelets, necklaces, watches and more. We were excited to see that they carry over 1000 products just for men and nearly 400 for kids too. And, they make everything really easy to find: choose a category, use the filters to narrow down the possibilities, and see what beautiful options match your preferences.

No extreme pricing here

All of the diamonds featured by JTV are lab-grown, so you won’t find anything priced extremely high. For example, with our go-to comparison item (diamond stud earrings), the most expensive choice were the 2.00 ctw white diamonds in 14k yellow gold for just over $3,300. We found some engagement rings and wedding sets in the $4,000 and up range, but nothing priced over $7,000.

Jewelry-making and auctions? Yes!

You’ll find some unique options with JTV. Are you interested in jewelry making? Great! Not only can you buy the materials here, but you can take advantage of their educational resources to help you learn or improve your skills. Or, how about a jewelry auction to score an even more amazing deal? You’ll find that link right at the top of the JTV site too.

Free shipping, maybe

Your shipping costs will depend on the weight of the package and your jewelry’s value (because more expensive items come with signature confirmation). However, during our most recent shopping trip to the JTV online store, they were offering free shipping sitewide.

Decent return policy

JTV’s general return policy allows you to send back your jewelry in “as shipped” condition (new, all tags attached, unworn) within 30 days of purchase for a full refund. At the retailer’s discretion, returns may be accepted within 31-90 days of purchase, subject to a 25% restocking fee. For holiday shoppers, JTV goes the extra mile: anything purchased between the end of September and Christmas Day can be returned or exchanged through the end of January of the following year.

Moving up in the rankings

JTV’s rating has improved by a half-star since our last evaluation. The store continues to have an “A+” rating and accreditation from the Better Business Bureau, and we were pleased to see thousands of five-star reviews from satisfied shoppers. This is a brand that has inspired no small amount of loyalty from repeat customers, and it’s reassuring to see that JTV has been delivering as promised for almost 30 years. It’s also a good sign when a customer service team responds quickly and apologetically when problems crop up, and we saw plenty of that too. (That’s where we spotted a reference to a 14-day price matching policy that we didn’t see explained on the JTV site itself; because prices can fluctuate on the jewelry here, keep that in mind and reach out to the customer service department if you see a price drop on a recent order.)

Don’t sleep on the deals here

Although JTV doesn’t have the cachet of a luxury jeweler, don’t let that stop you from getting a fantastic value on your next jewelry purchase. People will be too busy ooh-ing and aah-ing over it to care where you bought it…and you don’t have to tell them. This store has a lot to offer, both in terms of inventory and in overall customer satisfaction, and it’s a great place to start your shopping adventure.

Ross-Simons

• Just under 24,000 items to choose from
• Almost 70 years in business
• “A+” rated and accredited by the BBB
• 30-day return policy, extended during the holidays
• Free standard shipping on all orders

Ross-Simons is very proud of their heritage as a family-owned business with a worldwide reach. In business since 1952, the company operates a flagship brick-and-mortar location in Rhode Island but primarily sells jewelry through their catalogs and online storefront.

Impressive selection plus concierge services

Selection certainly isn’t an issue when shopping at Ross-Simons for jewelry. Their inventory consists of nearly 24,000 items ranging from traditional pieces for women to jewelry for men and children, as well as collectibles by Lladro and Swarovski. You can also take advantage of their concierge service, where Ross-Simons’ experts will find exactly what you’re looking for or custom design it themselves.

Want to spend a lot?

To get a feel for what a jeweler has to offer, we like to look for the most expensive diamond stud earrings they carry. Ross-Simons didn’t disappoint us: their $39,595 pair (marked down from $59,995) was one of the highest-priced among all of the retailers we evaluated, plus a dozen other pairs of diamond studs for $10,000 and up. The costliest merchandise carried by Ross-Simons is a 25ct.tw. Diamond Heart Necklace in 14kt White Gold, but we’ll let you look it up on the site to find out just how much you’d spend for that one-of-a-kind item. You may want to opt for the accident protection plan on any high-end jewelry you buy here, just in case; you’ll see those options listed on each item’s detailed product page.

No need to empty your wallet, though

Don’t panic if you’re not in the market for something quite so luxe. Ross-Simons has enough wallet-friendly pieces to keep you happy. Quite a few items were under $30, from a pair of brushed and polished sterling silver bee earrings to a 4-ct. tw. CZ frame ring in sterling silver. It’s hard to imagine any kind of jewelry you might want that you wouldn’t find here. And, whether you’re buying everyday wear or estate-worthy pieces, your jewelry will ship for free and arrive within 5-7 business days, with options for faster delivery if you’d like to pay to upgrade.

Watch the details on the return policy

Now, on to the downsides to buying jewelry here. Ross-Simons’ return policy is just average. You’ll get the typical 30-day window to get a refund on jewelry that is sent back in original condition, minus any shipping costs in both directions. We like that they extend this timeframe during the holidays, with purchases made after October 1st eligible for returns until January 31st of the next year. However, the fine print on the return policy says that only store credit will be issued if a gift recipient returns an item. We guess that’s a good way to make sure they still get jewelry that they like, but we don’t love that there’s no option for the gift-giver to get their money back and shop somewhere else.

Some love this jewelry store – others don’t

That 30-day window is important, because many of the complaints we found about Ross-Simons described metals that tarnished after a month or two, or stones that cracked or fell out and Ross-Simons declined to make the repair. We honestly felt somewhat mystified by the disparities between the thousands of glowing customer reviews solicited by this retailer and the hundreds we found on third-party sites that described the exact opposite. Some shoppers have happily used Ross-Simons for decades and wouldn’t buy jewelry anywhere else, while others will tell you to run away and never look back.

Good enough but could make some changes

While these drawbacks give us some pause and are responsible for this retailer’s just-above-average rating, Ross-Simons is generally a trustworthy option for buying jewelry. We love the fact that they offer concierge services for locating the pieces of your dreams, as well as having enough inventory for every occasion and budget. We’d easily move Ross-Simons up in our rankings if they improved their return policy and had more coverage for jewelry that fails to live up to expectations outside of the 30-day window. Until then, we suggest looking at this retailer’s higher-rated rivals before placing your order here.

Silpada

• Free shipping on all orders
• Flash sales
• Save 10% by subscribing to Silpada’s email list
• “A+” Better Business Bureau rating
• One-year manufacturer warranties
• 60-day return policy

Silpada began in 1997 when two friends decided they wanted to sell their jewelry designs at get-togethers. Now they’ve grown into a much larger store and are part of Richline Group (a Berkshire Hathaway Company), the largest jewelry manufacturer in the U.S. Silpada offers a range of timeless sterling silver designs and styles.

Competitive pricing on a wide range of styles

Silpada sells all kinds of jewelry. Their categories include anklets, bracelets, charms, earrings, necklaces, rings, sets, and accessories. There are over 1,200 pieces to choose from that can be sorted by collection, price, type, style, stone, metal color, features, and more. They have a wide range of classic styles that would be flattering on most people. In addition, pricing is fantastic and definitely affordable for anyone wanting to freshen up their jewelry collection. You can easily find hundreds of options for under $50.

Find great savings

If you sign up for Silpada’s email list, you’ll get a code in your inbox for 10% off your first order. This could be huge savings if you’re buying a few hundred dollars worth of jewelry. We’ve also noticed that Silpada does frequent flash sales where you can save around 25% or more sitewide on your purchases. On top of this, shipping is always free.

Spend and save

Silpada has a rewards program called Shine that allows customers to earn discounts and get exclusive offers. You can join by creating a free account and then start earning points. You’ll earn points by making purchases, following Silpada on social media, referring friends, reviewing purchases, and more. Once you earn 200 points, you can get $10 off your purchase. 400 points gives you $20 off your purchase, 600 points gives you $30 off, and with 800 points, you can get $40 off. In essence, the more you spend, the more you save.

60-day return policy

All jewelry from Silpada comes with a one-year manufacturer warranty. If you change your mind about an item that you purchase, you have 60 days to send it back for a full refund. As long as your jewelry is in new, unused condition, you will be credited back the full purchase amount within 3-5 business days.

Growing Selection

Silpada is geared for those that love sterling silver and are looking for affordable options. They have started to expand some of their offerings and customers will find a smattering of 10K gold, diamond, and enamel jewelry. The website provides a decent list of satisfied customers but we found some feedback that complained of shipping time and missing orders. However, Silpada does have an “A+” rating from the Better Business Bureau and appears to take customer service seriously.

Helzberg Diamonds

• 4,000 items to choose from
• In business for more than 100 years
• “A+” rated and accredited by the BBB
• Free standard domestic shipping on orders over $99
• 30-day return policy

Any jewelry store that’s been operating since 1915 knows a thing or two, and that’s what you’ll find when shopping at Helzberg Diamonds. There are more than 200 retail locations nationwide, in addition to their online presence. That could give you some options for ordering online and having your jewelry delivered for in-store pickup – a great way to get exactly what you want and keep it top secret until the big reveal or occasion.

Website is easy to shop

The jewelry inventory at Helzberg Diamonds isn’t as extensive as some of their competitors, but you’ve still got around 4,000 pieces to consider. It’s not hard to find what you’re looking for, either: use the dropdowns at the top of the site to zero in on the category you’ve got in mind, from men’s jewelry to gifts under $300, shop by birthstone or by diamond shape, or go right to your preferred brand.

Lab-grown and natural diamonds available

At each retailer we rated, we wondered what the most high-end pair of diamond solitaire stud earrings would be. For Helzberg, those are the 6 ct.tw. lab-grown in 14k white gold for $19,999 (and we chuckled a little seeing that the header said “wow – our best price!” ). Most of the diamond studs Helzberg sells are lab-grown, but we spotted a few options for natural stones too. And, using the “shop similar styles” button helped us find comparable pairs across the full price spectrum.

Luxury jewelry found here – but not too extravagant

Those studs also happen to be the most expensive jewelry in Helzberg’s online store. You’ll find a few pieces priced between $10,000 and $19,000, like an engagement ring or a Miami Cuban link chain in 14k gold, but (fortunately?) most of what this jeweler offers is not in that upper echelon of luxury you may see with a few of their competitors.

Good options for on sale, clearance, and pre-owned jewelry

If you happen to be shopping with a price limit in mind, you can always sort the jewelry you’re looking at by price from lowest to highest. Another option is to click on the Sale and Clearance tab and see what pops up. Helzberg Diamonds is one of the only stores we rated that has a “preowned” section, but that inventory tends to be limited to rings (and mostly wedding/engagement ones at that); there were only two dozen pieces on offer at the time of our most recent visit.

Not the most customer-friendly shipping or returns

Helzberg is a little less generous with their shipping than most jewelry stores we check out: you’ll only get free delivery if your order is over $99. But, realistically speaking, unless you’re buying a bargain piece, this minimum amount will probably be easily met by your jewelry purchase. They’ve also downgraded their return policy by half: in the past, you had 60 days to return your jewelry in new, unworn condition, but now it’s just 30 days.

Defects covered for a year after purchase

On the other hand, Helzberg guarantees the material and workmanship of their merchandise for a full year after purchase. That doesn’t include normal wear and tear or damage caused by abuse, but any manufacturer defects will be covered at no charge.

More shopper feedback, please

Helzberg Diamonds has been around for a long time, and we weren’t surprised to see that the Better Business Bureau gives them an “A+” rating and accreditation. There were only a handful of complaints registered there, and they were all handled professionally and pleasantly by company representatives. However, there wasn’t much feedback on the online shopping experience here: even the jewelry itself rarely had ratings from shoppers.

Reliable but not hugely impressive

Our takeaway from our most recent look into Helzberg Diamonds is that it’s still a good place to buy jewelry, and that their online selection will give you much more to choose from than shopping at one of their retail locations. They don’t quite live up to their rivals who offer more pieces to choose from, and we’re sad that they shortened their return policy, but you don’t have to worry about buying jewelry here.

Super Jeweler

• Over 35,000 styles of jewelry priced from $10 to $200,000
• Conflict-free diamonds
• Custom orders available
• Unconditional lifetime guarantee on all jewelry
• Free shipping on all orders – worldwide
• 60-day return policy

With offices in the US, India, Sri Lanka and China, Super Jeweler has been serving online customers since 1999. You can buy one of the more than 35,000 pieces of jewelry found on their website or have their design team create a one-of-a-kind item. All of the diamonds sold here are conflict-free, and the president of the company has more than 25 years of experience as a gemstone buyer.

Not our favorite website design here

We don’t love the overall look and feel of the Super Jeweler store. To start, we had to disable our ad blocker software just to see the main promo on their homepage. Plus, the images and style give the impression of a less-than-glamorous place to shop for jewelry.

Not hard to find the right jewelry

On the other hand, the site does make it easy to shop for what you want, right at the top of the page: Rings, Earrings, Necklaces, Bracelets, Engagement, Mens, Gemstones, and even a Clearance section can get you started, or enter what you’re looking for in the search box. Even better, as you hover over those categories, you’ll often spot a discount code to save 10% or more on anything in that section.

Ready to pay almost $50,000 for diamond studs?

It’s always fun to see some of the most expensive pieces a jeweler has to offer, and we took a look specifically at diamond stud earrings here. At the time of our review, Super Jeweler’s highest-priced item in that category was the 4 Carat Diamond Martini Stud Earrings in 14 Karat White Gold, on sale for $47,999 – a 40% discount from the original retail price. Lucky for you, Super Jeweler offers financing, and you could pay as low as $2,000 a month for these incomparable earrings. Not surprisingly, there were no customer reviews on them.

Don’t miss the clearance section

And, if luxury is a little out of reach for your purchase, we found some attractive items in the clearance section too. For less than $25, you could find a men’s titanium wedding band, an amethyst and diamond open shank ring, turquoise teardrop earrings, and many more. Not everything in the clearance category is bargain-basement priced -those diamond martini studs were displayed here too – but you might find a genuinely good deal among the 500+ jewelry items.

Some compelling customer perks to consider

There are some really strong reasons to consider using Super Jeweler for your purchase. They offer an unconditional lifetime warranty on everything they sell – that’s almost unheard of in this industry. You can also benefit from a 60-day return policy; just be aware that your items have to be in new and unused condition, with any tags or labels still attached. Finally, Super Jeweler gives you free shipping anywhere in the world, regardless of the size (or dollar amount) of your order. If you were hoping to send your British cousin something sparkly for the holidays, this is likely your most affordable way to do it.

Disappointing grade from the BBB

And yet, Super Jeweler earns a mediocre “B” rating from the Better Business Bureau. There were 35 complaints filed with the BBB in the year prior to our review, but since all of them received a timely, appropriate response from SJ’s customer service team, we’re not sure why the BBB’s rating is relatively low. Interestingly, when we reached out to SJ’s customer service via live chat, to ask why their site advertises an “A+” rating from the BBB but the actual listing was just a “B” , we were told to email a manager and ask him. Okay, then!

You’ll either be a super fan or a hater

Shopper feedback in other places is mixed, with almost 500 customers giving Super Jeweler a 4- or 5-star rating but over 100 assigning the retailer the lowest possible score of just one star. Looks like you’ll either love it or hate it here.

Maybe, maybe not

Super Jeweler can be an interesting option for buying jewelry online, and their customer-friendly policies and perks caught our attention. Still, we can’t overlook the disappointing BBB rating and negative feedback from shoppers, especially when considering this retailer’s rivals and their much more positive track record with customers. Super Jeweler comes in as “just average” in our rankings.

Welry

• Most jewelry priced under $500
• “A-” rated by the BBB
• 60-day return policy
• Free USPS First-Class shipping on all orders in the US

Welry is a rebranding of the online store formerly known as Jewelry. Acquired by Berkshire Hathaway’s Richline Group in 2020, this online retailer hopes to become “the definitive digital destination for all things jewelry” .

Not the most intuitive shopping experience

Navigating the selection of jewelry at Welry isn’t as smooth as their competitors’ online stores. For example, when we tried to find out what this retailer has to offer on the upper end of the price scale (by clicking on “All Jewelry” and then selecting only items of $1,000 and up), there was no way to sort the results – not by popularity, ascending or descending price, or anything else.

Searching is hit and miss

While we found a few pieces that were over $2,000, like a 1.5 Ct. lab-grown diamond solitaire ring on sale for $5,250 and a men’s wide mariner gold chain necklace for $3,500, most of what Welry offers is in the $500 and under range. You can use the filters to narrow down the options by jewelry type or style, the stone or precious metal, or the gender (men’s, women’s, or gender neutral). Still, it was still next to impossible to find diamond solitaire stud earrings for purposes of comparison, let alone to find Welry’s most expensive pair.

Very few sizes for rings

If you’re specifically looking to buy a ring, you’ll find the selection here is really limited with respect to sizes. Most of the women’s rings we checked out only came in a 7, 8 or 9 (no half-sizes either), and many men’s rings were available solely in a size 10.

Generous shipping and return policies

It’s not all bad at Welry, though. The store offers free First-Class shipping via USPS on all orders within the United States, and you’ve got a 60-day return policy if your jewelry doesn’t quite match what you had in mind (as long as you send it back in new condition).

Not enough customer feedback yet

Also, the BBB gives Welry an “A-” rating – though we weren’t sure if we should also be looking up the reputation of the Richline Group or for the conglomerate of Berkshire Hathaway (or if that would even be relevant). Maybe because of the recent rebranding, Welry doesn’t have a lot of shopper feedback: there are no reviews on individual jewelry pieces, and it’s hard to find customer comments elsewhere too.

Wait and see

Should you buy jewelry from Welry? Maybe. If you spot something you love at a price you like, there’s probably no huge risk here. They’re still too newly-launched for us to feel comfortable recommending them more strongly, but with more feedback in the future (and maybe some upgrades to the site that would offer a more helpful shopping experience) we could see Welry moving up in our rankings.

Kay

• In business for over a century
• “A+” rated and accredited by the BBB
• 30-day return policy, 60 days for exchanges; extended during the holidays
• Free shipping on orders of $50+ within the continental US

Signet Jewelers is the parent company of four jewelry stores in our review, including Kay. Kay Jewelers itself got its start in 1916 and currently has over 1000 retail stores. You’ve certainly heard that “every kiss begins with K(ay)” , and this jeweler definitely puts a lot of emphasis on selling jewelry for every love story.

Not as many diamond stud earrings as their rivals

To compare all of the jewelers we reviewed, we took a look at the highest-priced diamond stud solitaires each one had in stock. Kay’s were a 2 ct. tw. round-cut set in 14k white gold, on sale at a 25% discount for a total of $6,560. That came in right about the middle: not the most extravagant, but still an impressive gift (for your special someone or yourself). Their selection in this area was a little limited: just 139 different pairs, compared with the thousands we saw with other jewelry stores.

Plenty of inventory for other jewelry styles

However, in other categories, Kay’s selection was more than fine. Among over 5000 necklaces, for example, you’ll see everything from a Le Vian Couture Sapphire piece for just over $65,000 (and, can you believe it, not one but three customer reviews? Spoiler: it wasn’t worth the money), to dozens of charms and chains for under $25.

Fun ways to get inspired

Using the top navigation bar and dropdowns is the easiest – and most fun – way to browse the Kay site if you’re not 100% sure what you’re looking for. We really like the Gift Ideas section that lists out different occasions you might be commemorating. Deal-hunters will gravitate to the Clearance tab, and the Customize section will walk you through the creation of your very own, one-of-a-kind piece of jewelry.

Best delivery options come with ship-to-store

You’ll get free shipping at Kay if you live within the continental US, you’re delivering to a street address, and your order is at least $50. Alternately, you can have your jewelry shipped to your closest store for pickup: not only will that protect you from porch pirates and spoiled surprises, but you can also specify that you’d like it gift-wrapped and they’ll take care of it there.

Pay attention to return shipping requirements

Kay’s return policy is average-to-good. You’ll have just 30 days from when your merchandise shipped to return it (as opposed to the date you received it), or 60 days if you’d prefer an exchange. During the holidays, you’ll get a little extra time; purchases made between 10/15 and 12/24 can be returned through 1/24 of the next calendar year. And, of course, in-person returns are welcome if you have a Kay store near you.

Customers would tell you to shop somewhere else

It can be hard to suss out the reputation of each jewelry store held by Signet: the BBB listing for Kay shows an “A+” but no accreditation, while Signet has the same grade plus accreditation. How far does Signet’s reputation carry over into the quality and customer service you’ll get when shopping for jewelry at Kay? If customer feedback is any indicator, the answer is “not far enough” . Most complaints describe poor quality jewelry (even items that were clearly opened previously or even used) and an indifferent response from Kay’s customer service team, failure to cover damage or other issues protected under warranty, and finding out that items were overpriced and overrated. Comment after comment, we saw words like “scam” , “nightmare” , and “disappointed” . Finding anyone with a compliment for their Kay jewelry experience is a challenge.

Too disappointing to fully recommend

Kay, you’ve made us sad. You’ve been in business for a long time, and you’re part of an extensive brand family. Why is it so hard to deliver good quality jewelry and attentive, empathetic customer service? We’d love to see this jewelry store make a major upswing in shopper feedback in the future, but until that happens Kay isn’t going to be one of the jewelers we can recommend with confidence.

Jared

• In business for almost a century
• “A+” rated and accredited by the BBB
• Returns or exchanges accepted within 30 days of purchase date
• Free second-day shipping on non-personalized, in-stock items

Signet Jewelers owns four brands in our review, including Jared. Jared focuses on “accessible luxury jewelry” , especially pieces that convey singular expressions of love that make the world a better place (who knew jewelry could be so powerful?). With over 200 retail locations throughout the United States, chances are good there’s a Jared store near you – but you’ll have even more to browse in their online shop.

Lots of diamond studs, but not many solitaires

As a comparison item, we looked for the most extravagant diamond stud solitaire earrings sold by the jewelers in our review. Jared came in high, with 4 ct. tw. round stones in 14k white gold for the impressive price of one cent less than $24,000. There were several other options in different cuts and gold types in the $10,000 to $20,000 range, if you’re so inclined. Among the nearly 450 diamond stud earring sets offered by Jared, there were no options under $100 but quite a few for less than $200 (although many of them were more novelty styles like diamond letter earrings and not the traditional solitaire studs).

Reasonable selection and pricing

Jared definitely seems to focus on the middle range of jewelry: not the cheap costume-like stuff, but not the really over-the-top, $100K-and-up statement pieces either. Engagement and wedding sets range from $400 to $24,000, for example. You’ll find the widest variation in the Bracelets category: would you like a $25 anklet or a $52,000 diamond tennis bracelet…or any of the 1700+ items in between? Two categories where Jared shines (get it?) are Personalization and Charms: we found jewelry here that wasn’t available with other stores.

Average returns, but exchanges are only available in-store

There’s nothing special about Jared’s return policy: you’ve got 30 days from the date you placed your order to make a return or an exchange. In-store returns are your easiest option – and your only choice if you want to swap out your jewelry for something different. Plus, you can get it gift wrapped for free by a store associate when you pick it up.

Free shipping on most jewelry

On the other hand, Jared has a more generous shipping policy than some of the jewelers even within their own brand family. You’ll get free UPS 2nd-day on orders of in-stock, non-personalized jewelry. Of course, you can also get your items delivered to any Jared location, which is a smart way to keep your jewelry from getting stolen from your box or doorstep and to keep it a surprise.

Shopper comments go from bad to worse

We wanted to know more specifically about Jared’s reputation, but it gets obscured by the relationship with parent company Signet. Signet itself has an “A+” and accreditation from the BBB, but Jared’s shopper feedback doesn’t reflect that at all. Doing some online sleuthing, we found almost 200 people who gave Jared an abysmal one star out of five – some reviewers said they wished they could actually give this retailer negative stars. We read hundreds of complaints about horrible quality, hostile customer service reps, and missing shipments. Granted, some shopper experiences related strictly to the retail locations, but there was no shortage of online disappointments either.

Too much room for improvement

Jared’s reliability is absolutely in question. Could you get something you love here? Sure. Is it going to last long enough for you to pass it down as an heirloom? No, it might not even stay untarnished or unscratched for a month, let alone a lifetime. It’s our recommendation that you buy your jewelry from a store with a much higher rating and spare yourself some grief. Jared has work to do to prove they deserve your business in the future.

Diamonds USA

• Specializes in diamond jewelry
• 30-day return policy
• No complaints at the BBB

Diamonds USA is the online jewelry store that is going to underwhelm you from the very start. Offering “safe and secure online shopping since 1997” , this site doesn’t seem to have been updated much since then: it’s clunky and weirdly-worded in places, leaving us wondering who exactly is behind the business.

Legitimate business, unappealing storefront

Don’t get us wrong: David Braverman, the person listed as the owner and founder of Diamonds USA, definitely seems to be a real person who legitimately has decades of experience as a diamond cutter. (We even found his personal Facebook account when looking for more details on this business.) Unfortunately, that doesn’t seem to have translated into an easy-to-shop online jewelry store with plenty of options.

Spelling errors, really?

It’ll come as no surprise that this retailer specializes in diamonds. You can find engagement rings, loose diamonds, and pieces with diamonds and other gemstones. You won’t have an easy time finding what you want, though: when you choose a category (like “cheap engagement rings, yikes!), you’ll only have some basic filters at the top of the page to narrow things down. Even if you knew what to search for, the spelling errors mean that you might not get there either (like “enemel” instead of “enamel” and “bayby” instead of “baby” ).

Like an online yard sale for jewelry

Shopping on the Diamonds USA site feels a little like browsing a garage sale. There’s not much rhyme or reason to the items they carry, how they’re organized, or the information available on each piece. Even the pricing is strange: where most of the time you’ll see retail prices ending in $5 or $10 (or even something-99), the jewelry here is priced at $616 or $411, for example.

30-day returns

If we had to identify some positive aspect of the Diamonds USA store, we’d point to their 30-day return policy. As long as you let the company know within 30 days of delivery that you’d like to send your jewelry back, you’ll be eligible for a full refund. This jeweler has a virtually blank listing with the Better Business Bureau – so at least that means that there aren’t hundreds of people who have filed complaints, and that you might actually get a refund if you place an order here and want to return it.

Get an upgrade and then call us

But really, compared with the jewelry stores in our review that make it a pleasure to shop for earrings, pendants, or any other pieces, we’re hard-pressed to come up with a reason why anyone would choose to shop at Diamonds USA instead. Maybe if this retailer makes a major upgrade to their online store, one that genuinely showcases their selection and looks like it’s from this millennium, we would move it up in our rankings. Until then, however, we suggest you shop for jewelry from almost any other store.

Szul

• 60-day return policy
• Free ground shipping in the US

Szul was founded in 1999 and is an exclusively online jewelry store. Their offices are located in the Diamond District of Manhattan.

Limited inventory but easy shopping experience

You won’t be blown away by the selection at Szul: it’s decent but doesn’t compare with our higher-ranked jewelers. The Men’s category only has rings, for example, and there were just around 100 choices in the Bracelets section. The good news is that this online store is easy to shop: choose what kind of jewelry you’re looking for using the links at the top of the site, use the filters on the left side of the page to narrow down the options by metal or gemstone type, price, and so forth.

Detailed jewelry information

There’s also ample information on each item’s page, including detailed specifications about the size, setting, and any other applicable criteria. Some of the jewelry has customer reviews, but even on Szul’s most popular items, we often found only one or two ratings (which were often six years old or more).

From budget-friendly to luxury

Another plus is that there’s something for every budget here. Looking at diamond stud earrings for comparison, we found 2 carat round diamond solitaires in 14k white gold for a sale price of $5,449 and 10-point diamond stud earrings filled with yellow gold for just $51. If you’re a bargain hunter, don’t miss the Deals tab: you’ll find daily specials, the “luxury deal of the week” and a clearance section, along with any Szul new arrivals.

Buyer beware

Wondering why this jewelry store is almost at the bottom of our list? Szul’s reputation leaves a lot to be desired. Starting with their “C+” rating from the Better Business Bureau and continuing on to customer feedback elsewhere, you won’t see much that inspires confidence in this retailer. Some shoppers have gotten things here that they love – enough that they’ve ordered multiple times – but the number of reviews we found that specifically mentioned diamonds falling out of settings was alarming.

Disappointing customer support

Others said that the jewelry looked much different from the photos, both in the color of the gemstones and in the overall quality. And, it’s no surprise that the response from Szul’s customer service department is described as “disappointing” or even “non-existent” . The only positive we can point to is that Szul doesn’t filter the reviews on their site, so you can see all of the complaints in their full glory.

Pick a different jeweler who won’t leave you disappointed

You’ll want to like Szul: reasonably good selection, seemingly solid customer policies, and a simple-to-shop website. We don’t recommend it. You’re too likely to wind up disappointed, and there’s no reason to buy jewelry here when there are many other options that won’t let you down.

Jeulia

• Only manufactured gemstones
• 30-day return policy
• Free shipping on orders over $99
• One-year warranty on all products

Jeulia is a Hong Kong-based jewelry store that offers luxury looks for less. They deliver this by using only manufactured gemstones: no real diamonds, emeralds, or opals here.

Costume-style jewelry abounds

Because Jeulia tends to offer items that are more costume-like, you’ll find some novel items like studs shaped like Disney’s Maleficent or a penguin-shaped ring. We had a more difficult time finding traditional styles, like basic “diamond” solitaire earrings. Overall, the site is easy to shop: use the categories at the top of the page and then use the filters to narrow down the choices until you’re left with bracelets, watches, rings, accessories, earrings or necklaces that match.

Take a look at reviews on individual pieces

Looking at any of the jewelry items that catch your eye, you’ll get plenty of details if you click on the Description tab. You may also like reading through customer reviews; we were surprised at how many there were on most of the pieces we checked out.

You could get a discount

When we visited the Jeulia site most recently, we got a pop-up offering us a free open ring on our first order if we subscribed to their newsletter. But, looking at the bottom of the site, we found a $10 discount for signing up as well, so take your pick as to which one is the better offer. There was also a BOGO promotional code at the top of the site. Keep an eye out for any discounts that might be in place when you shop for jewelry at Jeulia.

30-day returns… overseas?

Jeulia offers a 30-day return policy and a one-year warranty on all jewelry they sell. You’re responsible for the shipping costs back to the retailer, and we’re not certain if that requires regular domestic postage or international shipping back to their manufacturing facilities in Hong Kong. (We’ve seen comments from customers that make us think it’s the latter, but you’ll know for certain only when you initiate the return process.)

Could improve, but not by much

How about reputation? The jury is out. On the one hand, we’re glad to see that this retailer no longer has an “F” rating from the Better Business Bureau. However, the listing is now marked as “Not Rated” , which isn’t exactly a big improvement. We think it changed from “F” to “NR” because company reps are actually responding to customer complaints filed there – but does that matter if the problems are still happening? More than 140 customers in the year leading up to this review had issues with the quality of the jewelry, late and missing deliveries, and hassles getting refunds on returns.

Last place among jewelry stores

For all of these reasons, Jeulia still earns our last-place finish among online jewelry stores. The products here are often cheaply made, customer service is improving but still leaves much to be desired, and you’re more likely than not to wind up disappointed. Choose a more reliable jeweler for your special purchase.