The Diamond Pro ranks top online engagement ring retailers as spending falls

Engagement-ring shopping has turned into a price-and-proof exercise. The Knot says the average U.S. engagement ring cost fell from $6,000 in 2021 to $5,500 in 2023, then to $5,200 in its 2024 study and $4,600 on its 2025 calculator page, while lab-grown center stones now account for more than half of first-time engagement-ring purchases and BriteCo puts lab-grown diamonds in 48% of engagement rings in 2025. In that market, the strongest retailers are the ones that can explain what the stone is, where it came from, and what happens if you want to trade up later.

1. Blue Nile

Blue Nile is still the cleanest starting point for shoppers who want a classic solitaire, a straightforward online experience, and a name that predates the current lab-grown reset. Founded in 1999 and describing itself as “the original online jeweler,” it has the longest e-commerce pedigree of the group, which matters when buyers are comparing ring settings and center-stone prices in a market that has become far more price-sensitive.

2. Brilliant Earth

Brilliant Earth is the lab-grown heavyweight on this list, and its scale is the reason it belongs near the top for buyers chasing lower upfront pricing without giving up certified inventory. The company says it was founded in August 2005, calls itself a digital-first, ethically sourced jeweler, and went public in September 2021; The Diamond Pro’s June 8 review says it has more than 300,000 IGI- and GIA-certified lab-grown stones in stock, a depth that fits a market where lab-grown stones have moved into the mainstream.

3. Diamonds Direct

Diamonds Direct is the best fit for shoppers who think past the proposal and care about the next ring upgrade too. Founded in 1995 in Charlotte, North Carolina, by Alon Arabov and later acquired by Signet in 2021, it offers a lifetime upgrade program for natural diamonds and free shipping on U.S. online orders, two policies that make a natural stone feel less like a one-time splurge and more like a long-term position.

4. Jared

Jared is the safest choice for anyone who wants online selection backed by a physical retail network that can step in if the purchase needs hands-on reassurance. Signet Jewelers’ 2025 annual report says the company operates about 2,600 stores and eCommerce sites across brands including Jared, Zales, Kay, Diamonds Direct, Blue Nile, and James Allen, so Jared sits inside one of the largest jewelry systems in the country.

5. Brian Gavin Diamonds

Brian Gavin Diamonds is the precision pick, especially for buyers who care more about cut quality than brand familiarity. Brian Gavin launched the company in March 2009 after building a reputation for strict cut standards, and that focus on proportions is the kind of detail that separates a stone that merely looks big from one that throws light cleanly and holds its appeal as styles change.

6. Leibish

Leibish is the specialist’s answer for natural fancy colored diamonds, a category where rarity carries as much weight as carat size. Founded in 1979, it is built around stones that stand apart visually, which makes it especially relevant in a market shaped by clearer disclosure rules, since natural and laboratory-created diamonds must be clearly identified for shoppers under the FTC Jewelry Guides.

7. Abe Mor

Abe Mor rounds out the ranking as the comparison-shopper’s retailer, the kind of name that matters when the buyer wants to weigh stone by stone instead of paying for a glossy package. That discipline matters now more than ever: with average engagement-ring spending down to $4,600 and lab-grown pricing resetting expectations, the strongest purchase is the one where the seller can clearly explain the stone, the setting, and the value logic behind both.

The real story in this market is not that one retailer wins everything. It is that engagement-ring buying has split into distinct risk profiles, and the best seller for one priority can be the wrong choice for another, especially when long-term value and upfront savings are pulling in opposite directions.