The Finest Engagement Ring Brands
Choosing an engagement ring is a significant milestone in one’s life journey, and finding the perfect brand can make this experience even more memorable. Some brands stand out among the…
Brilliance Diamonds Review: These pages may reference products from companies that help to support PriceScope.
Brilliance Diamonds Review
To be honest with you, there’s very little known about Brilliance Diamonds. Although Brilliance.com is indeed one of the largest online engagement ring retailers, they do an awfully good job at not divulging many details.
Founded over 30 years ago with an online presence for half of that time, e-commerce was definitely the turning point for them. With Jonathon Ohayon at the helm and a store in sunny South Florida, they boast that all of their rings are made in the USA.
So what does make Brillance Diamonds so brilliant? Through scouring reviews, chatting to representatives, and investigating their diamond claims, we’ve come to some conclusions during this Brillance Diamonds review.
1. What is Brilliance Diamond’s story?
Besides an ‘About Us’ with an embedded sales video and a team of smiling headshots, there isn’t much about the history of Brilliance or their aspirations that’s easily accessible. In the end, we did talk to a support representative who gladly provided all the information we needed and ogled at their beautifully presented Instagram.
Then we sat down to watch their story; summarised in a succinct 1-minute 30-second segment.
In the video, Brilliance Diamonds’ COO, Jonathon Ohayon, talks fondly about his family’s beginnings in the diamond industry in the early 1980s. He cites that his father, Jacob Ohayon, has probably seen more diamonds than half of the United States.
Brilliance has undoubtedly evolved into the e-commerce platform we see today due to Jonathan’s efforts. Having started in Ohio, it now operates mostly online with a sole office and workshop in Florida.
Even without much else about this diamond jeweler online, it is evident that family is at the core of Brilliance. As the video emphasizes the company’s promise to provide quality and value, we’re going to look at this pledge in more depth below.
2. What is most appealing about Brilliance Diamonds?
Grading Authority
Brilliance diamonds are not all graded by the same laboratory. It’s not that much of an issue on its own – rather, some of the labs Brilliance uses aren’t as reputable as the GIA, IGI, and AGS.
Brilliance also sells diamonds certified by European Gemological Laboratories (EGL) and Hoge Raad voor Diamant (HRD), translated as the ‘Diamond High Council’. Both lab locations have an unfortunate reputation for over-grading diamonds, sometimes by more than three grades, allowing unscrupulous sellers to overcharge. With any purchase, it’s essential to do your due diligence as a buyer.
Despite their obsession with quality, this is challenging to believe when offering diamonds with certificates from these less than reputable laboratories. The good news is when using the diamond search functionality, you’re able to specify which certifications you wish to consider.
Each loose diamond comes with its corresponding certification, which is promising, and for some of the diamonds, there are interactive images and 360 videos available for your perusal.
We couldn’t find any light reflector images (ASET/ideal-scope) of the stone available to illustrate how the light is reflected within its facets. There’s a crucial point here, because buying a diamond based only on a GIA report is almost like buying blind.
Your diamond should come fully equipped with all the certifications, images, and specifics to help you make an informed purchasing decision. Our vetted vendors Blue Nile, Whiteflash, and James Allen sell diamonds graded by top-tier laboratories. In addition to this, those vendors employ in-house gemologists to inspect their diamonds to ensure accuracy.
Variety
The expert team of gemologists, designers, and jewelry artisans at Brilliant.com strive to ensure that every diamond they set and every ring they cast adheres to the highest standards of quality they’ve been committed to.
At first glance, Brilliance’s selection of loose diamond shapes and setting styles looks to rival those in most local jewelry stores.
Unlike Blue Nile, Whiteflash, and James Allen, it seems that Brilliance does not have the same exclusivity contracts and direct feeds for the diamonds. In other words, the 350,000+ diamonds they list on their site are not necessarily available.
What does it entail? It appears that they have diamonds listed via generic industry feeds. While this allows them to work on cheaper margins, it means they are unable to guarantee ship dates or even confirm if the diamond is in stock.
They stated in their sales video from 2020 that lab-grown diamonds were not available from Brilliance, alluding that they were inferior quality to their standard. However, upon browsing the site, it appears that has lapsed.
Both natural and lab-grown diamonds have a legitimate place in the market. In contrast to natural diamonds, which historically appreciate in value over time, prices of lab-grown diamonds continue to drop, and the principle of accelerating change suggests they will lose value over time. You can read more regarding our advice on purchasing lab-grown diamonds here.
Ease of Use
With a simple, easy-to-navigate website, Brilliance.com provides users with a great experience. Customers can browse the brand’s collection according to the type of jewelry they prefer, by the style or stone of the jewelry, or by using educational guides to choose the right ring or diamond.
You can start your journey by selecting your perfect setting first and then diamond second, or vice versa. Either way, the site is intuitive and makes it simple to design a ring to your specifications and prioritize what’s important to you.
The sliders make it simple to narrow down your search. Only want GIA-certified diamonds? You got it. Just want to search for the oh-so-popular 0.90ct diamond? Sure, you can specify that. Checking out round and princess cuts? That will be no problem for you. Eyeing up the colorless range but also want to see what near-colorless has to offer? No problem.
You can also choose which diamonds you wish to compare at a glance, with a breakdown of carat, color, clarity, cut, report and price available in a handy table.
As mentioned, a comprehensive education section is available on the site, which offers easy-to-digest materials covering topics such as Diamond Shape, Cut, Color, Clarity, and Carat, as well as guides on setting types and metals.
There’s a lot of information online about diamonds and jewelry, and it can be difficult to know what’s reliable. With the help of a team of diamond and jewelry experts, PriceScope offers users an easy-to-use online platform for accurate diamond information.
The Selection
From simple, understated rings to stunning pieces of glistening jewelry, the collection at Brilliance Diamonds is diverse. An impressive variety of designs is available through the site, including solitaire rings, side stone rings, halo rings, three stone rings, antique rings, and gemstone rings. And of course, bridal sets.
The website also allows customers to design their own engagement rings. You can submit pictures or drawings of your desired style, and provide information about your desired metal and center stone shape, as well as any other notes you may have about the ring’s design.
A brand representative will contact you to narrow down your design choices before sending you a sample of what the ring will look like; the ring can only be viewed after a deposit has been made. It claims that customers can create their own versions of designer rings at a fraction of the price using this custom ring service.
We encourage taking a look at Astor by Blue Nile, Whiteflash A CUT ABOVE, and James Allen True Hearts – with our premium vendors, customers are guaranteed diamonds with superior cut quality and spectacular ring settings.
The Experience
With only one store in Florida which is unfamiliar to us, and not particularly impressive from the outside, we’re going to focus entirely on their online efforts and experience. Alternatively, if you’re local, you can tour the workshop and see the process for yourself which isn’t something you get to do every day.
The user experience when navigating the Brillance Diamonds site is certainly pleasant and we can’t fault it there. You can seamlessly secure an engagement ring from start to finish without needing the assistance of an expert at all. That’s if you know your diamonds, of course.
If you do wish to have a little more guidance and insight during your purchase, help is clearly signposted throughout the site, alongside their simple live chat functionality for quick responses.
As we mentioned earlier, we spoke with a real representative to find out more about Brilliance’s history and mission – not something you can say for many jewelers who have migrated online and rely on automated chatbots and physical presence in stores to do the selling.
If you do wish to speak to somebody directly, their call line is operational 24 hours a day Sunday to Thursday with adjusted hours Friday and Saturday that are still reasonable.
For all orders, including international orders, Brilliance offers free express shipping. Most shipments are shipped via FedEx, UPS or USPS Priority Mail with full insurance. Fast delivery is an obvious plus for Brilliance. Yet, as I noted above, there are often significant delays before the delivery process starts with limited transparency on in-stock diamonds.
Free overnight shipping isn’t so valuable after a week or more of delays, but more so a necessity. For international orders, Brilliance only ships orders of $500 or more. If you plan to order internationally, you should contact Brilliance first to learn about the delivery options available in your country.
3. What diamond and jewelry products does Brilliance Diamonds offer?
While there is a main focus on their loose diamonds and create your own ring functionality, Brilliance does offer some other jewelry pieces to get excited about.
All adorned with that iconic Brilliance signature. We’ve detailed their offering below:
- Create your own engagement rings
- Wedding bands
- Pre-set rings
- Diamond earrings
- Necklaces and pendants
- Diamond bracelets
- Moissanite jewelry
If you’re looking for something supplementary to your engagement, you won’t have difficulty finding something at Brilliance. It carries all the trimmings of a typical jeweler.
Looking for a little more detail when choosing the perfect diamond? Discover more than a million loose diamonds for sale with all the specifications you need and find the diamond that is right for you.
4. What sets Brilliance Diamonds apart from others?
Fiercely independent: It’s clear that Brilliance Diamonds has soul and might. In the jewelry industry, it is rare to see successful family businesses that have yet to be bought by larger organizations. For that, we commend Jonathon and Jacob Ohayon for their commitment.
Conflict-free: Brilliance has a zero-tolerance policy that stands alongside an enduring commitment to maintaining ethical standards in jewelry production and to protecting the environment. The company pledges to never use conflict diamonds.
Education and Resources: Brilliance Diamonds have accessible, fantastically helpful diamond education that’s well-written and easy to understand. They also have a great YouTube presence with informative content that’s definitely worth a watch.
Great Warranties and Guarantees: With all Brilliance products, you get a lifetime warranty. In case of a manufacturing defect, the company promises to replace or repair the item. In addition, they offer free ring sizing within 90 days of purchase.
Moreover, there is their Low Price Guarantee, which claims that if a customer finds an item of identical size and quality for a lower price, they will beat that price. However, the website stipulates that this policy is carried out at their sole discretion.
When you're looking for diamond retailers who offer you a seamless selection process and a wide variety of options, take a look at Whiteflash, Blue Nile, and James Allen whose online diamond shopping experience offer you exceptional value.
5. What does Brilliance Diamondpackaging look like?
The purchase of an engagement ring is one of the most emotionally charged moments of a person’s life. An important and memorable part of the proposal process is receiving the package in the mail if you order online.
Packaging is essentially Brilliance’s retail storefront and often the first tactile interaction clients have with their brand. It strives to go above and beyond that first impression.
Certified loose diamonds and diamond jewelry products are safely enclosed in a beautifully displayed box; smooth wood for rings and a sleek lacquered black for other fine jewelry, both featuring a plush satin interior to house your piece. Loose diamonds are delivered to you secured in a tension ring to ensure safe delivery.
Inside, you’ll also find information on where you can view the certificate, your receipt and the ring’s appraisal on this document.
Brilliance has certainly delivered on its packaging and it’s enough to rival the iconic Tiffany & co.
6. Are you the ideal Brilliance Diamonds customer?
Despite the fact that they claim to be so much cheaper than others, Brilliant likes to play up their value a little too much. Yes, the prices are good. But when you compare diamonds of equal quality, they’re not much different from what you’ll pay with Blue Nile, Whiteflash and James Allen.
So what it really comes down to is what you value and most notably, timeframes.
If potentially poor diamond availability and long delays while Brilliance tries to locate your diamond doesn’t phase you, then it doesn’t really matter. You have the luxury of exploring stores at your leisure and opting for a vetted vendor that suits you best – which might actually be Brilliance Diamonds.
Unfortunately, when conducting this Brilliance Diamonds review, we came across very mixed reviews, without any real consistency.
There are some customers who say that their customer service team and design team are friendly, helpful, and supportive, while others say that they are difficult to work with and don’t assist in resolving issues.
It seems your experience will largely depend on who you speak with and what your issue is. Our experience was relatively pleasant, although we were not dealing with the backend of a return or anything too strenuous.
Brilliance Diamonds are an established company, with a great website and excellent user experience. Something we encourage in every review is to make sure you’re informed and know what’s important to you during your diamond purchasing – everybody is different.
With PriceScope, you can explore diamond education extensively before you buy one. A resource like ours at your fingertips leads to a more informed and confident shopping experience.
If you would like a full understanding of the great variety of diamonds online and in stock, we recommend checking out our large selection of loose diamonds, which contains all the nitty gritty information you need to feel satisfied in your purchase.
Get fast answers to any question: Ask our community of unbiased independent helpers or use our diamond search to find your ideal diamond.
The information in this review is current, to the best of our knowledge, as of June, 2022.
