Editor’s Note
This guide highlights lab-grown diamonds as a sustainable and affordable alternative to mined stones, featuring top brands for holiday gifts and everyday wear.
Lab-grown diamonds are chemically and physically identical to earth-mined diamonds, and they come at a fraction of the cost. After extensive research, we determined the best lab-grown diamond brands—just in time for holiday gifting. Our top pick overall is Blue Nile for its investment-worthy pieces that stand the test of time, along with complimentary ring resizing and polishing services. For everyday lab-grown diamond jewelry, we recommend Mejuri and Stone And Strand. If you’re looking for beautiful tennis jewelry, our top picks are Aurate and Dorsey.
We rounded up the best lab-grown diamonds from retailers with stellar reputations and a stunning array of jewelry to pick from.
To make our selections, we tapped into our own jewelry knowledge and firsthand experience and also interviewed Ankur Daga, the founder and CEO of fine jewelry brand Angara, to create an in-depth guide on everything you need to know about lab-grown diamonds before purchasing. We recommend trusted retailers, and because we know everyone’s taste level and budgets are a little bit different, we included brands that reflect a wide variety of excellent options.
Best Lab-Grown Diamonds Overall: Blue Nile
Best Lab-Grown Diamonds For Variety: James Allen
Best Lab-Grown Diamonds For Price Transparency: Ritani, Brilliant Earth
Best Lab-Grown Diamonds For Everyday: Mejuri, Stone And Strand
Best Lab-Grown Diamonds For Modern Designs: Kinn Studio, Vrai
Best Lab-Grown Diamond Tennis Jewelry: Aurate, Dorsey
Best Lab-Grown Diamonds For Customizing: Grown Brilliance, With Clarity
Best Sustainable Lab-Grown Diamonds: Clean Origin
Blue Nile has been around for over 20 years, so it’s a trusted authority in an otherwise newer space. All of its loose diamonds are analyzed and graded for quality by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), one of the most accurate labs in the diamond industry. Since the brand sells direct-to-consumer, it’s able to offer high-quality stones with low overhead costs and, as a result, attainable pricing. In addition to rings, Blue Nile also offers a gorgeous selection of bracelets, earrings and necklaces—its Round Brilliant Stud Earrings earned the top spot on our list of the best lab-grown diamond earrings.
The brand provides plenty of opportunities for customization, so you can create a bespoke ring, pendant or earrings with lab-grown diamonds. For wedding rings, we love the Scalloped Pavé Diamond Ring; and for gifts, we suggest the Half Carat Stud Earrings or the classic Tennis Bracelet. We also appreciate Blue Nile’s thoughtful extras, like a free gift box and notecard with purchases.
Kinn Studio creates vintage-inspired jewelry that’s timeless rather than overly trendy—which means you’ll wear it for years. The brand uses recycled 14k gold to create styles like bezel set rings with uniquely oriented stones, necklace charms with unexpected silhouettes and sculptural huggies with loads of sparkle.
All engagement rings come with a lifetime manufacturing warranty against defects, and center stones are fully certified by an independent diamond grading laboratory.
