As a millennial who spent almost every weekend at the mall — whether I needed anything or not — my younger self could never have imagined that the only in-person shopping I do now is for groceries — and even that isn’t entirely necessary. While I sometimes yearn for the sensory experience of seeing and feeling an item before committing, it’s undeniable that online shopping has its benefits, chief among them that you don’t have to leave your couch or bed. (Another not-insignificant upside is the added dopamine hit when said purchase arrives at your door.) And if our commerce editor Katie Pittman’s account of buying a couch without a sit-test proves anything, it’s that there’s no limit to what you can confidently purchase online. I’m a lethal combination of lazy and a people-pleaser, so I didn’t want to leave my home to visit a jeweler who might try to use some high-pressure sales tactics on me. That’s why I decided to buy a pretty important, once-in-a-lifetime item online: my wedding ring.
It might sound extreme to invest in diamonds without ever seeing them on my finger, but I had already done that for my engagement ring. I had gone to jewelry stores and tried on a bunch of styles, but I combined elements from my favorite rings to design the final product. That meant that, although I saw some renderings my fiancé sent throughout the process, I didn’t actually know how it would all come together until the proposal.
In 2025, there’s no shortage of online jewelry purveyors, but I landed on Friendly Diamonds, which has been selling conflict-free, sustainable diamonds since 2017. I wanted a lab-grown diamond for ethical and sustainability reasons, and Friendly Diamonds’ designs went beyond the standard styles I was seeing online. Their prices are pretty unbeatable, but what stuck out most was that they offer complimentary video consults with a gemologist. While you can buy diamonds anywhere — even Amazon — not all online jewelers provide this service, and it made me feel a little more comfortable making such a significant decision virtually.
If you’re shaking your head at how times have changed or anticipating an “I told you so” moment, you’ll want to read on to see how it turned out.
How to buy a wedding ring online
I’m an overpreparer, so I had already whittled down the choices to my top two before my virtual appointment. You could definitely do less research and still have a successful session with their experts, but if you’ve got specific needs, as I had, make sure the retailer has something you like before you hop on the call. My biggest obstacle was that my engagement ring has uniquely shaped stones, and I couldn’t find any bands that matched my radiant or kite-shaped diamonds. I still found a few designs I liked and thought might look good with my engagement ring, but I needed an expert’s opinion.
And Laura, my assigned gemologist, was up for the challenge. Once I showed her my ring, we started perusing the site together. She opened my eyes to the idea that the rings don’t have to match; they just have to mesh. Basically, she showed me styles that would complement my current setting best. She also informed me that I could make customizations not shown on the website, such as changing the prongs from white gold to yellow gold.
While this session provided the guidance I needed to move forward, the renderings that were sent over after sealed the deal. The drawings of my engagement ring stacked on top of the bands I’d chosen helped me visualize my choices in ways I wouldn’t have been able to in a store or with a more turnkey e-tailer because of my customizations. Until this point, I’d been holding my ring up to my laptop screen and squinting to try to imagine how the pieces would look together. From there, it was a matter of intense scrutiny and polling friends before making my final choice.
Once I made my decision — a yellow gold ring with a chevron pattern of marquise and round cut stones, positioned in a stunningly sparkly floating prong setting — I gave the gemologist my shipping address and ring size. The ring came about two weeks later. I was a little nervous about getting such a valuable piece shipped to me, but the package had to be signed for, so I could rest easy knowing it wouldn’t get stolen or lost in transit.
My ring came in a beautiful box with a report from the International Gemological Institute detailing its specs like carat, color, and clarity.
I was nervous opening that box, but I didn’t need to be — it looked even better in person. (Renderings are great and all, but they don’t do the real thing justice.) It looks so pretty stacked against my ring, and I can’t wait to wear it. Too bad I’ll have to wait four more months.
Advice for jewelry shopping online
Look for brands that offer virtual appointments, styling tools, and/or renderings: Lab diamonds are significantly more affordable than their natural counterparts, but they’re still an investment, so you want to choose carefully. Even though I considered myself to be fairly well-educated on the C’s of diamond shopping, it was still immensely helpful to sit down with an expert who knew the offerings inside and out. If I were shopping for my engagement ring, they could’ve helped me choose the appropriate carat cize, color, clarity, and more.
Do your research: Before you make any appointments or request renderings, do your homework. There’s no shortage of brands, so find some that align with your requirements and preferences, and make sure they actually have designs that speak to you on their website. If you’re totally lost at where to even start, it’s not a bad idea to visit a jeweler in person to try some options on for inspiration.
Get professionally sized: I thought I could rely on online sizing charts to determine the width of my finger, but I used a measuring tape a million different ways and got different results each time. I decided to order the size of my engagement ring. Spoiler alert: The band is too big. Thankfully, Friendly Diamonds will do one complimentary resizing within one year of purchase, but I should have saved myself the headache and gone to a jeweler first.
If you want to buy a new piece of jewelry for yourself or a loved one and feel inspired to eschew your traditional jeweler, here are some good places to start.
Where to Buy Diamonds Online
Friendly Diamonds
In addition to all the reasons I outlined above — beautiful offerings, easy ordering process — Friendly Diamonds’ convenience was what pushed this company over the edge for me. They offer free engraving, free resizing, free returns within 30 days, and a lifetime warranty, so I could shop worry-free. And for anyone wondering, I ultimately went with the Juno Band, which I can’t wait to sport on my wedding day in March!
Brilliant Earth
What’s great about Brilliant Earth is that you can shop online or in person at any of their stores across the country. So, you can use the website to prep for an in-person consultation or go try on some rings and then finish up your shopping at home, after you’ve had some time to think. They also offer virtual appointments, so you’re guaranteed to get the assistance you need. Not in the market for rings? This beautiful bangle features 14 delicate round diamonds in a bezel setting designed to look like little stars. It comes in 14k yellow and white gold.
Blue Nile
Blue Nile is the go-to for online jewelry shopping. The options are endless, and they offer expert assistance via chat. This pendant is a perfect gift for someone you don’t know intimately but still want to impress. It’s tasteful and dazzling. This is the kind of necklace you could wear every day, so choose a metal that feels organic.
Jean Dousset
Jean Dousset has two physical stores, a vast online selection, and virtual appointments. My mom and grandmother both had similar versions of this necklace, which I grew up wanting to borrow constantly. Round bezel-set diamonds are strung along a chain of white, yellow, or rose gold or platinum.
Aurate
This NYC-based brand exists solely online and features one-of-a-kind, sustainable designs. They position their prices as “fairer.” Looking for something classic? This lab-grown tennis bracelet is over 60 percent less than a natural diamond version, and the yellow diamonds will stand out (though they have plenty of white diamond bracelets, too).
