Let’s be honest:
Engagement ring shopping is hard, even for those with insider knowledge of the industry. There always seems to be an ever-widening gap between what you really want and what you can realistically afford.
But in recent years, bridal jewelry companies have worked harder to accommodate the changing needs of those shopping for engagement rings. Big brands like James Allen, Blue Nile, and Brilliant Earth have focused their efforts in creating a seamless online shopping experience in an attempt to win over technologically-savvy couples heading to the altar.
With an emotionally-charged high ticket purchase like an engagement ring, there will always be the pressure of choosing one that is “good enough.” And too often, that reality overshadows everything else.
So, if you’ve just started to delve into the engagement ring industry in the hopes of finding the perfect one for your perfect one, here are a few things to keep in mind.
3 Things to Keep in Mind about Online Engagement Ring Shopping
- What you’ve heard is true: All engagement rings will look the same (at first). That’s why we’re here to help you find the one that checks off all your boxes while still staying within budget!
- It’s okay to find your engagement ring online. Visiting jewelry stores in person can be very intimidating, so many find shopping online to be a great alternative without pressure to buy the first thing they see. Depending on where you look and the type of ring you want, you can save up to 40% more by shopping online — a huge amount when you think about how much a ring can cost!
- Again, when it comes to finding the perfect one, it’s not all about the price.
Got it? Good.
And if not, it’s okay to read those three bullet points again, even if just to reassure yourself.
You don’t need to, and you shouldn’t, take out a personal loan to finance the ring of your dreams. If you shop strategically, you’ll eventually find one that your partner and your bank account will fall in love with.
Now, we’ll compare the prices of some of the most popular ring styles available at different brands to help you choose the best site to buy from. The following is our own opinion on each of the brands and their offerings, made after extensive research (a.k.a hours spent engagement ring shopping online ourselves!).
Side-Stone Engagement Rings
The side-stone ring is a design that carefully accentuates the natural beauty of the center stone using a “pathway” of jewels that draw the eye across the beautiful curve of the ring to the radiance at its heart. Four respected online brands — Torosi, James Allen, Blue Nile, and Brilliant Earth — offer diamond side-stone engagement rings.
For the engaged fiancée-to-be or her thoughtful fiancé, what can they keep in mind when shopping for their ideal side-stone diamond engagement ring on these sites?
A woman looking for a delicate little ring may fall in love with the Blue Nile Petite Luna Diamond Engagement Ring, which features 14 side stones and an average color of I.
The Brilliant Earth Luxe Petite Shared Prong Diamond Ring, unlike the other choices, features 26 side stones and an 18k white gold band. Its stones range in average color from F to G — two exceptional colors.
The Torosi Sidestone Style Diamond Engagement Ring is the best of all worlds. This engagement ring features 20 side diamonds in the G – H color range, 0.35 carats of the glittering stones accentuating the 14k white gold of this piece of art.
Last, the James Allen Common Prong Round Shaped Diamond Engagement Ring. Comparable to the Torosi engagement ring, this ring features 20 side stones that run in a half-eternity style around the elegant 14k white gold that makes up this engagement ring.
Other than the difference in color, quality, and the number of stones, the biggest difference is in the price tag.
For the Torosi Sidestone Style Diamond Engagement Ring, those going engagement ring shopping can expect to spend $816 for this bit of dazzle — giving you the best price between four engagement rings with similar total carat weights.
Its closest competitor, the James Allen engagement ring, is $1210; the Blue Nile ring is $1290; and the Brilliant Earth ring is a whopping $1390 for a similar style in 18 karat white gold rather than 14 karat.
Halo Engagement Rings
The halo engagement ring is a modification of the idea behind the side-stone engagement ring, but rather than have a ribbon of diamonds that hold the center stone in place like a choker, the halo style frames the center stone in a radiant crown of diamonds. For smaller center stones, the halo can create the appearance of a much larger stone, and for diamonds that are larger, the halo shines like starlight around it. If you’re a seasoned engagement ring shopping veteran, you’ve probably seen more halo rings in the past few months than you can count.
Torosi is the clear winner with the Halo Style Diamond Engagement Ring, with a full 0.66 carats — more than half the weight of an average center stone! — worth of diamonds in the halo and along the band. That weight comes from the 48 diamonds capturing light and reflecting fire around the center stone. A nice touch is the cross-shaped bridge beneath the head, its unique style studded with diamonds.
The James Allen Pave Halo and Shank Diamond Engagement Ring is designed in such a way that part of the center stone sits beneath the head of the ring. Halo engagement rings are designed to really accentuate the center diamond, and in addition to the ring’s 14 very distinct diamonds along the band and 22 smaller stones framing it, James Allen does good work with showing off the beauty of gemstones.
The Brilliant Earth Halo Diamond Ring with Side Stones takes the role of the “more delicate choice in this style. With 31 side stones ranging from F to G in color and an average SI1 in clarity, this engagement ring manages to be both beautiful and unobtrusive, the ring of choice for a bride-to-be who doesn’t want to be too flashy.
Rounding out this quartet, the Blue Nile Round Halo Diamond Engagement Ring is a traditional choice with 32 side stones in a 14k white gold band.
It’s a lovely ring, but we think for the price — $1990 — a husband-to-be can probably turn to the Torosi or Brilliant Earth for the right mix of affordability and elegance: The Torosi Halo Style Diamond Engagement Ring is $1411 and the Brilliant Earth Halo Diamond Ring with Side Stones is $1590.
Three-Stone Engagement Rings
The three-stone style keeps its emphasis on the center stone, but with two large gems flanking it, the “red curtain” that frames the “performance” at the center of the stage is a unique kind of artistic statement. Since Meghan Markle’s engagement to Prince Harry last year, the demand for this ring type has skyrocketed.
And again, for women who love their diamonds, Torosi stands out as the clear winner. The Three-Stone Style Diamond Engagement Ring is an investment in a ring to be owned and passed down through generations. Featuring 0.52 carats of side stones spread across 12 stones, each diamond set along the center stone of this 14k white gold ring is a distinct, delightful piece of light worthy of being featured in its own piece of jewelry.
James Allen, on the other end of the spectrum, offers the Three Stone Micro Pave Diamond Engagement Ring. With 0.36 carats spread across 22 side diamonds, the “micro pave” style creates a starfield effect around the sun and moon at the center of the ring.
Blue Nile and Brilliant Earth offer their own takes on the infinitely versatile three-stone engagement ring design.
The Blue Nile Three Stone Pave Diamond Engagement Ring provides the best dollars-to-carats ratio of our four rings today at $850. A traditional style with understated beauty, the Blue Nile ring doesn’t skimp on quality, with 10 SI2 clarity side diamonds of I color.
The Brilliant Earth Radiance Diamond Ring is the most expensive one between the four — $1690 versus $1053 for the Torosi three-stone engagement ring.
We said that Torosi wins the fight for top three-stone engagement ring, and while the Three-Stone Style Diamond Engagement Ring manages to cost significantly less than comparable rings from James Allen and Brilliant Earth, it manages to have both heft, coming in at 2.49 mm of width; and inner fire, with its side diamonds on the VS2 side of the clarity scale.
Just so you know, that means that Torosi chose diamonds that were of exceptional quality, just for the side stones!
A Final Word about Online Engagement Ring Shopping
From our research, it looks like Torosi is the clear winner in terms of pricing and quality. Although Torosi does not have the lowest prices across the board, it does offer customer the best value when it comes to their engagement ring setting — and that’s what really matters, right?
Additionally, there are over 3,000 designs to choose from on their site — so you’re sure to find something you or your bride-to-be will love!
So, while Torosi is a relatively new player to the game, it is not one to be taken lightly. Otherwise, you might miss a great opportunity to find the perfect ring for your special lady and your wallet.
One thing to keep in mind, though — Remember to take all engagement ring shopping reviews with a grain of salt.
Again, this article is just our opinion based on what we look for in an engagement ring: pricing and quality of design.
What we look for while engagement ring shopping may be very, very different from what you’re looking for. At the end of the day, each brand — James Allen, Brilliant Earth, Blue Nile, and Torosi — has its upsides and downsides, so it’s important to choose your final design from a company that you firmly believe in.
That means it’s imperative to do your own research (and if you found this article while doing your research, looks like we’re preaching to the choir — good job!).
Do what feels right for you. After all, this is a piece of jewelry you and your partner may want to keep for the rest of your lives!