I walked into Brilliant Earth’s Pasadena store location at 10 a.m. on a Friday morning. During the few moments before the jewelry consultant arrived, I was promptly offered a glass of cold water and some chocolates. Though I declined for fear of having something in my teeth during our meeting, the gesture immediately made me feel nurtured and delighted. I imagined myself there as a bride-to-be and couldn’t help smiling to myself — I would have certainly accepted if it were my special day.
“I have to admit that being offered chocolates upon meeting someone is my new favorite way to be greeted.”
When the jewelry consultant arrived, she too offered me some chocolates. “They’re honestly really good,” she said, and I have to admit that being offered chocolates upon meeting someone is my new favorite way to be greeted.
We walked from the main lobby through a set of doors into a quieter space with a few tables and long display cases of their offerings, where she would take me through their custom design process. When we sat down, there was a velvet-lined tray of signature Brilliant Earth pieces, and another empty velvet tray waiting for my very own selections. Our conversation began with my general knowledge about jewelry, rings specifically, and she asked me what I’m typically drawn to.
As we browsed the well-lit display cases full of sparkling gems and precious metals, she guided me through the most popular styles — solitaire, halo, three-stone, vintage-inspired — with subtle insights about why certain silhouettes worked better with certain stone shapes, hand types, and even lifestyles. When one of the pieces spoke to me, she’d retrieve it from the case and place it in my hand. I’d try it on, adding the ‘yes’s to the velvet tray and carefully handing back the styles that weren’t quite ‘me.’
“When one of the pieces spoke to me, she’d retrieve it from the case and place it in my hand.”
Ultimately and unexpectedly, I was drawn to a solitaire with a hidden halo design: Classic on the surface, with a little sparkle tucked just beneath the crown. I quickly realized that while my preconceived preferences were a guiding pillar in the process, what I liked in theory didn’t always suit me in practice.
Right away, the process struck me as deeply personal. I was there as an editor, but I quickly found myself immersed in the experience. I felt seen, vulnerable even — so much so I considered not telling her my real preferences. I wasn’t even really there for my own engagement ring!
“Right away, the process struck me as deeply personal.”
From there, we began building the ring together, piece by piece, diving into how Brilliant Earth is leading the industry toward a kinder way of enjoying beauty and luxury, and how they’ve built an entire supply chain to prove it.
Beyond Conflict Free™ diamonds
Natural diamonds carry a complicated legacy and Brilliant Earth is continually working to redefine what it means to buy a “clean” diamond. Their proprietary standard, Beyond Conflict Free™, goes several steps further than the widely critiqued Kimberley Process.
Brilliant Earth’s diamonds are sourced from mines that demonstrate strong ethical labor practices, minimize environmental degradation, and support local community development. These stones are traceable back to mine operations in Canada, Botswana, Namibia, and South Africa — regions where diamond revenues fund education, healthcare, and infrastructure.
But perhaps most compelling is their investment in blockchain-based tracking. Select diamonds come with full provenance documentation — providing a transparent look into a stone’s journey from earth to the finger on which it’s worn. In an industry where opacity has long been the norm, this is nothing short of radical.
To the casual observer, a diamond is just a diamond. But to the informed consumer, provenance matters. It’s not just about sparkle — it’s about accountability.
The Capture Collection lab-grown gems
If natural diamonds are steeped in legacy, lab-grown diamonds are the future — and Brilliant Earth is leading the way with intention and innovation.
“If natural diamonds are steeped in legacy, lab-grown diamonds are the future — and Brilliant Earth is leading the way with intention and innovation.”
The Capture Collection features diamonds literally made from carbon captured before it is released into the atmosphere. These stones are formed using carbon generated from an industrial process, turning emissions into elegance. It’s a poetic inversion of the environmental damage typically associated with mining.
These carbon-capture diamonds are part of a broader shift toward sustainability in the lab-grown space, and Brilliant Earth is among the first major jewelers to offer them. They pair this with the Renewable Collection — lab-grown diamonds created using 100% renewable energy sources.
From a visual and molecular standpoint, these diamonds are identical to mined ones. But their climate impact is drastically lower. For the eco-conscious couple (or the tech enthusiast who marvels at human ingenuity), this innovation is thrilling. Lab-grown diamonds have often been framed as the more affordable, accessible sibling to natural stones. But with these new advancements, they’re quickly becoming the ethical and technological standard, pioneering the entire category.
Repurposed precious metals
As for their precious metals, gold and silver used in Brilliant Earth pieces are repurposed because of Brilliant Earth’s stance on “no dirty gold.” It also supports a circular economy where precious materials retain their beauty and purpose.
Their packaging is another subtle but significant factor: FSC-certified wood ring boxes and recycled materials throughout their delivery process. These small details signal the intention that everything Brilliant Earth does is built on. At a time when overproduction and disposable culture dominate retail, the brand builds its customer experience around longevity, mindfulness, and respect.
“At a time when overproduction and disposable culture dominate retail, the brand builds its customer experience around longevity, mindfulness, and respect.”
Additionally, they publish annual sustainability reports, outlining goals and the brand’s progress in emissions reduction, community impact, and responsible sourcing. It’s one thing to claim environmental consciousness — it’s another to transparently audit and improve it.
After we’d picked out all of my favorites from the display, the jewelry consultant guided me through the four Cs: Cut, clarity, color, and carat weight.
After plugging in some numbers into her computer, another attendant walked in from the other room and handed her a package. From it, she retrieved three separate diamonds from their delicate wrapping, letting me know we could only look at three at a time. After I’d ruled out my least favorite, she’d take out the fourth option.
She asked me if I could tell which was grown from a lab and which was from the earth. I am not a gemologist by any stretch of the imagination, but I do think it is worth noting that I could not tell the difference. We then examined the clarity and color, and I was able to distinguish some differences between them and note my preferences. We toggled between options, discussing not just aesthetics, but values. Each time I’d made a decision about what I liked, she wrote it on the card with all of my personalized notes.
“We toggled between options, discussing not just aesthetics, but values.”
Among the other details we discussed, we also considered wearability. My thoughts went to my two small children at home, and I quickly ruled out the setting that sat high above my finger. While unbelievably stunning, I can think of no less than twelve scenarios off the top of my head where either the ring or one of my children gets hurt, quickly noting my lifestyle is not conducive to such a piece.
Additionally, for couples who want to go fully custom, sending in inspiration images or sketches are encouraged, and their design team works to create a unique CAD model, progressing through rounds of edits until the piece is perfect.
Final touches and thoughts
Once the design is complete, it is cast in the chosen repurposed precious metal, then each stone is hand-set by Brilliant Earth’s skilled artisans.
The brand offers free returns within 30 days, a lifetime manufacturing warranty, and free resizing within 60 days, just in case your custom piece doesn’t fit perfectly. They offer clients a free ring sizer and international size guides, and free shipping both ways, ensuring the process remains accessible and accurate. A 2–3 week lead time is expected from design approval to delivery — and I have heard (and read!) it is well worth the wait.
“The brand offers free returns within 30 days, a lifetime manufacturing warranty, and free resizing within 60 days, just in case your custom piece doesn’t fit perfectly.”
If you can’t wait, the brand also offers ready-to-ship engagement rings, which they send out in about 2–3 business days, depending on whether you choose lab or natural diamonds.
This custom, boutique experience was a first for me. What struck me most was the balance of expertise and openness. My jewelry consultant was attentive. She listened, suggested, adjusted. She let the design take shape slowly and organically. And while I wasn’t leaving with a ring, I truly was leaving with a newfound respect for what personalized design can be — not just a process, but a core memory.
“While I wasn’t leaving with a ring, I truly was leaving with a newfound respect for what custom design can be — not just a process, but a core memory.”
The way Brilliant Earth beautifully blends sustainability, ethics, and technology into an experience that still feels elevated, even indulgent, is top-tier. They are the epitome of everything that people love about elegant, modern, enduring design and forward-thinking innovation meant to preserve what we hold most dear – each other, our planet, and our one precious life.
And while they’re most famous for engagement rings, they’ve quietly built a full jewelry offering with stunning pieces meant for gifting, commemorating, or simply celebrating yourself. You can even send in pre-loved jewelry from Brilliant Earth or from other brands to their jewelry recycling program for a credit. Of course, one can choose to custom-design a ring for any occasion — life is the occasion, as they say!
As I walked out of the storefront, I lingered on the Jane Goodall collection, admiring the tribute to such an environmental icon. And to top off the most lovely visit, they sent me on my way with a purse full of chocolates. She was right, they were quite good.
