Remember those days when sourcing a new item of jewelry meant tentatively stepping into a lavish jewelerโs, where it felt like you might break something valuable with every move you made?
Options were limited, prices were high, and though the in-person gift wrapping at the end was a nice touch, you always struggled to find the ideal thing. Well, it looks like those days are long behind us!
Now, as with everything, many people are choosing to shop online for new jewelry purchases, and thatโs led to a brand new age of choice, affordability, and customization across the diamond market.
Americaโs #1 rated jeweler, Rare Carat, is at the forefront of this change, and has been a top contender since way back in 2016.ย
Rare Carat has retained its industry crown over the years thanks to a unique business model that mixes a modern online diamond marketplace with the personalized, customer-service focus of a traditional retail model.
You could say that itโs the best of both worlds, and weโre going to consider whether Rare Carat truly delivers on those promises throughout this review.
Understanding Rare Caratโs Unique Business Model
Rare Carat founder, Ajay Anand, was on a quest to buy his wifeโs engagement ring when he realized one important fact โ buying jewelry can be incredibly overwhelming, and it isnโt always easy to know where to start.
With some good guidance and a lot of research, Anand realized that he could save a bucketload of money from buying online. The compromise? No guarantee that what he was buying was any good. Oh, and no professional insight to tell him either way.ย
To save his skin (and his engagement prospects), Anand embarked on a frankly impressive engagement-buying quest that quite literally left no stone unturned.
That journey began with a surprising amount of Google searches and ended in an impressive Excel regression model that sewed the seed for Rare Carat.ย
Now, Rare Carat is the #1 rated jeweler in America according to TrustPilot, and it ultimately aims to save any other buyer from an engagement ring journey as epic as Anandโs.
Forget searching through countless jewelers to find the best diamonds online โ Rare Carat is a managed marketplace business model that allows you to easily search natural and lab diamonds according to your jewelry criteria.ย
And that isnโt all. After having an in-person jeweler appraise his online engagement ring purchase to ensure its quality, Anand realized that people donโt just need easy online jewelry accessibility โ they need quality service and guidance.
Rare Caratโs customer service rating is the highest amongst any US diamond ring company thanks to AI and human-led service focuses that include personalized assistance, AI-generated Deal Scores, and consistently customer-focused policies.ย
Rare Carat Pros: Professional Service Via Online Models
Approximately 29% of jewelry searches now happen online. For diamonds, in particular, the potential to enjoy significant savings online may see you turning to companies like Rare Carat.
But, Rare Carat doesnโt simply follow the standard diamond aggregator online model; it also keeps one vital foot in the service-based past.ย
When you search Rare Caratโs diamond database, youโll never feel alone in your journey. Whether youโre buying a diamond for the first time, or youโre simply unsure about the online experience, Rare Carat goes above and beyond to make your journey as good as it possibly can be.
Rare Caratโs team of GIA-trained graduate gemologists is a great example of this service-centric focus, and is on-hand to provide human, professional advice about the quality, cut, and potential of any diamonds youโre considering.
Thatโs pretty rare in the online jewelry world, and itโs a benefit thatโs only enhanced by a wide range of customer-focused Rare Carat policies, which include โย
- 30-day money-back guarantees
- Free insured shipping and returns
- 1-year complimentary resizing
In short, itโs impossible not to rate these guys highly based on their service model alone.
Rare Carat Cons: Buying From a Distance
As weโve discussed, Rare Carat has taken significant steps to ease online journeys and provide peace of mind about long-distance diamond purchases. But, letโs get this straight โ Rare Carat is still an online marketplace.
If you love the feel of a potential diamond purchase between your fingers, or you like to actually see an appraisal in person before parting with your cash, then Rare Carat just isnโt going to be for you. Nor will it quite offer you the plush seats and lavish luxury of a trip to your local jeweler.
But, look; you canโt expect the savings that youโll see across Rare Caratโs website without missing out on some of those smaller details.
You can, however, still ensure peace of mind and professional oversight when shopping with Rare Carat. Which is a lot more than we can say for the vast majority of online diamond alternatives.
Reviews Can Provide Additional Peace of Mind
While 2016 might seem like yesterday, the fact is that Rare Carat has now been in the online diamond business for the best part of ten years, and the reputation it has earned in that time ultimately speaks for itself.
This is especially true if weโre talking about a lack of reassurance when buying online. Sure, you might not see that diamond with your eyes beforehand, but the fact that Rare Carat has over 2,974 five-star reviews on Trustpilot and more than 3,409 five-star reviews on Google is pretty much as good as.
And if you were worried about missing out on things like the personal touch, or the gift packaging you loved so much from those old trips to the jeweler, then donโt be โ reviewers particularly highlight Rare Caratโs responsible, extra-mile service and beautiful packaging.
Rare Carat: Blending the Best of Both Worlds
Buying big-ticket items like diamonds online feels like a risk, even in 2025, but you donโt need us to tell you that this is the way forward.
After all, choice, affordability, and the customization on offer online are all benefits worth jumping for.
With Rare Carat, you can also enjoy the service, special touches, and general peace of mind of any traditional jewelry retailer youโve ever visited!ย
