- Fine jewelry will nearly always cost a bit more than the costume variety, but that doesn’t mean you have to spend a fortune in order to have the ring or necklace of your dreams.
- Brands and retailers like Catbird, Mejuri, AUrate New York, Stone and Strand, The Last Line, and Vrai are changing the game with beautiful, affordable, and high-quality pieces. These are truly not your grandmother’s jewels.
With its inaccessible prices, technical terminology, and nebulous production practices, the world of fine jewelry is intimidating to step into and, for a generation that cares simultaneously about value, style, sustainability, and ethics, often a world that’s avoided altogether.
Not too long ago, we wouldn’t even have considered buying nice jewelry online, but then again, that’s what we thought about mattresses, luxury watches, and wine. With direct-to-consumer jewelry companies taking center stage, no middlemen or mark-ups mean that you can pay a palatable price that’s closer to the true cost of making that beautiful gold necklace, while high standards for sourcing and production quell any fears that your purchase sets other livelihoods or the environment back.
Whether it takes the form of a single, thin gold ring, a heavy statement necklace, or dangling earrings that sparkle with every subtle head movement, jewelry is a very personal purchase. These online jewelry companies will help you make the decision without overcharging you in the process.
The best places to buy affordable fine jewelry:
- Best overall: Catbird
- Best for minimalists: Mejuri
- Best for on-trend pieces: Stone and Strand
- Best for sustainable gold: AUrate
- Best for sustainable diamonds: Vrai
- Best for handcrafted pieces: Soko
- Best for customized wedding rings: Holden
- Best for pure gold: Auvere
- Best for at-home try-on: Verlas
- Best for charms: Ariel Gordon
- Best for maximalists: The Last Line
- Best for engagement and wedding rings: Couple
Updated 7/10/2020: Added Verlas as the best choice for indecisive shoppers. All prices, links, and pieces available reflect this date.
The best overall
Shop jewelry at Catbird
Cool, Brooklyn boutique vibes meet the ease of online shopping at Catbird, where you can find delicate $44 rings alongside sparkly $14,000 engagement rings. It’s fully transparent about the source of its materials, and donates 1% of all sales to non-profits including the ACLU and Planned Parenthood. In addition to jewelry that’s crafted in-house, Catbird is home to other designers and beauty and home goods.
What to buy:
- Sleeping Beauty Opal Ring, $268
- Talon Snake Moon Earring, $165
- Satomi Kawakita Hydra White Diamond Necklace, $925
- Personalized Baby Cygnet Ring, $128
- Ballerina Bracelet, $276
Read more about Catbird:
- This Brooklyn shop makes jewelry you'll want to wear every day
- How Catbird handmakes its jewelry loved by celebs
The best for minimalists
Shop jewelry at Mejuri
Toronto-based startup Mejuri, founded by a former art director and a former engineer and third-generation jeweler, drops new pieces every week of the year, and without fail, its largely female clientele return again and again to its 14-karat gold, gold vermeil, and sterling silver jewelry that's made for everyday wear. Mejuri's mission is to have women "embrace a daily dose of luxury." With plenty of under-$100 options, it makes fulfilling this mission very achievable.
What to buy:
- Organic Pearl Large Hoops, $80
- Bold Sculpture Band, $225
- Diamond Necklace, $300
- Double Curb Chain Bracelet, $70
- Lotus Studs, $80
Read more about Mejuri:
- 'Buy yourself the damn diamonds': How a female-founded fine jewelry company with a 40,000-person wait list is revitalizing the industry
- Mejuri, a popular online jewelry startup, has launched a collection of unique engagement rings - all under $2,000
- Popular jewelry startup Mejuri has an under-$80 zodiac collection - and the styles are great for subtly personalized Mother's Day gifts
The best for on-trend pieces
Shop jewelry at Stone and Strand
Stone and Strand produces its own high-end jewelry and curates other like-minded brands on its site, creating an online space where shoppers aren't intimidated to explore fine jewelry. Most pieces are made of 14-karat solid gold - though you can also find more affordable gold-plated options - and the diamonds and gemstones used are ethically sourced and conflict-free. Its first capsule, Good Girl Tools, sets the tone for the types of jewelry you can expect from the rest of the brand: bold, pretty, and wearable for every day.
What to buy:
- Babyheart Signet Ring, $245
- Sparkle Choker Necklace, $125
- Branch Diamond Studs, $245
- Sparkly Diamond Safety Pin Studs, $280
- Personalized Heart Locket, $575
Read more about Stone and Strand:
- Pro Tips: How to style jewelry with the founder of Stone and Strand
- Stone and Strand makes beautiful, minimalist gold jewelry that looks good online and even better in person - here's how its dainty pieces stack up
The best for sustainable gold
Shop jewelry at AUrate
AUrate offers both the solid foundation pieces and the unique statement pieces that you'll need for a jewelry refresh. Everything is crafted in New York City, which also means that NYC dwellers can enjoy same-day delivery of 14- and 18-karat gold, AAA pearls, and ethically sourced diamonds (the rest of the country gets free shipping). For indecisive shoppers, Curate is AUrate's personalized jewelry box delivery service that gives you a week to try on five pieces and decide which one(s) you want to keep.
What to buy:
- Love Me Knot Ring, from $90
- Mini Letter Charm Pendant with White Diamonds, from $450
- Gold Huggies, from $200
- Flower Earring Back Small, from $150
- Birthstone Anklet, $200
Read more about AUrate:
- AUrate makes affordable and beautiful gold jewelry for a fraction of traditional retail prices
- Popular jewelry startup AUrate used its customers' feedback to create a stunning new collection
The best for sustainable diamonds
Shop jewelry at Vrai
This downtown LA-based company only uses solid gold and Diamond Foundry diamonds, which are physically and chemically indistinguishable from mined diamonds, and created using solar energy. Vrai's simple and timeless pieces will delight minimalists and anyone who hates to be plagued by pages and pages of choices. Couples should take advantage of its free home try-on program for wedding rings, which decreases the pressure of choosing the perfect ring.
What to buy:
- Tiny Diamond Station Necklace, from $400
- Tiny Diamond Ring, $195
- Pear 6-Diamond Ear Arc, $5,000
- Tiny Diamond Station Bracelet, from $255
- Interlink Necklace, from $240
Read more about Vrai:
The best for handcrafted pieces
Shop jewelry at Soko
At the helm of the movement towards "ethical fast fashion" is Soko, a jewelry startup with an innovative, efficient, and empowering model that uses technology to connect with independent artisans in Africa. Soko's jewelry is guaranteed to attract attention, not only for its unique sourcing and manufacturing origins, but also for its structural, powerful style. These hand-made pieces are produced from less conventional, but more affordable materials like brass.
What to buy:
- Nia Earrings, $68
- Gold Plated Ripple Band Ring, $88
- Capsule Link Bracelet, $78
- Organic Flex Cuff Bracelet, $124
- Iga Brass Delicate Necklace, $58
Read more about Soko:
The best for customized wedding rings
Shop jewelry at Holden
When wedding ring shopping gets so stressful that it detracts from the real experience of starting your life with someone, that's a problem. Holden is making it easy to shop for and customize wedding rings that start at only $249. Simply request a free ring size kit, choose your ring profile, width, metal, karat, and finish, and add an optional engraving, and your rings will be made-to-order with 3D printing technology.
What to buy:
- Domed Profile, from $249
- Half Eternity Profile, from $649
- Line Profile, from $349
- Curved Full Eternity Profile, from $849
- Faceted Profile, from $399
Read more about Holden:
The best for pure gold
Shop jewelry at Auvere
For top-line luxury, specifically 22- and 24-karat gold, at surprisingly affordable prices, Auvere is the place to go. There's a range of feminine and more masculine designs, so there's something to fit everyone's style. There's no denying that the architectural pieces are investments, but you get what you pay for - pure gold wrapped into beautiful designs without the mark-up - and they'll only appreciate in value over time.
What to buy:
- Triple Barrel Ring, $1,650
- Wishbone Pendant and Chain, $1,550
- Cage Stud Earring, $450
- Astra Bangle, $975
- Hug Me Huggie Earring, $450
The best for at-home try-on
Shop jewelry at Verlas
Investing in a nice piece of jewelry without trying it on first can feel risky. If you can't make up your mind right away, Verlas makes it easy to make sure you'll love your new piece.
The brand offers a try-at-home program where you can try any three pieces from the site for 15 days. The test pieces are made of replica materials (like cubic zirconia and brass), but when you're done, you can choose the ones you love best and then order the real deal made with diamonds and gold. If you want to pass on them all, that's okay too. Of course, if you know what you want right off the bat, you can go straight to purchasing it too.
What to buy:
- Captivating Necklace, from $558
- Crossover Statement Band, from $593
- Diamond Arc Hoops, from $294
- Essential Tennis Bracelet, from $1,301
- Round Embellished Band, from $379
The best for playful charms
Shop jewelry at Ariel Gordon
This Los Angeles-based brand is a celebrity favorite and it's easy to see why. Launched out of her apartment while Gordon worked as a Hollywood publicist, the collection is made up of pieces designed to be worn over and over again, transitioning from occasion to occasion without losing quality and durability. Its charm pieces, which include animals and flowers, are truly sweet designs that'll brighten your day.
What to buy:
- Roman Holiday Ring, $1,245
- Helium Huggies, $645
- Candy Crush Droplet Bracelet, $1,200
- Lido Strand Necklace, $625
- Frutta Studs, $175
The best for maximalists
Shop jewelry at The Last Line
Founded by a Parsons grad and industry veteran, The Last Line wants to be the one and only place you buy all your jewelry. That might not be as ambitious as it sounds considering the brand sells everything from show-stopping rainbow pieces to chunky rings to classic gold hoops. If you thought fine jewelry couldn't be fun or colorful, The Last Line is here to prove you wrong.
What to buy:
- Diamond Bezel Chandelier Necklace, $2,845
- Perfect Tennis Bracelet, from $1,395
- Emerald Large Biggie Earring, $285
- Gold Wide Band, $650
- Blue Sapphire Bezel Bracelet, $498
The best for engagement and wedding rings
Shop jewelry at Couple
The idea for Couple began when one of its co-founders had difficulty finding an engagement ring for his now-wife and saw an opportunity to also lessen the environmental and ethical challenges of mined diamonds. Couple works with lab-grown diamonds that look identical to mined ones (and are actually of higher quality) so that marriages can start off on the right foot - with trust, transparency, and thoughtfulness. Many of the rings can also be engraved for a truly personal touch.
What to buy:
- Knife Edge Band, from $449
- The Classic Thin Ring, from $4,399
- The Halo Ring, from $5,299
- Flat Band, from $699
- The Pavé Signature, from $5,099
Read more about Couple:
What we're looking forward to testing
To keep this guide fresh with the best recommendations, we're always trying new brands. Here are some of the ones we're excited about now:
- Gemist: Gemist makes fun, colorful, and customizable rings. The brand offers a try-at-home service where you can try three costume rings for two weeks, then choose to keep the style you love best or order it in fine jewelry materials. Whether you're looking for wedding bands and everyday rings, Gemist lets you personalize your ring so you love every detail.
- Maria Tash: Maria Tash, a piercing brand and studio, makes fine jewelry for almost every piercing you can imagine. The high-quality styles range from simple to edgy and have an impressive following of celebrity clientele, with prices that are still pretty accessible for the category.