9 Conflict-Free Solitaire Diamond Rings We Love

Our editors have worn and loved sustainable jewelry for years — these are our favorite brands for ethical, conflict-free solitaire diamond rings at a range of price points.

Did you know that almost 40% of all engagements happen between Thanksgiving and Valentine’s Day? According to The Knot’s Global Wedding Report, 37% of all couples who get engaged do so between November and February — and the majority make the decision to get hitched in December.

So engagement season is upon us. And, for most American couples, that means engagement rings. Trends affect jewelry as much as the next accessory, but sometimes classics are classic for a reason — round center stones are the most popular engagement ring shape, according to The Knot’s 2024 Jewelry and Engagement Study, and diamond takes the cake for the most popular stone type by far.

While just over half of all diamond rings feature multiple stones, according to the study, around a third are solitaires — meaning they feature just one center stone, unflanked on either side. While not quite the most popular ring style, solitaires are undoubtedly timeless, tasteful, and trendy in a good way (meaning they’ll never look outdated). And they’re surprisingly customizable. Make a solitaire feel one-of-a-kind with an uncommon cut like a cushion or a marquise, or add on details like hidden halos or other fancy settings.

Why choose ethical diamonds and jewelry?

For the first year, according to The Knot’s data, lab-created diamonds have surpassed natural diamonds in popularity, now making up 52% of all diamond engagement rings purchased. (Moissanite i becoming ever more popular, too.) Historically, the mining of natural diamonds has been tied to human rights abuses and environmental concerns. Mining diamonds can be brutal work, known to drive conflict and finance wars, so it’s no surprise we’re seeing a shift towards lab diamonds and moissanite.

But we’re also seeing a lot more transparency in the mined diamond industry. Of the jewelers on the below list, most feature at least some mined diamonds — but those diamonds are either certified conflict-free by measures like the Kimberley Process, or they’re secondhand. Most spots also have lab diamond options for 100% guaranteed conflict-free stones grown in a lab, with chemical compositions identical to those of natural diamonds.

Our criteria:

Our editors have cherished their sustainable and ethical jewelry for years. For this list, we’ve compiled our favorite jewelers offering solitaire diamond rings that are stunning, conflict-free, and even affordable. We regularly add emerging favorites that meet the criteria below:

• SUSTAINABLE | These ethical jewelry brands take sustainability seriously ensuring each of their jewelry pieces is made with eco-friendly materials and fair labor practices.
• ETHICAL & CONFLICT-FREE | Each one of these ethical jewelry brands strictly uses only conflict-free diamonds and gemstones in their jewelry, whether certified by the Kimberly process or grown in a lab.
• AFFORDABLE | Gold and diamond jewelry can be an investment. We’ve included plenty of affordable options on this list that don’t sacrifice quality or ethics.

If you want to keep browsing, take a look at our favorite sustainable jewelry brands for building your stack — and our best recommendations for ethical wedding and engagement rings, too.

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1. Brilliant Earth

Best For | Lots of showrooms
Features | Recycled gold and silver, conflict-free diamonds, lab diamonds
Price Range | $750 – $88,310

One of the first companies in the conflict-free diamond space, Brilliant Earth was launched in 2005 when co-founder Beth Gerstein couldn’t find a traceable, ethically made diamond engagement ring. Today, the company has 40 showrooms in cities throughout the States, and offers a huge selection of completely customizable engagement rings (along with wedding rings and other diamond jewelry), so you’ll have no trouble designing any type of solitaire ring you’re after — with any diamond shape, metal type, or details like a hidden halo. Each natural or recycled diamond comes with an independently verified provenance claim so you can trust that you’re getting an ethical, conflict-free gem. Plus, almost all of their gold and silver is recycled, and they’re committed to getting rid of single-use plastics in their packaging by 2025.

Customer Review | “You can owe it partly to me being a thoughtful, attentive and all-around amazing husband, but I couldn’t have gotten my wife her dream ring without Brilliant Earth. Stones and band were high-quality, and the website accurately portrayed the physical items. BE is a go-to for ethically sourced gems.” – Anonymous (Read more reviews.)

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2. Etsy

Best For | Vintage engagement rings
Features | Secondhand and vintage pieces
Price Range | $245 – $15,000

If you’re looking for one-of-a-kind designs, Etsy is the place to go. It might seem overwhelming to hunt through the huge online marketplace for the perfect find, but it can be so worth it — you’ll come across plenty of secondhand pieces (which is by far the most sustainable way to shop), some with beautifully vintage designs you won’t find elsewhere. Plenty of small businesses sell their moissanite and lab diamond rings via Etsy, too, so even if you go the new route you can shop small in the process. You’ll also find tons of non-diamond engagement rings, too, with gems like emeralds or sapphires. Some of our favorite Etsy shops for rings include Estate Antique Jewelry, Pebble and Polish, and Eidel Precious.

Customer Review | “Getting engaged was a big step, especially buying the ring online! Any and all questions were thoroughly answered. It was clear that Matt was truly committed to making sure I was happy with the ring. I appreciated the communication throughout the whole process, I couldn’t be happier with my experience (and the ring)! 💍 😁” – Madison (Read more reviews.)

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3. Mejuri

Best For | Non-traditional rings
Features | Recycled gold, lab diamonds, conflict-free natural diamond
Price Range | $128 – $3,900

While Mejuri doesn’t do traditional engagement rings, they’re beloved for their direct-to-consumer fine and semi-fine jewelry that is designed to last a lifetime but that comes without luxury markups. You’ll find solitaire rings in everyday styles like this baguette stacker or more statement styles like their Puffy Charlotte Gemstone Ring with a solid 14K gold band. They make plenty of wedding bands, too, whether you want a plain solid band or something decked out in lab-grown or conflict-free natural diamonds. All of the natural diamonds they use are Kimberley Process compliant, and all of their 14k gold and 18k gold vermeil pieces use 95% recycled gold. The brand also gives back via initiatives like its Empowerment Fund, which helps women and people of color access education, and its partnership with Regeneration, which helps restore the natural environments at legacy mining sites.

Customer Review | “I am so glad I was able to grab this, especially on sale! It is a beautifully constructed ring. Solid and substantial without being too large. High quality and comfortable to wear. The design is classic and elegant, and the garnet is gorgeous in person. I think I will be wearing this one for a long, long time.” – Nicole (Read more reviews.)

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4. Aurate

Best For | 1-carat diamond rings
Features | Recycled gold, lab diamonds, conflict-free natural diamonds
Price Range | $2,400 – $13,500

At Aurate, fine jewelry doesn’t have to come with huge price tags. The direct-to-consumer brand cuts out all the middlemen so its customers get the best pricing on jewelry made with 14K gold, 18K gold, or platinum. They made a lineup of expertly designed, made-to-order diamond engagement rings, all with delicate, modern designs — many of which are solitaires, like this minimalistic emerald-cut solitaire diamond ring or this oval-cut solitaire diamond ring with a pavé band. Each ring comes with a one-carat center diamond, and you can choose the source, whether it’s a lab-grown diamond or a natural diamond that’s certified conflict-free by the Kimberley process. The brand has a huge lineup of other fine and semi-fine jewelry, too, including wedding bands for when it’s time to purchase those.

Customer Review | “We had such a hard time finding a simple, elegant, and dainty engagement ring and this one was perfect. I got it in the rose gold and have gotten so many compliments. I love it!” – Jen T. (Read more reviews.)

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5. Bario Neal

Best For | Gender-neutral engagement rings
Features | recycled gold, Fairmined gold, recycled diamonds, Sustainability Rated lab diamonds
Price Range | $420 – $26,560

The Philadelphia-based jewelry company launched by designers Anna Bario and Page Neal is committed to ethical sourcing and maintaining a small production footprint. All their pieces are handmade in their Philadelphia studio, and all their ​​gold is either 100% recycled or Fairmined certified. When you purchase a diamond engagement ring, you’ll have the option to choose either a natural diamond (which is always fully traceable and of recycled, Canadian, or Australian origin) or a lab diamond (which is certified Sustainability Rated). While you can keep it classic with simple solitaire designs like this Avins Diamond Ring, one-of-a-kind designs is where Bario Neal shines. Check out one of their east-west settings like this Nikko Diamond Pear Ring or this Allium Emerald Cut Diamond Ring, or one of their more gender-neutral options like this Crescent Diamond Oval Ring.

Customer Review | “Our experience shopping for and choosing our rings with Naomi was great. She answered all our questions and gave us so much information to help us feel really confident in our choices. Finding a company that felt LGBTQ friendly was super important and Bario Neal did a great job of making us feel comfortable. My wife and I love our rings and highly recommend your jewelry!” – Laura C. (Read more reviews.)

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6. Blue Nile

Best For | Classic settings
Features | Conflict-free diamonds, lab diamonds, lots of setting options
Price Range | $670 – $716,860+

Founded in 1999, Blue Nile was one of the first jewelers to do a direct-to-consumer business model by selling online and offering fine jewelry at more affordable prices. Today, they have showrooms in over a dozen states and are committed to sourcing 100% conflict-free diamonds in compliance with the Kimberley Process. They offer lab-grown diamonds, too, along with a whopping 39 styles of solitaire engagement rings. Keep it classic with a cathedral setting, elevate your solitaire with a lace bridge and a hidden halo, or go for a lower-profile option like this comfort-fit solitaire. While their team of jewelry experts can help you customize your dream ring, the brand also has tons of ready-to-ship options that are available at the drop of a hat.

Customer Review | “What a great experience. Everyone I spoke to over the phone regarding my order was extremely kind and helpful; same for the showroom personnel. The ring was gorgeous, my fiancée loved it. I sent the ring back for resizing and they have sent frequent updates.” – Alejandro T. (Read more reviews.)

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7. Taylor & Hart

Best For | Customer service
Features | Canadamark diamonds, lab diamonds
Price Range | $1,450 – $49,000+

Crafted in London, all of Taylor & Hart’s engagement rings are made to order. They have a New York City showroom, but if that’s not convenient to you, they do virtual consultations from anywhere, specializing in walking customers through a completely bespoke, personalized engagement ring designing process. Their selection of solitaire settings gives you so much to choose from, whether you’re looking for a classic or modern setting, details like hidden halos, or white, yellow, or rose gold bands. But keep in mind that you’ll get to fully customize your ring with the help of the brand’s experts. And Taylor & Hart gets how buying such an important purchase online can be daunting — so they offer free and insured delivery along with a complimentary resizing process for US-based customers and a 90-day return policy.

Customer Review | “Taylor & Hart were absolutely fantastic. I found the ordering process extremely simple, the communication was great from start to finish, Mark (jewelry designer) was both attentive and knowledgeable, and most importantly the final product was absolutely stunning. I could not recommend Taylor & Hart highly enough.” – Jorge McCallum (Read more reviews.)

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8. James Allen

Best For | Choosing your diamond first
Features | Huge diamond selection
Price Range | $910 – $496,000+

Most engagement ring jewelers have you start with setting — but James Allen has you start with the diamond. One of the largest diamond retailers worldwide, James Allen carries a selection of up to 200,000 loose diamonds at a time, all of which are either lab-grown or certified conflict-free in accordance with the Patriot Act, the Kimberley Process, and United Nations resolutions. And the brand makes the complicated process of designing an engagement ring as easy as possible, offering perks like 24/7 customer service, free worldwide shipping, complimentary resizing for up to a year, and a lifetime warranty, and they have locations in New York City and Washington, D.C., too. Their dozens of solitaire settings run the gamut from traditional basket settings to modern bezel settings to comfort fit options, so you’re guaranteed to find your ideal setting along with the highest-quality diamond — which is what solitaire settings are best for, anyways.

Customer Review | “The ring is really beautiful, and I’m excited to give this to her. I went back and forth between rings, ordered I think 2 and returned them because I didn’t think they were good enough. Changed my order a few times before I settled on this one. It’s probably one of the most meaningful purchases I made ever so I was a bit fussy. The diamond and ring look amazing, really sparkly … The basket looks elegant.” – Gerald T. (Read more reviews.)

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9. Linjer

Best For | Dainty, affordable options
Features | !00% recycled gold and silver, lab diamonds
Price Range | $229 – $999

Created by a husband and wife team, Linjer is all about making sustainably made jewelry accessible. Most of their pieces are dainty, semi-fine pieces designed for everyday wear, but they make a handful of simple, high-quality, affordable diamond solitaire rings, too. Their solid gold and gold vermeil pieces are made of 100% recycled gold and silver, and their diamonds are lab-grown so you can ensure they’re conflict-free (and affordable!). Some of their diamond solitaires include this ¼-carat round diamond or this ⅓-carat pear-shaped stone, both of which are set in solid gold bands. They offer plenty of other delicate, one-of-a-kind diamond rings that are great as wedding bands or as everyday jewelry. Even Linjer’s packaging is sustainable, made with recycled cardboard and FSC-certified paper.

Customer Review | “My partner was elated with the ring. I found it hard to find a truly petite ring for her on other websites, Linjer had the best option and a competitive price to match. Really stoked with the purchase, would highly recommend Linjer.” – Anonymous (Read ore reviews.)

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Natalie Gale is a Contributing Editor at The Good Trade. She is a Boston-based freelance journalist. When she’s not writing about art, food, or sustainability, you can find her biking to the farmers’ market, baking, sewing, or planning her next Halloween costume. Say hi on Instagram!

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