Rare Carat vs Michael Gabriels
Rare Carat's FAQ describes it as an online diamond jewelry retailer working with vetted diamond suppliers and setting manufacturers, with precious metals melted and jewelry handcrafted in New York and New Jersey. Michael Gabriels describes itself as a third-generation owned and run jewelry retailer in New York City that specialises in custom lab-grown diamond engagement rings, bracelets, necklaces and earrings.
This page sets the two companies' published policies beside each other, and beside Beyond Carat's: what each sells, who writes the grading report, how long you have to return, what delivery and a return cost, how resizing and the warranty work, what the upgrade programme covers, and where you can see a piece in person.
Rare Carat and Michael Gabriels facts on this page are quoted from rarecarat.com and michaelgabriels.com pages read on .
Beyond Carat sells lab-grown diamond jewelry and competes with Rare Carat and with Michael Gabriels. Their facts are quoted from rarecarat.com and michaelgabriels.com pages read on 11 September 2026; corrections: hello@beyondcarat.com.
What Each Company Publishes
Rare Carat and Michael Gabriels facts quoted from rarecarat.com and michaelgabriels.com, read 11 September 2026.
| Line item | Beyond Carat | Rare Carat | Michael Gabriels |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diamonds sold | Lab-grown diamonds only, so every piece we make is the one thing we specialise in. | Lab-grown and natural diamonds; jewelry handcrafted in New York and New Jersey. | Custom lab-grown diamond engagement rings, bracelets, necklaces and earrings; mined and lab grown diamonds. |
| Grading | An IGI report is supplied with every stone and travels in the box, so the laboratory that graded it is named on your certificate. | GIA, CCAL or IGI, verified by Rare Carat; girdle inscription checked before shipping. | Classic Round Solitaire listing carries an IGI Certified badge with Ideal Cut. |
| Grade range published | Every piece is D, E or F colour, VVS or VS clarity and Excellent cut, at every carat weight. | Search filters colour K to D, clarity SI2 to FL, cut Good to Ideal. | Three tiers on that listing: F-VS1, E-VVS2 and D-VVS2. |
| Return window | 65 days from the ship date, refunded to the original payment method; high jewelry, special orders and custom pieces refund to store credit. | 30 days from shipment, free; a lost grading report carries a $250 replacement fee. | 30 days from delivery, in original unworn condition with all original paperwork. |
| Return shipping | A prepaid insured UPS label on U.S. orders, so sending a return back costs you nothing. | Prepaid label, free within the 30-day window. | Free FedEx return label with an authorization code; $150 fee per missing certificate. |
| Delivery | Free on U.S. orders by insured UPS 2nd Day Air with a signature, and international delivery is available. | Free insured FedEx or UPS, adult signature; all 50 US states and Canada. | Free FedEx Express, fully insured, adult signature above $200; United States and Canada. |
| Resizing | Free for a full year from shipping on U.S. orders. | One free resize within the first year. | One complimentary resizing on standard ring styles within 30 days of shipment. |
| Warranty | A lifetime manufacturing warranty on materials and workmanship, with no claim fee when you send a piece back. | Lifetime manufacturer's warranty on all rings and jewelry sold. | One-year warranty covering manufacturing defects on most products. |
| Showrooms | Book a free video or phone consultation and we open your IGI report on screen, from our workshop in the NYC Diamond District. | Online, with live chat staffed by GIA Graduate Gemologists. | New York store at 46 Howard Street; Florida store at Bay Harbour Island. |
Rare Carat and Michael Gabriels cells are quoted or summarised from their own pages read 11 September 2026; every page is linked under Sources. Beyond Carat is a competitor of both and has no commercial tie to either. Something changed? Tell us.
Three Rows Worth a Sentence
Grading
Every Beyond Carat diamond is graded by IGI before it ships, at every carat weight, and the report travels with the ring at no extra charge, so the laboratory that graded your stone is named on a certificate you keep. Our published band is D, E or F colour, VVS or VS clarity, and Excellent cut on every piece, which means the same standard applies whatever you buy from us. We are IGI-only; if you specifically want a GIA report, our IGI vs GIA page explains the difference.
Rare Carat's FAQ states that its diamonds are "certified by GIA, CCAL, or IGI and verified by Rare Carat".
Michael Gabriels' Classic Round Solitaire Ring listing carries an IGI Certified badge and sells the centre stone in three published tiers, F-VS1, E-VVS2 and D-VVS2.
Returns
Beyond Carat counts 65 days from the day the order ships, so you have more than two months to live with a piece before you decide. U.S. returns travel on a prepaid insured UPS label, and the refund goes back to the original payment method with nothing deducted. High jewelry, special orders and truly custom pieces refund as store credit, and resizing is free for a year from shipping on U.S. orders. Full conditions are on our returns page.
Rare Carat's guarantee page publishes free returns within 30 days of shipment, with a prepaid label and no shipping or restocking fees.
Michael Gabriels' FAQ publishes a 30-day return policy counted from the day the item is delivered, with a free FedEx return shipping label.
Warranty
Beyond Carat offers a lifetime manufacturing warranty covering defects in materials and workmanship, with no claim fee, so a repair under it costs you nothing beyond sending the piece in. The conditions are set out on our warranty page.
Rare Carat's guarantee page publishes a lifetime manufacturer's warranty on all rings and jewelry sold.
Michael Gabriels' FAQ states that most of its products come with a one-year warranty covering manufacturing defects.
Which Suits You
| If what matters is… | Beyond Carat | Rare Carat | Michael Gabriels |
|---|---|---|---|
| A named laboratory on the stone | An IGI report comes in the box with every stone, so the laboratory that graded it is named on your certificate. | GIA, CCAL or IGI, verified by Rare Carat. | IGI Certified badge on its solitaire listing. |
| A long window to decide | You have 65 days from the ship date, with a prepaid insured UPS label on U.S. orders. | 30 days from shipment. | 30 days from delivery. |
| A published grade band | Every piece is D, E or F colour, VVS or VS clarity and Excellent cut, at every carat weight. | Search filters colour K to D, clarity SI2 to FL. | Solitaire tiers F-VS1, E-VVS2 and D-VVS2. |
| A warranty that costs nothing to claim | Our lifetime manufacturing warranty on materials and workmanship carries no claim fee. | Lifetime manufacturer's warranty on all rings and jewelry. | One-year warranty covering manufacturing defects on most products. |
| Delivery included in the price | U.S. orders ship free by insured UPS 2nd Day Air with a signature, and international delivery is available. | Free insured delivery to 50 US states and Canada. | Free FedEx Express to the United States and Canada, fully insured. |
| Free resizing after you buy | Resizing is free for a full year from shipping on U.S. orders. | One free resize within the first year. | One complimentary resize within 30 days of shipment. |
About Beyond Carat
Beyond Carat is a women-led, lab-grown-only jeweler. Every piece is made to order in the New York Diamond District, and every stone arrives with its IGI report in the box. Our published band is D, E or F colour, VVS or VS clarity and Excellent cut, on every piece, at every carat weight, so you can hold us to the same standard whatever you buy.
U.S. orders ship free by insured UPS 2nd Day Air with a signature on delivery, and international delivery is available. You have 65 days from the ship date to return, with a prepaid insured UPS label on U.S. orders; high jewelry, special orders and truly custom pieces refund as store credit. Resizing is free for a year from shipping on U.S. orders, and a lifetime manufacturing warranty on materials and workmanship carries no claim fee.
If you would like a person to walk you through a stone, book a free video or phone consultation and we will open the report on screen with you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Beyond Carat supplies an IGI report with every stone it sells, in the box, at every carat weight, so the laboratory that graded your diamond is named on the certificate you keep. Rare Carat: GIA, CCAL or IGI, verified by Rare Carat (rarecarat.com/faq and /guarantee). Michael Gabriels: an IGI Certified badge on its Classic Round Solitaire Ring listing (michaelgabriels.com). Both read 11 September 2026.
Beyond Carat's window is 65 days from the ship date, refunded to the original payment method, with a prepaid insured UPS label on U.S. orders. Rare Carat: 30 days from shipment, with a prepaid label (rarecarat.com/guarantee). Michael Gabriels: 30 days from the day the item is delivered, with a free FedEx return label (michaelgabriels.com). Both read 11 September 2026.
Beyond Carat ships U.S. orders free by insured UPS 2nd Day Air with a signature required, and international delivery is available. Rare Carat: free insured FedEx or UPS with an adult signature, to all 50 US states and Canada (rarecarat.com). Michael Gabriels: free FedEx Express, fully insured, with an adult signature above $200, to the United States and Canada (michaelgabriels.com). Both read 11 September 2026.
Beyond Carat's is a lifetime manufacturing warranty on materials and workmanship with no claim fee, so a repair under it costs you nothing. Rare Carat: a lifetime manufacturer's warranty on all rings and jewelry sold (rarecarat.com). Michael Gabriels: a one-year warranty covering manufacturing defects on most products (michaelgabriels.com/pages/faq). Both read 11 September 2026.
Beyond Carat resizes free for a full year from shipping on U.S. orders, so a ring bought as a surprise can still be made to fit months later. Rare Carat: one free resize within the first year (rarecarat.com/guarantee). Michael Gabriels: one complimentary resizing on standard ring styles within 30 days of shipment (michaelgabriels.com). Both read 11 September 2026.
Read the Policies
Rare Carat pages read 11 September 2026: guarantee and return policy, FAQ, diamond search.
Michael Gabriels pages read 11 September 2026: shipping policy, refund policy, FAQ, showrooms, about and the Classic Round Solitaire Ring listing.
Prices are not compared here because both change; compare complete-ring prices at matching certified grades on the day you buy.
Talk It Through First
Half an hour with our team at no cost, with the IGI report open on screen.
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