Brilliant Earth’s new retail model drives growth through experience and personalization

Personalization is becoming increasingly crucial to building customer rapport and can extend far beyond scribbling a name on the side of a cup. Organizations, like ethically-sourced fine jewelry retailer Brilliant Earth, are curating entire experiences with a giddy customer at the core: It opened its Beverly Hills “Showroom of the Future” earlier this year.

Chief brand officer Pamela Catlett described the new store concept as the “fullest physical expression of our brand.” The space showcases its full lineup of fine jewelry and offers personalization stations where customers can customize pendants, charms, and other details. There’s also a “Date Night” consultation for couples looking for all-encompassing experiences while shopping for engagement rings or wedding bands.

“That’s just a very clear expression of how the bridal experience has evolved for couples,” Catlett said about the “Date Night” concept.

Stay a while: Catlett said the showroom turns a potentially overwhelming visit into something fun. The goal seems to be creating an immersive brand-building experience, rather than a speedy sale.

“People are just getting to know us in some cases,” said Catlett. “Fine jewelry has really been growing as a piece of our total business portfolio. This is the first time many people are being introduced to us, so we’re really thrilled with the early reception.”

Catlett said there are plans to open more of these showrooms in the near future, with the next location opening in San Antonio, Texas; they join Brilliant Earth’s fleet of by-appointment bridal studios across the country.

The business seems to be adapting to a fundamentally changed buyer journey: Customers have access to sophisticated research tools and often show up to appointments informed and motivated. While we focus on the B2B side of life at Revenue Brew, this trend appears to translate to a variety of industries.

“We’ve really paid attention to how consumers are shopping and how the engagement experience has changed for couples. We know they arrive together. We know they’ve done their research,” said Catlett.

Though the retailer expanded its e-commerce offering in 2024 through a partnership with Global-E, one expert reaffirmed that jewelry still lends itself more to the in-person experience (this article concurs).

“Jewelry itself is very much a visual product by nature. To be able to see it in person, and to be able to properly display, and give the clients the chance to try it on…plays very well for jewelry,” said Brandon Svec, national director of US retail analytics at commercial real estate firm CoStar Group.

Mining growth: Earlier this month, Brilliant Earth released its Q4 2025 earnings report, which showed record net sales of $124.4 million at a 4% YoY growth rate. Fine jewelry bookings also increased 34% YoY in the same period.

It’s been a turbulent year for the jewelry industry thanks to tariffs and rising metal prices. Catlett explained the brand has been able to navigate these challenges by paying attention to data and customer preferences.

“We’re extremely data driven. If you’ve ever talked to someone at Brilliant Earth, you know that,” she said. “We’re also very nimble in how we adapt to the changing conditions. We’ve been able to do that over the past year.”