A podcast prompted Smith to share his views on where origin fits into the natural diamond story and the viability of branded diamonds.
Brilliant Earth Sets Sights on Chicago for Next Showroom
The online jewelry retailer will open its fourth by-appointment-only brick-and-mortar location this fall in the Gold Coast.

Chicago--Online jewelry retailer Brilliant Earth is set to open its fourth by-appointment-only brick-and-mortar location this fall.
The showroom, which will be located on Oak Street in Chicago, gives consumers a place where they can see, touch and try on the jeweler’s diamond engagement rings and wedding rings as well as other fine jewelry and estate pieces.
Unlike the “webrooms” of Blue Nile, visitors to Brilliant Earth’s showrooms can buy any of the rings or jewelry that the company has in stock during their appointment and take it home with them.
The company currently collects sales tax on orders shipped to California, where it is based, and Massachusetts, where it also has a showroom. The opening of this showroom in Chicago means the e-tailer will have to collect sales tax in Illinois, because the e-tailer now has a physical presence, in the state.
Brilliant Earth opened its third showroom--and first on the East Coast--when it launched the Newbury Street location in Boston in January. This joined existing showrooms in San Francisco and Los Angeles.
The company said a fifth showroom is planned for the first quarter of 2017, though no additional details have yet been made available about that location.
Editor’s Note: This story was updated to reflect a response from Brilliant Earth confirming that they will collect sales tax in Illinois once the store is open.
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