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Bottom Line Recommendation
I strongly recommend reading the full Blue Nile review below; however, if you are here for a quick brief, here’s the scoop on Blue Nile:
Blue Nile has one of the largest diamond inventories in the world: Close to 400,000 natural diamonds and 21,000 lab-grown diamonds, all certified by the GIA
They have the largest collection of GIA lab-grown diamonds worldwide.
Blue Nile is one of the largest online diamond retailers in the world, alongside James Allen. They offer a wide range of products including engagement rings, diamond jewelry (natural and lab-grown), loose diamonds, fine jewelry, wedding bands, and more.
The company is well known for its customer service, high-quality control, competitive prices, and lifetime warranty and upgrade program. With free shipping and returns, you can feel confident in your purchase from Blue Nile.
For natural diamonds, I recommend checking this retailer. It’s much more affordable than Blue Nile, and offers high-quality 360 videos for each diamond on the website (over 600,000 natural diamonds)
For GIA lab-grown diamonds, Blue Nile offers very competitive prices. You can find a beautiful 2.00 carat diamond such as this one without breaking the bank.
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Table of Contents
Shipping and return policies, upgrades, and warranty
From the start, knowing if it’s safe to do business with Blue Nile is essential. To do so, let’s cover its policies.
Shipping and return
Blue Nile has a straightforward policy that allows you to return or exchange an item within 30 days from the day it was shipped. Returning an item is easy; all you have to do is request a shipping label from them, which will cover the shipping cost and provide insurance coverage for your items. There are no additional costs involved. You can find more information about their shipping policy on their website here.
Upgrade program and lifetime warranty
Next, let’s talk about their upgrade program. Blue Nile offers a lifetime upgrade program that includes 14 sections. Here are the key points you need to know
All GIA or AGSL-graded natural colorless diamonds purchased from Blue Nile can be replaced.
You can’t upgrade from a fancy-colored diamond.
You can upgrade a diamond only to a diamond with the same origin, for example, natural to natural and lab-grown to lab-grown.
You’ll receive a 100% credit equal to the original price.
The diamond must be in its original condition with the original certificate.
Diamond lifetime warranty
Lastly, let’s talk about their diamond lifetime warranty. If you believe your item has a manufacturing defect, you can return it to Blue Nile for inspection. After testing, they will repair the item or replace it. If the product is no longer available, Blue Nile will replace it with a like-kind or offer a full refund. For more information, please visit their website here.
Blue Nile inventory and selection
Natural diamonds
Currently, Blue Nile offers one of the most extensive diamonds inventory worldwide, with over 400,000 natural diamonds in stock. Their stock contains GIA-certified diamonds exclusively, which are considered the gold standard of the diamond industry. Currently, around 300,000 of their natural diamonds are listed with 360 videos, allowing us to quickly inspect the diamonds under magnification from each angle.
To show you how wide their selection is:
Their most affordable diamond today is a 0.30 carat J SI2 round shape for $250.
The most expensive diamond currently available is a 20.56 carat D FL emerald cut that is sold for $3,016,522
Astor by Blue Nile - Hearts and Arrows collection
Some may wonder what is Astor by Blue Nile; what’s making this collection so unique and special?
The Astor by Blue Nile collection is truly one of a kind. This carefully curated collection features only the best, with around 2,000 diamonds in various shapes, including round, princess, cushion, radiant, oval, and heart-shaped. The GIA and GemEx have rigorously graded each diamond to ensure they meet the highest cut standards in the industry. When it comes to Astor, you can be sure that you’re getting a diamond that will truly shine with brilliance, fire, and sparkles.
A good example, one particularly unique piece in the collection, is a 1.09 carat G VVS2 oval diamond with an almost-like hearts and arrows cut. It’s scarce to find an oval cut that reveals the eight black arrows of the diamond, similar to those found only in hearts and arrows round diamonds.
Another diamond that stands out in the collection is a cushion cut reflecting a lot of brilliance, fire, and sparkles. It’s a rare and gorgeous cut you won’t come across every day. If you’re looking for a diamond that truly stands out, Astor by Blue Nile is the way to go.
Lab-grown diamonds
Does Blue Nile offer lab-grown diamonds? The lab diamonds trend started to gain momentum around December 2014, making customers wonder what is going on. Finally, Blue Nile decided to jump on the trend in 2022. It may seem late, but they might win over their big competitors sooner or later.
Blue Nile offers over 20,000 lab-grown diamonds on its website; all are GIA-certified, making Blue Nile the world’s largest GIA lab-grown diamond seller. Each diamond is listed with a 360 premium video that allows us to inspect it easily, spot the flaws and see its accurate color. Their video technology is well-known in the industry and considered top-tier and the most reliable.
For comparison, there are three diamonds from Blue Nile next to 3 diamonds with inconsistent industry-standard photography by Brilliant Earth. You can easily see that Blue Nile videos are much more consistent and reliable.
Their lab-grown diamonds collection contains pieces for any budget:
You can find a beautiful 1.00 carat for E VS2 for $1,534
You can also find a decent 2.00 carat diamond for as low as $3,812
Blue Nile Diamond Pricing
One of the benefits of shopping for diamonds online is that businesses have fewer expenses, like rent and smaller staff, which allows them to offer the same product at a lower price. This is definitely the case with Blue Nile. They offer fair and competitive prices compared to other online retailers and even better prices than most physical stores.
To better understand where Blue Nile’s diamond pricing stands in the online market, let’s take a side-by-side comparison with other major websites.
Blue Nile natural diamonds pricing:
For perspective, we will compare Blue Nile and James Allen’s natural diamond prices. If you are unfamiliar with James Allen, it’s the largest online retailer worldwide, along with Blue Nile.
All diamonds are graded by the GIA and share the same grades: color, clarity, triple X cut, and no fluorescence.
None of the diamonds were picked based on their beauty, only at the most affordable price currently available.
| Blue Nile | James Allen | |
|---|---|---|
| 0.50 Carat E VS1 | $1,626.00 | $1,600.00 |
| 1.00 Carat E VS1 | $8,192.00 | $8,200.00 |
| 1.25 Carat E VS1 | $13,425.00 | $12,580.00 |
| 1.50 Carat E VS1 | $19,460.00 | $17,950.00 |
| 1.75 Carat E VS1 | $27,845.00 | $23,900.00 |
| 2.00 Carat E VS1 | $35,410.00 | $31,620.00 |
| 2.50 Carat E VS1 | $56,100.00 | $44,820.00 |
| 3.00 Carat E VS1 | $86,837.00 | $77,340.00 |
When buying online, you can look for the best deal, the lowest price per carat you can get. However, it doesn’t mean you’ll get the best bang for your buck. A lower price doesn’t necessarily mean the diamond is beautiful. Therefore, it’s important to look around and ensure you understand what you are paying for. If you need help, contact me here.
Still, with natural diamonds, I strongly recommend James Allen over Blue Nile. With a much larger inventory and more affordable prices, they are my Go-To website.
Blue Nile lab-grown diamonds pricing:
Since Brilliant Earth competes with Blue Nile over the largest selection of GIA-certified lab-created diamonds, we’ll compare their diamond pricing to understand who brings more value to the table.
We’ll make two comparisons since there are mainly two types of customers:
Those who what the most premium diamond within their budget
2. Those who want the largest diamond while compromising over color and clarity
Premium
For a premium diamond, we’ll look for D colorless, extremely high VVS2 clarity, and a triple X cut.
| Blue Nile | Brilliant Earth | |
|---|---|---|
| 1.00 Carat D VVS2 | $1,805.00 | $1,720.00 |
| 1.25 Carat D VVS2 | $2,419.00 | $2,180.00 |
| 1.50 Carat D VVS2 | $3,437.00 | $3,670.00 |
| 1.75 Carat D VVS2 | $4,998.00 | $5,370.00 |
| 2.00 Carat D VVS2 | $6,069.00 | $6,580.00 |
| 2.50 Carat D VVS2 | $10,108.00 | $10,060.00 |
| 3.00 Carat D VVS2 | $16,394.00 | $16,850.00 |
The largest diamond
We’ll have to compromise over color and clarity to get the largest diamond within our budget. We’ll look for I-H colors and VS2-VS1 clarities minimum. I picked the largest diamond within each budget:
| Budget | Blue Nile | Brilliant Earth |
|---|---|---|
| $2000 | 1.29 Carat G VS1 | 1.27 H VS1 |
| $3,000.00 | 2.05 Carat I VS2 | 2.10 Carat I VS2 |
| $4,000.00 | 2.40 Carat I VS1 | 2.36 Carat I VS1 |
| $5,000.00 | 2.65 Carat I VS1 | 2.61 Carat I VVS2 |
| $8,000.00 | 3.59 Carat I VS2 | 3.17 Carat I VVS2 |
| $10,000.00 | 3.68 Carat H VS2 | 3.44 Carat I VVS2 |
In general, Blue Nile offers more affordable and competitive prices for their GIA lab-grown diamonds. Along with the fact that their videography is far better, it makes Blue Nile the winner of the two.
Pro Tip: Here’s a helpful tip for those looking to compromise on color to get a higher carat weight diamond: consider purchasing a yellow or rose gold engagement ring. The yellow or rose hues in the ring will reflect onto the diamond, making the slight color variations less noticeable. Plus, opting for a yellow gold ring can also be a cost-effective option.
Blue Nile customer experience and diamond inspection
As a professional in the online diamond industry, I believe that the customer experience is greatly enhanced when it’s easy for customers to select, inspect, and confidently purchase a diamond.
One of the key tools that help create this confidence is using high-quality, 360-degree HD videos on each diamond’s page. As expected, some companies have better-quality videos than others. You can find “industry standard” videos like the ones of Brilliant Earth, and premium quality videos like those of James Allen. Blue Nile diamond videos are mixed with both types.
Therefore, I strongly recommend buying diamonds listed with a high-quality video and skipping the others. As you can see below, it’s very easy to differentiate.
That said, this is true only for their natural diamonds collection, and soon it will change. As you can see, the lab-grown diamonds collection has much higher-quality videos. This is because Signet jewelers, the mother company of James Allen, acquired Blue Nile in 2022. Since then, they have been shifting all videos to the same high standard as James Allen’s videos.
Blue Nile coupons, discounts and sales
Check out Blue Nile’s promotions page if you’re looking for great deals on diamonds. Right now, they have a variety of offers available, including:
$50 voucher when signing up for their newsletter
Receive a $100 coupon when referring a friend
15% discount for military, healthcare, first responders, and educators
15% discount for enrolled students
An In-Depth Look at Blue Nile Diamond Reviews on Reddit and Online
Blue Nile is one of the leading online retailers of diamonds and fine jewelry. With a vast selection of diamonds and a user-friendly website, it’s no wonder that so many customers have turned to Blue Nile for their jewelry needs. But what do customers have to say about their experiences with the company? In this article, we’ll take a closer look at Blue Nile reviews to see what people love and what they wish the company would improve.
Customer Satisfaction with Diamond Selection
One of the biggest draws of shopping with Blue Nile is their extensive selection of diamonds. Customers have reported being impressed with the variety of diamonds available and the level of detail provided for each stone. From carat weight to cut and clarity, customers can easily compare and select the perfect diamond for their needs.
Ease of Use and User Experience
In addition to a great selection of diamonds, customers also praise Blue Nile for its user-friendly website. From browsing the selection to making a purchase, the website is designed to make the process as easy and stress-free as possible. Customers appreciate the clear and concise information provided and the ability to save their favorite diamonds and compare different stones.
Customer Service
Blue Nile is known for its exceptional customer service, with many customers reporting a positive experience when reaching out for support. Whether it’s through the website’s live chat feature or by phone, customers have found the support team to be knowledgeable, helpful, and efficient.
Shipping and Delivery
Customers are generally satisfied with Blue Nile’s shipping and delivery process, with most orders arriving on time and in good condition. However, some customers have reported longer than expected wait times, leading to frustration and disappointment.
Returns and Exchanges
Blue Nile has a generous returns policy, allowing customers to return or exchange their purchase for any reason within 30 days. However, some customers have reported difficulties with the returns process, including long wait times for refund processing and issues with returning items.
Blue Nile showrooms and stores near you
Blue Nile has you covered if you prefer to see the diamond in person before making a purchase. They have showrooms in several states across the US, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Virginia. You can ask them to send the diamonds you want to inspect in person to one of their showrooms, schedule an appointment and get a one-on-one consultation.
Can you negotiate with Blue Nile?
Blue Nile offers a price match policy for customers who find a lower price from a competing retailer for the same diamond. To take advantage of this policy, customers must provide proof of the lower price and meet the conditions of the policy, which may include restrictions based on the competitor’s return policy, shipping costs, and product availability. If the claim meets the requirements of the policy, Blue Nile will match the price and provide the customer with an additional discount. It’s always best to check the details of the price match policy on the Blue Nile website for the most up-to-date information and to make sure you understand the conditions that must be met to take advantage of this offer.
Conclusion - My experience with Blue Nile
As a diamond consultant, I spend a minimum of an hour on Blue Nile’s website every day. Customers frequently ask me for help selecting a diamond ring from Blue Nile, and for good reason. The convenience of shopping for diamonds and jewelry from the comfort of your own home, combined with the easy inspection of each diamond through the available videos, makes it the ultimate buying experience. Yes, shipping may take a bit longer than expected at times, but there’s a simple solution: just plan to buy your engagement ring a couple of weeks ahead of schedule.
So far, my customers have consistently reported positive experiences with Blue Nile. They have praised the quality of the diamonds they’ve received and the helpfulness of the company’s customer service team. The website also provides detailed information about each diamond, including grading reports from leading gemological labs, to aid customers in making informed purchasing decisions. If a customer wasn’t satisfied with their first diamond ring, we could easily replace it with a better one.
In conclusion, Blue Nile has built a strong reputation as a dependable and trustworthy source of diamonds and fine jewelry. With its user-friendly website, a wide selection of diamonds, and exceptional customer service, it’s no surprise that so many customers turn to Blue Nile for their jewelry needs. Blue Nile is definitely worth considering whether you’re shopping for an engagement ring or just treating yourself to something special.
