Blue Nile Store Review

I’m a big fan of Blue Nile. I’ve used their services consistently since 2003, ever since I purchased my own engagement ring with them just out of college. There’s basically nothing bad I can say about the quality of their products or their service. There’s a reason they are on top of the online diamond sales world. Additionally, Blue Nile runs promotions throughout the year, so check our Blue Nile Promotions Page to see what money-saving opportunities are available.

History of Blue Nile

Mark Vadon founded Blue Nile in 1999. It came from a fusion of diamonds.com and Mark’s vision to cut out traditional middlemen and sell directly to the public. The result is a website that doesn’t truly own its inventory but provides its customers access to a plethora of ethically sourced diamond sources. The net effect is the best price and a huge inventory to choose one. Over the years Blue Nile has made consistent upgrades to their service, adding features like high-definition photos, to its established features as Price-Match Guarantee, Diamond Certification, Secure Delivery, 30-day Returns, and Lifetime Guarantees. These features are detailed below where we discuss the many advantages of using Blue Nile.

One-Carat Diamond Comparison

Before delving into Blue Nile’s advantages and disadvantages compared to other online sellers, let’s take a quick look at their comparative pricing. For this comparison, we pull the average price of the most popular Diamond utilized for an engagement ring and see how the price stacks up against other sellers. This analysis is based on a Round Diamond with a Very Good Cut, VVS2 Clarity, G Color, and is 1.0 Carat in size. (as of 12-16-2021)

Blue Nile’s average pricing for the 1-Carat diamond specified is $7,616, while their lowest price is $6,552. There is a broad range from the cheapest and the most expensive diamond of $2,719, or just shy of 50% of the cost of their most affordable example. While this is primarily due to Clarity inclusions and their respective location on the diamond, other factors such as availability, Polish, Symmetry, Girdle, Cutlet, and Fluorescence can affect pricing.

The variability seen above is why utilizing our personalized service can be invaluable in helping you choose the best diamond while maximizing savings.

To see how Blue Nile’s pricing compares to others, please see our complete online price comparison, although, generally speaking, Blue Nile is an engagement ring price leader.

Blue Nile Advantages

Blue Nile does have some distinct advantages over its online competitors, particularly when it comes to gemstone jewelry. Their selection of Birthstones, Gemstones, and Pearls is second to none, and the same quality craftsmanship from their diamond settings can be seen here. To this day, one of my wife’s favorite pieces is a set of Akoya pearl earrings she uses all the time. Below is a list of features that help Blue Nile stand out from the sea of diamond jewelers.

• Ethically Sourced Diamond Sources: Blue Nile has a zero-tolerance policy towards conflict diamonds. By using the Kimberley Process, Blue Nile is able to track and certify the source and warrant that the diamond in question was obtained from legitimate sources.

• Price-Match Guarantee: While Blue Nile expects to be the price leader in the online jewelry space, if you do happen to find something cheaper, simply give them a call. They’ll work with you to compare the same spec’d GIA certified diamond and will commit to the lowest price if they don’t already carry it.

• Diamond Certification: All Blue Nile diamonds are GIA graded. You should have total confidence in your purchase.

• Secure Delivery: Blue Nile uses FedEx for all its delivery needs and features:

  • Insured and Discreet Packaging - Their insured shipping box won't give away what's inside.

  • Secure and Convenient Pickup Option - You can choose to ship your order to a FedEx Hold for Pickup location.

• 30-day Returns: Blue Nile will accept returns for refund or exchange within 30 days of shipment from their facility. They will send you a fully insured, free shipping label via email within one business day of your return request. A Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA) number is required for all returns. Exceptions to this include:

  • Engraved jewelry

  • Diamonds from the Blue Nile Diamond Upgrade Program

  • Special orders

  • Shipping Fees (Although these are usually free)

• Lifetime Guarantees: Blue Nile stands behind its products and warrants that all items will be free from manufacturing defects for the life of the products.

• Complimentary Cleaning And Inspection Services: Blue Nile offers free cleaning and inspections every six months or if it undergoes any potential trauma. They can also take care of any damaged ring mounts. Simply pay for shipping and Blue Nile will take care of the rest.

Blue Nile Shortcomings

If you’re searching for a few contrarian facts regarding Blue Nile, there’s really only one that even comes close. While both Blue Nile and James Allen offer digital photos of their diamonds with magnification, for my personal tastes, I appreciate the one from James Allen a bit more. I want to specify that this is a personal preference, as there isn’t really anything that can’t be seen in both that would be pertinent, but a bit of overkill is sometimes comforting.

As a buyer, having a resource such as Blue Nile is highly comforting and advantageous. They have hundreds of thousands of diamonds at their disposal, all wonderfully priced, with beautiful craftsmanship, and lovely packaging.  

Looking to Buy an Engagement Ring?

Looking to buy an Engagement Ring and don’t want to make a costly mistake? Contact us and we’ll assist you in our step-by-step process to ensure you get the best ring at the best price. We use a number of sellers, including Blue Nile, to find you the Engagement Ring of your dream.