Blue Nile Review – What You Need To Know Before You Buy

Emily

Written by Emily

Updated:

Blue Nile is one of the most reputable jewelry retail companies in the United States. This company has built an impeccable reputation that has seen them become an ideal place for customers to purchase their diamonds. We take a closer look at this company in this Blue Nile review.

Blue Nile uses the Kimberly process for their sourcing. This is a worldwide procedure whereby diamonds go through a tracking process. Before they make a diamond available for sale on their website, they know precisely which mine the diamond has come from. This assures their customers that the diamonds are conflict-free because they are monitored carefully.

The Blue Nile Company website is quite easy to navigate. The homepage is not jumbled up or cluttered which makes it easy to find what you are looking for. From this page, there are categories through which you can explore the rings they have available. Some of these categories include women’s wedding rings, men’s wedding rings, couple’s rings, anniversary rings, gemstone rings, and designer rings. You can also explore some of their most popular wedding bands displayed on the page.

History of Blue Nile

Blue Nile was established in 1999 by Mark Vadon with a view of becoming part of the diamond and engagement ring business. Mark faced a frustrating experience when looking for an engagement ring to purchase. He was of the opinion that diamonds are a commodity and all he had to do was learn more about them and offer them at the best price. With his idea, he reached out to another person who has an online diamond site and together they formed a partnership that became Blue Nile.

The company joined the industry and changed it by bringing in the innovative aspect of an online business model. This made it possible for individuals to purchase high-quality jewelry items from them at affordable prices and great value. Their business model also allows them to list diamonds directly from the manufacturer of the diamond rather than purchasing the diamond and holding it as inventory for resale. This makes their margins thin while allowing them to have a large inventory. They brought together a team of jewelry and diamond experts to bring their clients legendary service and straightforward information.

Diamond Sourcing

Their diamonds are ethically sourced from some of the most respected and biggest suppliers who follow the standards of the Kimberly Process. Their engagement rings are all handcrafted and are quadruple checked after being made. The engagement rings offered by the company are their primary revenue source. One noteworthy milestone for Blue Nile is that in 2004. The company had an equal number of engagement ring sets as Tiffany & Co. did.

What makes the Blue Nile stand out?

Something that stands out about Blue Nile is that they have a special order program where you can customize your own jewelry according to your specifications and wants. This program comes with special guidance from experts on your special requests and custom modifications. Not only can you customize your ring here, but you can also have it engraved by experts. This is great for someone who wants to personalize their ring.

Blue Nile’s offers free shipping for their products to people within the United States. Orders that go over $1000 are eligible for overnight delivery. The products come with a free box and can include a free gift card if a customer requests. They also have a diamond price guarantee option where if you find a diamond similar to theirs on a competitor’s site, they will meet or beat the offer price for the ring.

This Blue Nile review would not be complete without mentioning the fact that the company offers a broad variety of colored diamonds. These are rare diamonds that form part of their exclusive collection. You can find their rare exclusive diamonds in pink and red hues which are a great option for a statement engagement ring.

Blue Nile Refund Policies and Customer Service

Blue Nile has a 30-day return policy. This policy states that an item can be exchanged for another or returned within 30 days of the purchase date. Blue Nile offers free returns and their free return label offers insurance coverage for your item. One thing to note about Blue Nile is that their products are insured from the time they leave the company until they get to you.

There are also complimentary services that come with a purchase from Blue Nile. For every six months, you can have your ring polished, cleaned and the prongs inspected. There are also complimentary ring resizing options for all engagement rings that have been customized at Blue Nile. This is however only available for the first year from the date of purchase.

Customer service at Blue Nile is commendable. Their Blue Nile customer service available for their customers is 24/7 and they are always ready to answer any customer queries. Not do they have huge jewelry and diamond educational guides without bias. They understand the importance of making informed decisions when purchasing diamonds.

And that’s why they offer valuable diamond-buying tips that can be particularly helpful when exploring fancy shape diamonds or diamond necklaces, engagement rings, and so on.

Why are Blue Nile diamonds so cheap?

Blue Nile offers their jewelry products at significantly lower prices than other jewelry retail companies. The reason for this is that this company does not have any brick-and-mortar stores which makes their margins lower than other common. This is reflected in their lower product prices.

Is Blue Nile a reputable company?

Blue Nile is indeed a reputable company. One reason why you can trust their products is that all their diamonds are inspected in person and are GIA certified. This means that a diamond that you purchase from this company has been inspected and graded carefully by a geologist.

Are Blue Nile diamonds real diamonds?

Blue Nile offers a broad range of diamond rings on their website. The company has both lab-created and naturally mined diamonds. Some of their precious metals and lab-created diamonds are made from recycled materials. They also have real diamonds that have been mined from the earth.

Blue Nile Vs James Allen

Online shopping is by far one of the best ways to buy an engagement ring. When it comes to online diamond jewelers or online jewelry retailers, James Allen and Blue Nile have to be some of the top companies in the business. Both of these companies are reputable, which is why we thought we should compare them in this Blue Nile reviews.

One of the similarities that these two companies have about their website is how easy it is to navigate through. They both showcase their products in a clear way, coupled with images of the product from different angles. They both offer a 360° view of their items but James Allen has them in HD. When you compare the two websites, James Allen seems to be slightly cluttered but this can be subjective. 

A difference between Blue Nile and James Allen is the price of their items. Blue Nile has rings that are more affordable in comparison to James Allen. They also offer a price match option where they can meet the price of a similar ring offered by one of their competitors. This is an option that is not available at James Allen. Blue Nile rings reflect the stellar craftsmanship that goes into producing them and you can’t go wrong with a purchase from this company.

Packaging is another area where these two companies are different. James Allen offers exceptional packaging that is really top-notch. Blue Nile on the other hand, offers packaging that is good but we think it could be better. Presentation matters a lot especially when you are asking for someone’s hand in marriage.

Our favorite engagement rings from Blue Nile

Blue Nile has an extensive inventory of diamonds which gives you a wide array of diamond engagement rings to choose from. Their diamond rings are available in different colors, styles, and designs. These give you a wide range of options, but you can also customize your ring and get exactly what you want. Here are some of our favorite engagement rings from Blue Nile that we think are simply stunning.

This engagement ring is beautifully crafted in platinum metal. The ring has two diamond bands which create a reverse split shank. The total average diamond carat weight of this lovely ring is 0.32 Ct. The band of this ring splits from the sides. Read more...
The Luna Diamond Engagement Ring has an exquisite design. The total diamond weight of this engagement ring is 7/8 carat. The ring features shared-prong set diamonds placed in a shimmering row to frame the diamond at the center. Read more...
The Arietta Halo Diamond Engagement Ring is delicate in design. This ring features micropavé-set diamonds that accentuate the center stone. The ring is crafted in platinum metal that adds a frame to the diamond you choose. The diamond carat weight is 0.33 Ct. Read more...
The Riviera Pavé Diamond Engagement Ring has an exquisite design. This diamond ring features pavé-set diamonds that are crafted on platinum metal. The band of this ring frames the center diamond beautifully. The total diamond carat weight of this ring is 0.67 Ct. Read more...
This stunning twisted halo diamond engagement ring features a drape of pavé-set diamonds that surround the stone at the center. This engagement ring is fashioned in 14k white gold and has a twisting shank that gives it a captivating look. Read more...
The Petite Micropavé Diamond Engagement Ring is delicate and beautiful. This ring has a diamond center stone and it features petite micropavé diamonds set in a half circle. The total carat weight of the diamonds on this ring is 0.09 Ct. Read more...
This petite twist diamond engagement ring is classic but with a twist. The ring is fashioned in 14k white gold and has pavé-set diamonds in a delicate twist. You can choose the stone of your preference as the center stone for this ring. Read more...