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Blue Nile Review

by Thomas J Stevens GIA DG CSG - Published January 8, 2020
Reading time: 6 minutes

The Story of Blue Nile

Blue Nile was founded in 1999 with the intent of providing a new way to buy diamonds. When the site launched, Blue Nile revolutionized the industry. It was now possible to shop for extraordinary, high-quality diamonds at a great value. The innovation continued to where it became possible to buy a diamond with just a few clicks. The founders firmly believed that customers deserved more choices, straightforward information and would respond well to service that aimed to be legendary. They felt strongly that building a team of passionate, non-commissioned diamond and jewelry experts who put the customer first would spell success and make customers happy. It worked. So much so that a few customers have even invited Blue Nile experts to their weddings! As the leader in handcrafted engagement rings and beautiful fine jewelry, Blue Nile is constantly innovating and looking for new ways to help customers discover and design the perfect pieces for every occasion. As their websites says "We strive to be your jeweler for life."

Couple with new engagement ring

Blue Nile is many an entrepreneur's favorite success story. Blue Nile applied several of the immutable laws of marketing to become the household name that it is today. As the largest retailer of diamonds and jewelry online they have made the Forbes’ list as one of the 100 most trustworthy companies in America. MSCI ESG Research went through the process of screening over 2,500 publicly-traded non-financial American companies with market capitalization of $250 million or more to identify the 100 that consistently demonstrated transparent accounting practices and solid corporate governance. This is only one of many awards Blue Nile has been awarded.

Blue Nile spent a vast amount on TV ads to become well known around the country. But in this day and age they knew this would only be part of the strategy to win customers. With the proliferation of social media Blue Nile has backed up their massive TV campaign with service that is worth talking about. Blue Nile became known for treating their customers well. Having good prices didn't hurt either.

A central part of what makes Blue Nile outstanding and has people keep coming back for more is the quality and usability of their website.

The amount of effort and research that has gone into creating bluenile.com is phenomenal. The diamond search is fast and information is provided with every diamond. The amount of diamonds to choose from makes it almost guaranteed that you can find something to suit every budget.

What Sets Blue Nile Apart

Blue Nile craftsmanship

Here are some of the main features that set Blue Nile apart not only as diamond jeweler of note but as a business that excels by providing phenomenal customer service.

User Experience

Bluenile.com is designed with the internet generation in mind. The designers understood the need for speed and the need to access all information quickly. No one wants to have to dig through pages and pages of information to try and find something. Blue Nile has everything within easy reach on each diamond's listing down to the cost per carat. All the definitions of diamond terminology are . Rather than trying to be arty and creative, which more often than not can lead to a confusing or frustrating experience, bluenile.com is designed to be functional and informative.

Customer Service 24/7

Their customer service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You couldn't ask for anything more. So whether you are an overseas customer or can't get around to calling during regular business hours Blue Nile will be available for you.

Diamond Price Guarantee

Blue Nile is so confident in their pricing that they even offer a price match guarantee on all their regular diamond listings. If the lower price at a competitor's website is in effect at the time your request is verified by Blue Nile they will match the price. Please see their full diamond price matching terms and conditions for all the specific details.

Returns Are Free

A further sign of Blue Nile's confidence in quality of their diamonds is that they will cover the cost of any returns to purchases made from US, Canada and Australia.

Diamond Buyback Program

Blue Nile works with Mondiamo to provide you with a buyback program that allows you to sell a loose diamond or piece of diamond jewelry for a cash offer based on current market value. Mondiamo will consider any diamond that is 0.30-carat or larger. So a minimum of one diamond in a piece of jewelry must at least a third of a carat. They will extend a minimum guaranteed cash offer, sight-unseen, that is issued immediately upon receipt and inspection of the diamond. Mondiamo will provide you a free insured shipping kit to get the diamond to them and requires a GIA report, number, or as much information as possible about the stone.

Appraisals

The following items come with an appraisal from Blue Nile:

  • Diamond engagement rings
  • All Build Your Own Diamond Jewelry®
  • Diamond, gemstone, and pearl jewelry worth $1,000 and above

Lifetime Manufacturer Warranty

Blue Nile stands behind their products and warrants that all items will be free from manufacturing defects for the life of the products. If you believe your item has a manufacturing defect, you may return it to Blue Nile for inspection. If they determine your merchandise is damaged due to a manufacturing defect, they will repair the merchandise or, if they deem appropriate, replace the item. If the item is no longer available, Blue Nile may, in its discretion, replace with like-kind or allow a refund equal to the selling price of the original item or component. If they determine that the damage is not caused by a manufacturing defect, then they will notify you and let you know if repair services are available at cost or otherwise.

Complimentary Cleaning and Inspection Services on Diamond Rings

It's recommended to have your diamond ring cleaned and inspected every six months or sooner if it undergoes any type of possible trauma. Inspections may help prevent the loss of a stone and extend the life of your jewelry. This cleaning and inspection service is free of charge to Blue Nile customers on their Blue Nile diamond rings. The customer only pays for shipping, and Blue Nile pays for return shipping. Repairs to your ring mounting can also be done at this time at cost.

GIA Graded Diamonds

Over 2 million couples have chosen Blue Nile for their diamonds. One reason is undoubtedly because Blue Nile chose to list GIA graded diamonds. GIA is one of the most widely recognized and respected grading labs.

Build Your Own Ring®

This is one of Blue Nile's great innovations and makes the experience interactive and yet very easy. And for those who don't know what style to choose Blue Nile even publishes the top twenty engagement ring styles so you can get an idea of what's popular.

Blue Nile Blog

I highly recommend reading Blue Nile's blog. You'll get to see many of the ring trends and see who makes the rings.

Go to bluenile.com now and get your perfect diamond ring.