BLUE NILE - ANY FEEDBACK
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vslover
Shiny_Rock
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We love blue nile and have used them a lot. The only negative I can see with them is that they don''t offer a trade-up policy, which hasn''t been a problem for us. I am a collection-adder not a trader-inner and we''ve purchased at least 5 diamond rings from them and have been VERY happy. The 30 day return policy helps make you feel secure in the purchase as well. Everything we''ve bought from there has been appraised individually for about double what we paid.
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BN are a reputable vendor with a great return policy, but they don''t offer cut analysis aids such as Idealscope, ASET, or photographs of the diamonds at this time to the best of my knowledge. Many Pricescopers like to have these tools at their disposal when choosing a diamond. Also they don''t offer a trade up policy which many like to keep their options open.
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I would say to make cut your top priority wherever you shop, and perhaps stick to BN's Signature Ideal line, or AGS0 diamonds which are graded for light performance ( sparkle.) You can also consider GIA Excellent cut grade, but as these can vary with best proportions, it may take more work to sort out the best ones. But this should make your search easier. Also when you have found some contenders, use the Holloway Cut Advisor to help you eliminate, also you can post the numbers of the diamonds you like here and we will be pleased to help you!
Depending on the carat weight diamond you are after, if you get a good cut, you can probably drop your colour and clarity considerably if you like and still have a very clean and white diamond.
Also I assume it is a round diamond you want?
Fly Girl
Ideal_Rock
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I purchased a pair of diamonds for studs from Blue Nile about a year ago. Here is the link with the story and pictures. I was looking for a good price and bright sparkly diamonds. I am very happy with my purchase. My stones have GIA certs, and angles that place them in the sweet spot of the Holloway Cut Advisor (within the small white boxes on the chart where AGS ideal and GIA excellent angles overlap). I was not looking for an upgrade policy (I already knew what size would look best on my ears), and I didn''t care about being absolutely sure that they were the most perfect of the perfect of the perfect. They are so sparkly that they could well be, and I happily wear them every day. Mine were not Signature Blue Nile. That just means that they are in house. Mine had to be shipped in from Europe. My diamonds were not that expensive, they had GIA certificates which gave me faith that they were the color and clarity Blue Nile says they are, and so I did not have them appraised. If I were getting a larger, more expensive diamond, I would definitely have it appraised for peace of mind.
Fly Girl
Ideal_Rock
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HEPennypacker
Rough_Rock
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vslover
Shiny_Rock
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HEPennypacker
Rough_Rock
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Yep you have got the right idea, just be aware to evaluate each diamond for cut quality using the cut advisor - you will need
depth
table
crown angle
pavillion angle
You should find these numbers on the grading reports. Or you can post them here once you have found some you like and we will give you some opinions.
vslover
Shiny_Rock
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:)
Brilliant_Rock
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As mentioned, they do not offer IS, etc, however they have a generous return policy. The stone for my engagement ring came from them and was then shipped to Richard Sherwood for a wonderful and detailed appraisal (we later set it locally). The 30d return policy makes it easy to get an independent appraisal. We purchased from them b/c at the time there was a paucity of well cut stones in the range we were looking, and if I had been able to find one from GOG or Wink or JA or WF, etc then we would have purchased there, knowing that we could actually talk to them directly about the stone and get the desired IS, etc, but with the length of return policy Richard was able to take care of everything in time for us to return it if it had needed to go back (stone had to be shipped from us in California to him in Florida, then back to us). It worked out extremely well for us in the end. If you are thinking out trading up in the future as you alluded to, you may want to look at one of the vendors that actually has an upgrade policy. If you would like to keep your stone and just get her an additional one, then BN is fine!
kcoursolle
Super_Ideal_Rock
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I purchased a lovely .43 H SI stone that I put into their bezel pendant. I am extremely satisfied with the diamond and the pendant. The stone is not a signature ideal, but the angles put it at under 2 in the HCA and a GIA excellent.
The upsides of blue nile are their reasonable prices and a huge inventory. The downsides are that with SI diamonds you can''t ask someone there if it is eye clean, you have to receive it and view it yourself and return it within the return period if it is not eye-clean. The other downside is that they don''t have an upgrade policy so that you can''t trade in your diamond later on with them. If you ever want to do this I would suggest purchasing from somewhere else instead because you will take a substantial loss on the diamond by selling it yourself. As someone else mentioned they also don''t have as much information about their stones as other places like WF, JA, or GOG, but this isn''t necessarily a problem since you can view it and return it if necessary.
The upsides of blue nile are their reasonable prices and a huge inventory. The downsides are that with SI diamonds you can''t ask someone there if it is eye clean, you have to receive it and view it yourself and return it within the return period if it is not eye-clean. The other downside is that they don''t have an upgrade policy so that you can''t trade in your diamond later on with them. If you ever want to do this I would suggest purchasing from somewhere else instead because you will take a substantial loss on the diamond by selling it yourself. As someone else mentioned they also don''t have as much information about their stones as other places like WF, JA, or GOG, but this isn''t necessarily a problem since you can view it and return it if necessary.
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Good grief! Five!? I''d be happy, too! Tell us all about them, please!
BTW, I purchased one stone from Blue Nile to match a stone I had had removed from a ring (when I decided to make the stone in the ring into one of a pair of earrings). It had a GIA cert and I knew what I would be getting, since I did know that Blue Nile was reputable. My experience was fine.
Deborah
Jenn5504
Brilliant_Rock
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I have a pair of 1ctw princess cut diamond studs from BN that are dogs.....purchased before my pricescope knowledge. 
Really, the diamonds are dogs but I didn''t know any better when I purchased those a few years ago. Also purchased before my pricescope knowledge form BN is my .59 ct I SI1 "BN Signature Ideal Cut" round brillant set in their plat bezel pendant. This stone is not a dog, but I was very disappointed in BN''s assesment that the stone was eye-clean when in fact there is a VISIBLE black inclusion.........also disappointing now that I know more is that the Signature Ideal Cut diamond I purchased scores POORLY in the HCA..... The .59 is honestly a pretty stone. I was trying to get the biggest stone for my budget and so I let the inclusion go thinking I was getting the BEST of the BEST in cut......well, that didn''t happen either it turns out.
But it''s just very disappointing to figure out when it''s too late that it''s really not technically a great performing diamond by any means, but it''s considered BN''s cream of the crop.........that doesn''t sit well with me. I personally will probably not purchase form BN in the future. Mostly due to no upgrade policy, but a lot to do with past experiences....
Really, the diamonds are dogs but I didn''t know any better when I purchased those a few years ago. Also purchased before my pricescope knowledge form BN is my .59 ct I SI1 "BN Signature Ideal Cut" round brillant set in their plat bezel pendant. This stone is not a dog, but I was very disappointed in BN''s assesment that the stone was eye-clean when in fact there is a VISIBLE black inclusion.........also disappointing now that I know more is that the Signature Ideal Cut diamond I purchased scores POORLY in the HCA..... The .59 is honestly a pretty stone. I was trying to get the biggest stone for my budget and so I let the inclusion go thinking I was getting the BEST of the BEST in cut......well, that didn''t happen either it turns out.
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Jenn,
I am not excusing Blue Nile for selling a stone that had a visible inclusion as eye clean, but in terms of the consumer protecting himself, I take it that this stone did not have a cert? If one wanted to use Blue Nile, I would recommend buying from them only a stone that had a GIA or an AGS certificate.
Deborah
elmo
Brilliant_Rock
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blondie
Shiny_Rock
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I have purchased quite a few stones from them and have been pleased with the service - they do have a HUGE inventory, which gives great choice and their return policy is great, giving you plenty of time to assess your purchase(s) I am in the UK and speaking with them was simple and pleasant and they offer so much more choice than Hatton Garden (London''s diamond district.)
Jenn5504
Brilliant_Rock
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It did have a cert, GIA I / SI1. In addition to that, BN adds their Signature Ideal cert. Anyhow, having owned an EGL SI2, another GIA SI2 and now an AGS SI2 stone, the SI1 with an obvious black pinpoint surprised me. That''s beside the point though, my only issue with BN on that subject was being told it was absolutely eye clean.Date: 1/10/2008 4:28:55 PM
Author: AGBF
Jenn,
I am not excusing Blue Nile for selling a stone that had a visible inclusion as eye clean, but in terms of the consumer protecting himself, I take it that this stone did not have a cert? If one wanted to use Blue Nile, I would recommend buying from them only a stone that had a GIA or an AGS certificate.
Deborah
Jenn5504
Brilliant_Rock
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Amen to that! I spent over $10,000 with them on a stone/setting and eternity band, had it for well over a week, returned it without one DROP of flack from BN. They are VERY easy to deal with when it comes to returns/exchanges. The 2ctw shared prong eternity band I purchased from them scratched the heck out of the 6 prong platinum setting I also bought from them and they didn''t charge me or anything. I told them when I returned it that the setting was considerably scratched from the eternity band and they said no worries.
I also exchanged the 1st pair of studs I got from them (.75 ctw platinum for 1.0 ctw white gold) and it was a breeze to return and exchange with them.
Fly Girl
Ideal_Rock
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The numbers are on the certificate posted on Blue Nile. Click on the GIA cert for the diamond, and find the drawing of the diamond. The numbers are on that drawing.
For this example the Depth % is 61.8, Table % is 57, Crown Angle 35.5, and Pavilion Angle is 40.8. The Cut Advisor gives a score of 2.6. You want a score of 2 or below, so I would pass on this example.
It does take some time to check the diamonds, but definitely worth it.
cayce
Rough_Rock
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sparklegrrl
Rough_Rock
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I recently purchased a loose diamond from Blue Nile, and was somewhat happy with it. The diamond is supposed to be an SI1/G by AGS, but it is very yellow... I have taken it to a few places and also to an appraiser who told me it is "I" color. So I am returning it and will purchase a different one from them, hopefully with some better luck. The diamond is eye clean, just like they told me, and it sparkles like crazy too - it''s not signature ideal but it''s AGS000. They aren''t giving me any hassle returning it and they are even holding a few stones for me until I get everything in order. HOPEFULLY they will reimburse me for the shipping charges since the diamond doesn''t appear to be the right color grade (they said they would have their jewellers check it out and then they might work something out - but I''m not keeping my hopes up on that). All in all they seem ok, the proof will be in the new stone I receive.
so this is the reading i got off the cut advisor
Factor Grade
Light Return ------------------------------> Good
Fire ------------------------------> Fair
Scintillation ------------------------------> Fair
Spread/ diameter for weight ----------> Excellent
Total Visual Performance 4.8 - Good - Only if price is your main criterion
Factor Grade
Light Return ------------------------------> Good
Fire ------------------------------> Fair
Scintillation ------------------------------> Fair
Spread/ diameter for weight ----------> Excellent
Total Visual Performance 4.8 - Good - Only if price is your main criterion
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