1 Carat Halo Engagement Ring From BlueNile.com
If you have been contemplating a purchase from BlueNile, you are in for a treat. I recently purchased a halo engagement ring and documented the entire process.
For the ring, I chose a signature 1 carat F color SI1 round diamond as the center stone. If you haven’t read yet, you want to read the review of BlueNile’s signature diamonds where I listed full details there.
Here’s the ring setting that I selected because of its unique floating mounting and the extra bling it offers…
Shopping at BlueNile is really easy and straightforward as the process is streamlined. Basically, you can build your own ring by starting from a ring design or a loose diamond. It literally takes only 30 minutes to complete the purchase!
On the checkout page, you will have various modes of payment available. Personally, I completed my purchase via Paypal as it was the most convenient form of payment for me.
If you ever need help or have questions about anything, help is readily available in the form of live chat, 24/7 phone support and email.
Once payment is made, Blue Nile starts working on your jewelry immediately. One of the things that pleasantly surprised me was BlueNile’s fast and efficient shipping.
I placed my order on the 16th of November and the delivery was dispatched securely on the 17th of November. If you do the math, they only took 1 day to complete the ring. That’s incredibly fast!
Shipping generally takes a couple of days and the time required depends on where you are located. For international customers, it usually takes longer. In my case, I received my parcel 3 days after it was shipped.
The received parcel delivered via UPS.
From left to right: GCAL certificate, GCAL brochure & GIA report.
From left to right: Invoice, return policy, appraisal & jewelry care guide.
As a consumer, I’m sure you want to know what’s the quality of the jewelry you can expect to receive from BlueNile. Well, I am pleased to say that the settings are pretty well made. Check out the following photographs to see the details…
Faceup view of 1ct halo diamond ring.
Side profile of ring and magnified view of halo mounting.
Melees (smaller diamonds) are well matched for consistent appearance.
The shanks of the ring are very streamlined and follow a nice contour.
Underside of ring mounting securing the diamond.
The gap in this floating halo design makes the diamond POP!
A handshot of the ring on a size 7 finger – courtesy of my wife.
BlueNile.com has come a long way since their inception into jewelry e-commerce. Beyond the glamorous world of diamonds, customer can also explore pearls, gemstones and other precious metals through a comprehensive collection of content.
The newly launched video listings are a positive development for adding more value to the online shopper. Whether you’re looking to buy and just doing casual browsing, Blue Nile is certainly worth a visit.
As always, feel free to leave a comment or get in touch with me if you have any questions. Good luck with your diamond ring purchase!
28 Comments
I’ve visited a couple of stores in New Jersey and realized that the prices offered are very much higher than BlueNile. Why is this so? The salesperson told me that they are offering the lowest prices anywhere and when I started to browse online casually, I found that the price differences are huge!
Also, is there any promo code or special deals that BlueNile has? Let me know because I might seriously consider to buy my engagement ring from them.
Paul –
Thank you for your reviews; they have helped ease my worry over buying an engagement ring online. I am confident now that whether I order from Brilliant Earth, James Allen, or Blue Nile I will be getting a quality ring from a company with a good warranty and customer support. I would welcome a Blue Nile promo code if you have any available. Regards!
BlueNile’s extensive collection of loose diamonds coupled with its fair pricing structure is designed to give shoppers better value. Due to their big global operations and their online branding, they are able to source for a larger pool of diamonds at a much lower pricing. In essence, it boils down to business economics.
An analogy can be drawn by comparing them to Walmart where inventory costs are significantly lowered by buying in bulk. In turn, the customer can enjoy a purchase at lower price points.
Do you have any Blue Nile promo codes that are valid?
Yep, I do. Get in touch with me directly via email for your BlueNile coupon code. I do have a limited number of them that offers a $100 discount for purchases above $2,000.
Since each promo code is unique and can only be used once, there’s no point in me posting the discount code here. Email me and I’ll send you one.
I read your article and was interested in bluenile. How accurate is the blue nile appraisal documentation? Can you provide me a promo code from them? thank you
The BlueNile promotion codes are a one-off usage and I only have a limited amount of them. You should get in touch with me via email for them as I don’t post them publicly. As for the appraisal forms, they are all slightly inflated and I don’t place any weight in the value they prescribe. What they are good for is insurance; if you need it.
Blue Nile also has showrooms where you can see the rings and get a feel for how it will look when purchased online
I just discovered your website and I’ve enjoyed reading your reviews on Blue Nile and Ritani. Highly educational! I wanted to compare both sites as I am looking to upgrade my engagement diamond ring (with my husband’s blessing). My engagement ring and wedding band were purchased through Blue Nile, so I am more familiar with them. Overall, it was a fantastic purchase experience – seamless with great customer service. Would you happen to know the best time of the year to buy diamonds to get the best deal? Thanks!
There isn’t a “best” time to buy diamonds since quality diamonds aren’t discounted regardless of season. However, companies like Blue Nile often offer deals and promotions on accompanying settings during Valentine’s Day & the week of Black Friday/Cyber Monday.
Hi Paul, I came across your website when I was looking for diamond courses offered in Hong Kong. The details contained on your website are very informative and I enjoyed reading them very much. I wanted to start a very small business selling customer-made diamond rings. First things first, I hardly found any place that offers diamond courses in Hong Kong except GIA. And do you know how or where I can find or connect with those GIA graded diamond suppliers in Hong Kong? You seem very knowledgeable about diamonds or the industry and any advice would be much appreciated.
Attend the trade shows that are held at Hong Kong. They are one of the biggest in the industry and a great place to start looking for connections.
Hi Paul,
I’m wanting to buy a solitaire necklace, so having looked through Blue Nile’s website, I decided to do some more investigation. Your review and help on what to look for was very useful! If you still have discount codes, that would be even better, otherwise many thanks for your informative website.
Hi Paul,
Your review for the blue nile is a great saver for me. I would like to give blue nile a try. Just wondering if you have anymore coupon code?
Thanks
BlueNile has ceased all coupon codes Sorry!
hello there,
love the webpage. I am looking at buying a diamond from blue nile. I found your site very informative and being a complete novice and not really knowing what to look for i am bricking it spending my money in case i end up getting something which i could have got better. i am spending £4800 on the diamond. please ( i know you don’t have to) but i would really appreciate it if i could send you the GIA cert and GCAL cert to you so you can take a look and just tell me if this is a good diamond for the price and I’m not making a mistake. I only have one shot at getting this right for the loved one lol
kind regards
Craig
Sure. I’ll do my best to help you out. Feel free to reach out to me via email.
Thank you for this greatly informative website. As another person with a scientific background who pores over minute details, it’s been the foundation of my diamond education.
Looking at Blue Nile though, their signature cut diamonds have been replaced by the Astor Ideal.These do not have a GCAL cert nor any Idealscope/ASET images.
More info can be found at this link:
“https://www.bluenile.com/education/diamonds/signature-difference”
A GemEx report is good, but not enough for many discerning consumers such as myself. You should consider making an addendum to this review regarding this change.
Yep. The Astor signature line was introduced recently. They no longer utilize GCAL reports and replaced the 2nd report with GemEx. Long story short, with some experience, it is possible to decipher cut quality from the videos itself. I understand that many first timers or beginners may not be able to do so without the additional GCAL data which makes it easier for lay people to understand.
Very informative site Paul. Looking to get engaged and Blue Nile had the best (longest) finance pay back program for my needs. I am looking for a floating diamond ring design as well. Looking to get the best engagement ring for the amount of credit they gave me. Got any coupons/promo codes you could send to help me out please. Anything would be greatly appreciated! I just got one for $100 off for signing up my email to be on their email listing. Got anything better you could throw my way? Hope you can help. Many thanks!
Besides the ring that I bought, there are other designs in the market you may want to check out as well. I’ve written an article on buying a floating diamond ring recently and that will offer more ideas for your consideration. Blue Nile no longer offers any coupon codes for their diamond rings. Those that claim they do are spammy websites that load ads and may even introduce spyware to your computer if you land on their page and click on links. The $100 off is the best deal they have available currently.
Hi Paul
I find your expertise incredibly useful and helpful. However, I’m still not comfortable with my ability to select the best bang for the buck diamond on Blue Nile. I’m looking for a round diamond right around 1 carat (plus or minus a bit) in size. Would you be willing to suggest one or a couple for me to choose from? Thank you so much for any help/advice you can provide.
Blessings
Chris Mueller
Sure. I would be glad to help but first, you need to let me know details of your budget and specifications of what you are looking for. I can then tailor a search to your needs.
Hi Paul:
Thank you very much for the very detailed & helpful information. I need to find 2 diamonds that is close to matching for my twins – (each gets one) – I am looking for some where G to H, around 1.20 carat each, and the clarity should in the in the VVS range – I try to look at Blue Nile Astor but can’t find much inventory. Can you offer some help?
Thank you very much
Sure. I’ve dropped you an email with my responses and had looked across various inventories to help you find 2 sets of matching stones.
Hi Paul,
Thank you for sharing your valuable knowledge and expericence. How come the Astor Ideal Cut only available lower than H and VVS2. Anything above that doesn’t have Astor Ideal Cut available? Why is that?
Also, I have email you a diamond video and wait for your professional opinion because video cannot be enclosed here.
Thank you again Paul!
Sincerely,
Kit
This is actually Blue Nile’s internal curation standards at work and to be clear, I am very sure the Astor diamond line has a wider clarity range than “H and VVS2” ratings. Just like how some brands like Tiffany or Cartier will refuse to sell diamonds below a certain clarity or color, Blue Nile employs something similar to their Astor line. If you are looking for an ideal cut diamond in the lower colors or clarity ratings, check out White Flash or Brian Gavin.
Hi Paul, compared to James Allen, which one do you recommend more? You mentioned James Allen many times in other posts, and I am trying hard to decide to choose which online platform. Thanks!
Both are solid vendors. It depends on what you are looking for and the kind of setting you prefer. James Allen has better cut round diamond selections in their True Hearts collection. Blue Nile has better selections of fancy shaped diamonds. And obviously, both vendors offer different ring designs.