James Allen vs Blue Nile – Which is the Better Vendor?
In recent years, online retailers like James Allen and Blue Nile have disrupted the traditional ways of buying an engagement ring in a physical store.
With their innovative approach to doing business, consumers now have access to better selections, higher quality craftsmanship and enjoy significantly lower prices.
But here’s where it gets confusing: When two competitors claim to be the best, which one really is?
What factors come into play to determine which is the right choice for you? Answers to these questions and more as we perform an indepth comparison between James Allen vs Blue Nile.
Feature Comparison Between JamesAllen.com vs BlueNile.com
| Feature | James Allen | Blue Nile |
|---|---|---|
| Inventory | More than 210,000 loose diamonds with high definition videos. | More than 198,000 loose diamonds. Not all listings have videos. |
| Website | Highly intuitive, informative and straightforward to use. | Search filters and result page slightly more cluttered during navigation. |
| Signature Diamonds | True Hearts: Round, princess & cushion. | Astor: Round, princess & cushion cut. |
| Prices | 25%-40% lower than physical stores. | 25%-40% lower than physical stores. |
| Setting Designs | 590+ unique designs available. | 360+ unique designs available. |
| Fine Jewelry | Limited selections and jewelry types. | Wide selections of colored gemstone jewelry. |
| Warranty | Lifetime warranty. Free prong tightening, re-polishing, rhodium plating and cleaning services. | Lifetime warranty on manufacturing defects. Complimentary cleaning and inspection. |
| Upgrade Policy | Lifetime upgrade for 100% credit as long as new purchase is twice the price of original diamond. | Lifetime upgrade for 100% credit as long as new purchase is twice the price of original diamond. |
| Support | 24/7 support via phone, email and chat. | 24/7 support via phone, email and chat. |
| Return Policy | 30-day money back guarantee. Free returns in the US. | 30-day money back guarantee. Return shipping paid by customer. |
| Buyback Policy | Not available. | Buyback program via Mondiamo based on market value and cash offer. |
Let’s Look at the Pros And Cons of James Allen
The James Allen brand has been growing in popularity in recent years and for good reasons.
Their revolutionary 360 degree video listings make them one of the best places to shop for diamonds. Combine this with a wide range of ring styles and setting designs, James Allen has everything you need for your perfect engagement ring.
At the time of writing, they have over 200,000 diamonds of every price, shape and size in their inventory. Their intuitive website enables you to shop in the comfort of your home and away from pushy salespeople or pressured sales tactics.
Unlike buying from a traditional store, James Allen provides you with full control over your engagement ring buying experience. Customer satisfaction is something they prioritize and a key driver behind their success.
This can be seen in their generous sales policies which include risk-free 30 day money back guarantee, free return shipping, 24/7 expert support and even perform real-time inspections with a consultant.
What are things we don’t like about James Allen?
James Allen is a fantastic jeweler but it isn’t all be sunshine and rainbows. While return shipping is free for people in the US, international shoppers will have to incur a return shipping fee.
Currently, James Allen has a showroom but it is only available in New York City. In comparison, Blue Nile has multiple showrooms across different states which makes it easier for you to check out products in person.
Lastly, if you want to see an Idealscope/ASET image of a shortlisted diamond, you have to make a request via live chat and wait a couple of days for them to get the photographs captured. So, if you urgently need a ring, the delay may not work out for you.
Next, We Look at the Pros And Cons of Blue Nile
Blue Nile is the retail giant in the online world of diamonds and engagement rings. They are arguably the most affordable retailer and stand by their competitive pricing with a Price Match guarantee.
Their website has a clean and straightforward design which makes navigation a breeze. Currently, they offer more than 200,000 loose diamonds which is on par with what James Allen has in terms of inventory depth.
For the super competitive price point that Blue Nile offers, they actually offer amazing workmanship on their engagement rings and shopping with them gets you superb value for money.
Being one of the largest jewelry companies in the world, Blue Nile has the ability to offer a number of installment plans and financing options. If you are looking to make a purchase on credit, they have some of the most flexible terms available.
When it comes to customer support, they have professional staff available round the clock to answer any questions you have or to help you with a purchase. And of course, all your purchases are risk free and backed by a 30 day money back guarantee.
What are things we don’t like about Blue Nile?
Sample listing with generic stock image instead of a real photo of the diamond.
The biggest drawback about them is that they don’t have videos or photographs for all their diamonds. While they are making significant improvements in this aspect, there are still a number of listings which only use a default stock image.
Because of this, it is extremely hard to assess a diamond’s performance and you might have to make unnecessary upgrades for better clarity just for assurance that the diamond is eyeclean.
This is why I always recommend readers to use the search function to show only diamonds that have a video listing and avoid those that don’t.
Blue Nile’s packaging can also come across as “cheap” and less luxurious than James Allen’s. But to be fair, James Allen is in a league of its own in terms of packaging and if you compare Blue Nile to other vendors, they are actually pretty decent!
The other “complaint” that I have about Blue Nile is that they will charge also a small fee if you require add-ons like ring engraving ($25). While it’s just a small sum of money, I think customers would appreciate making minor things like this free of charge with a purchase.
Shopping Experience: James Allen vs Blue Nile
At James Allen, you can interact with the diamond upclose and get exactly what you SEE!
In terms of shopping experience, James Allen is hands down the winner here for one main reason: their 360° high definition videos for every single diamond in the inventory. On request, you can also get idealscope/ASET images of the diamond you shortlisted.
If you are someone who is discerning and as selective as I am, JamesAllen.com enables you to scrutinize details and critically analyze the diamond. This makes picking out a well cut and eyeclean diamond a walk in the park.
On the other hand, Blue Nile doesn’t have video/photography data available for all their diamonds. When you shop at Blue Nile, I recommend using the search function to filter out diamonds that have 360° videos.
In terms of packaging, Blue Nile uses a simple and nondescript packaging. In contrast, James Allen stands out by being the best in the industry. Your order will come in a beautiful, classy jewelry box that can be re-purposed into storing jewelry.
Comparison of packaging and documentations received from both vendors.
When it comes to diamond prices, both James Allen and Blue Nile offer competitive prices that are 25-50% lesser than what you would pay in a typical jewelry store. Between the 2 of them, JA is a tad cheaper than Blue Nile on average but the differences are pretty much negligible in the grand scheme of things.
True Hearts vs. Astor Diamonds – Which Signature Line is Better?
Both James Allen and Blue Nile curate their own signature line of diamonds in which the stones are handpicked and analyzed for light performance. They are called True Hearts and Astor respectively.
The reason they do this is because the generic the GIA triple excellent range holds a broad spectrum of varying cut quality and they select the cream of the crop for better brilliance and sparkle.
And before you say it, let me address a burning question you probably have at this point in time. From experience, I can tell you that James Allen’s True Hearts is better curated and their signature diamonds are generally cut to better precision and performance.
Check out these two G color SI1 round cut diamonds I selected for a case study…
In the JA listing, the tangible data like ASET, Idealscope and H&A scope images all point to it being a top-tier ideal cut diamond. With the Blue Nile listing, there’s a corresponding GEMEX report provided which gives you an idea of the diamond’s performance.
From the video of the Astor diamond, you can see that the contrast patterning of the diamond is slightly inconsistent and it doesn’t have a level of cut precision compared to the True Hearts option.
Of course, one could argue that this comparison is only based on 2 randomly selected diamonds. But when you start doing comparisons with a larger sample size of the Astor inventory, you will come to the same conclusion.
Engagement Ring Settings – Design Selection & Prices
Designer engagement rings from James Allen (left) and Blue Nile (right).
One of the differentiating factors between James Allen and Blue Nile lie in their different range of engagement ring designs. The best way to see the differences for yourself is to click here and here.
If you opened the links above, you may notice that both vendors offer standard ring designs that are commonly found (i.e. 6 prong Tiffany style solitaire, pave designs etc…) but there are subtle differences incorporated into their designs (because of copyright issues!).
James Allen and Blue Nile have partnerships with different designer brands and there are also plenty of in-house pieces that are unique to each vendor. And this is actually a good thing because you have a variety of options to choose from based on your own unique tastes and budget preferences.
When it comes to the cost of settings, I find that Blue Nile generally offers better price points for similar ring designs. For example, a 4 prong comfort fit solitaire ring may cost $430 on James Allen but it may cost around $275 on Blue Nile.
With that said, the small variances in setting costs isn’t big enough to be a deal breaker unless you are buying an engagement ring with a super tight budget. In my opinion, being able to find a design that you like is more important than the difference of a few dollars.
Real Life Video Review of Diamond Rings From Both Companies
One of the key attributes that I personally look for in a vendor when shopping for jewelry is product quality. Low prices don’t mean anything to me if the finished product is made poorly or has issues with workmanship.
In this regard, I’m actually pleased to say that both James Allen and Blue Nile have superb workmanship and finishing in their engagement rings. Watch these 2 close up videos I recorded of the purchases I made from both vendors…
Examined under magnification, both diamond rings are very well made and attention is paid even to the small details like the consistency of the pave melees.
The Bottomline: Is James Allen Better Than Blue Nile?
Both of these vendors are pioneers in the industry and are highly reliable. I had personally purchased engagement rings at both vendors and find them really easy to work with.
James Allen is the newer player that revolutionized the online experience with their 360° high definition videos. Their intuitive website enhances the fun in shopping for a diamond ring and makes the entire process really transparent.
Blue Nile has a longer history and had built up a solid reputation in the industry. They operate one of the largest inventory of loose diamonds in the world and had been making vast improvements to their user interface by incorporating video listings.
They each have their merits and you can’t go wrong either way.
But if I had to pick a winner from the perspective of a complete beginner, James Allen edges out Blue Nile as my preferred choice when buying an engagement ring. At the end of the day, if I had a specific ring design or specification I’m looking for, that would steer me towards either of the vendors.
Now, I want to hear from you. Would you prefer Blue Nile or James Allen? Are there specific reasons for you to choose one over the other? Drop a comment below and let me know!
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15 Comments
When it comes to custom made rings, is bluenile.com better than jamesallen.com?
Both retailers have the facilities and workshop capability to custom make designs for you.
Here’s the thing, did you look through the ring design selection to make sure that there isn’t something already identical to what you have in mind? Most of the time, when readers think about customizing things, there’s actually no need to do so as there is usually existing designs available.
But if you must custom make a ring for some reason, JamesAllen.com would be easier to work with.
Would jamesallen or bluenile be ideal for a gemstone bracelet? I’m looking for something under £500 for my daughter’s birthday.
If you are looking for a basic, no-frills Valentine’s Day or birthday gift, Blue Nile has plenty of fine jewelry options for you. You can find affordable necklaces, bracelets and earrings. James Allen targets a higher end segment of the market. So, it really depends on what you are buying.
In your case, I’m assuming you are based in the UK. Blue Nile would probably be a more suitable option for you as they have lower end items and operations in the United Kingdom. That should help facilitate shipping and reduce hassle.
I live in Manhattan and am wondering what you think about the diamond district? Does Blue Nile have a showroom I can visit near my area? When comparing blue nile vs james allen, which vendor has the better setting quality?
The diamond district is a tourist trap and a cesspool for many unethical businesses to take advantage of consumers. I’ve written about the NY diamond district and the main gripe I have is the high-pressure sales and inflated prices.
Both Blue Nile and James Allen have showrooms where you can view jewelry and diamonds in person. Note that prior appointments are recommended. The good thing about them is that they use non commissioned consultants where you can browse in a non-pressured environment. Between Bluenile vs JamesAllen, I would say their settings quality are on par.
I was originally looking at blue nile, but then after reading this, i started to use james allen primarily. James Allen image quality just seems to be better.
I might be spending some time in Japan and wondered about buying my wife a wedding ring there. Is there any price or quality advantage, that you know of, in Japan? Do james allen competitors like White Flash or Bluenile ship to Asian countries?
Nope. In Japan, it is harder to find well cut GIA diamonds as the market for diamond jewelry is a lot less developed than those in the USA. You are far better off buying from an online vendor based in the States than to physically shop in Japan.
Is there a difference why JA has a price difference from BN for the same type of diamond — for example – a 1.2ct, GVVS1 excellent cut diamond from BN was roughly $8,500 but on JA the same classifications in the diamond, the price was $7,600 roughly — why such a discount if both are online retailers ?
The price of a diamond is affected by a myriad of factors: https://beyond4cs.com/diamond-prices/
Chances are, you aren’t comparing an apple to an apple figuratively.
I live in Melbourne Australia. I have been looking at both JA and BN websites . I want a diamond eternity ring- BN has the GST/taxes for Australia included in their price but JA doesn’t so I would end up paying more on delivery. Bottom line is I want a beautiful eye clean sparkling diamond band- for the best price- what do you suggest? I would rather pay a little more to get the best diamond quality band. Are both sites eternity rings GIA diamonds in the bands and ideal cuts for max sparkle? I couldn’t find that information. Many thanks for your help! Janine
With James Allen, you DO pay customs/taxes as well and that will be charged to you when the courier (in this case Fedex) does the delivery. There’s no legal way to escape taxes even with an online purchase. You pay it in local stores, you pay it online, you pay it when you import things. It’s a matter of who’s collecting the taxes and convenience. Blue Nile has Austrailian operations and they streamline the tax collections on check out. James Allen will leave it to the client to settle with the courier and government. It’s still relatively straightforward even with JA.
Now, let’s talk diamonds. For eternity bands, the diamonds in the rings are typically small and they aren’t graded individually by GIA. So, you would have to rely on the reputation and integrity of the vendors to correctly represent their product quality. I would say BOTH BN and JA are good vendors and I trust them when they say something is SI1 or G color. I can’t say the same for other vendors I have no personal experience with.
If you are looking for eternity rings with ideal cut diamonds, then both vendors would not have what you are looking for. You need to head over to White Flash instead: https://beyond4cs.com/go/wf/. Bear in mind that super ideal cut melees will cost more because of their production costs and labor involved. White Flash is one of my favorite vendors to work with for high performance products and again, I say this from experience with the multiple purchases I personally made before with them.
Hi Paul
Would you rate white flash on a par with BN and JA or better in terms of price ; quality , on line experience etc – im leaning towards JA after reading your article but i know v littke about WHite Flash – am looking for a larger 3 or 4 carat diamond -or at better again lower carat but large dimensions thanks.
Out of the 3 vendors, White Flash has the best customer service standards and price wise, they are all similar when comparing their signature diamonds. i.e. A CUT ABOVE vs Astor vs TrueHearts. White Flash offers the best cut quality, consistency and craftsmanship among them.