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Tuesday, May 13th
Blue Nile is a jeweler that has been around since 1999. It opened with the intent of disrupting the industry by making jewelry and gemstones more accessible with an online business model. On top of its impressive online services, you can also shop in person where Blue Nile's diamond and jewelry experts will help you find what you need. Their employees are not commissioned, so there's no pressure to make sales: the goal is to make customers happy. Whether you want to build your wedding ring online or meet an expert jeweler in person, Blue Nile has everything you need to find your perfect lab grown diamond and setting.
Selection includes 52,000+ diamonds
Blue Nile offers an impressive range of lab grown diamonds, and you can shop by shape, carat, price, color, clarity, cut, and by which items ship fastest. Blue Nile offers round, princess, cushion, emerald, oval, radiant, marquise, heart, and pear-shaped diamonds as well as carats from 0.05 up to 30. There were 52,775 lab grown diamonds total offered by Blue Nile and the breakdown includes 17,208 different round diamonds across all cut quality, colors, and sizes, 3,768 options for princess-cut, and 597 for heart-shaped diamonds.
See a live preview of your diamond
When you're shopping for a lab grown diamond, it's easy to get started with Blue Nile. If you're looking for just the stone, you can use a sliding tab that allows you to see either lab grown or natural diamonds. If you're looking to get a ring, Blue Nile allows you to start a "create your own ring” process using only lab grown diamonds, so you don't have to worry about the selection getting mixed up. One of the best features of Blue Nile is that you can see the diamond from any angle with a real 360-degree photo of each gem. This way, you can see how the diamond catches the light before you put it in a setting.
Pricing from $250 to $1,857,300 per diamond
When we priced out lab grown diamonds, we looked at two things: the price range for all the lab grown diamonds at each retailer or jeweler and the prices for the most popular size for engagement rings, which is 1-2 carats in the most popular cuts (round and oval). For these shapes, we also limited our search from clarity levels VS1-FL (the top five), colors F-D (the top three), and only cuts that are ideal or astor ideal. Here's what we found at Blue Nile:
Free services and 30-day returns
Your purchase from Blue Nile will come with a lifetime manufacturer warranty. All items will be free of manufacturing defects, and if you believe it is damaged due to a defect, Blue Nile will repair or replace the item. If you purchase a lab grown diamond ring from Blue Nile, you will be able to get free cleanings for your ring every six months (you only pay for shipping). Blue Nile also offers a diamond price match guarantee. This is a free service that promises if you find a diamond of comparable quality and characteristics that is a lower price, Blue Nile will match that price. However, the comparable diamond must also be graded by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). Finally, Blue Nile offers a free return policy within 30 days. You'll get a free return shipping label, and the return won't cost you anything. The free label also includes insurance for your item.
Top scores for quality
Blue Nile has a top-notch rating from the Better Business Bureau with an "A+” and accreditation. On third-party review sites, it's got a decent reputation as well. Many customers on Trustpilot offered a full 5-star rating for Blue Nile and the average was a 3.9-star rating overall. According to recent feedback, Blue Nile earns praise for the diamonds and rings turning out exactly as they were displayed on the website. There were some concerns about long periods of waiting for shipping and delivery, but in terms of quality, customer service, and getting exactly what you want for a competitive price, Blue Nile was a favorite among those looking for lab grown diamonds.
Great if you want to build your own ring
If you're looking for a place to design your engagement or wedding ring with a lab grown diamond, Blue Nile is a great place to shop. With top scores from third-party review sites, price matching, and free returns, you can be sure you're getting a great deal on your lab grown diamonds as well as access to a jewelry one-stop shop. Want a matching necklace or a wedding band too? No problem. For these reasons, Blue Nile earns a very high rating in our review.
Diamonds are a girl's best friend (and honestly, they're great for guys too), but there's one huge snag that keeps people from grabbing those glittery rocks: cost. Most people think of diamonds and think of dollar signs (and lots of ‘em). However, there are more cost-effective options. And, no, we're not talking about fakes or cubic zirconia lookalikes.
We're talking lab grown diamonds. These diamonds are just as real as the diamonds you find in the earth, but they come at a fraction of the cost. So, what exactly is a lab grown diamond? First - lab grown diamonds are real diamonds. According to diamond experts at the Gemological Institute of America, "lab grown” diamonds and "natural” diamonds have the same hardness and level of durability, the same level of clarity, and are both certified as diamonds.
Lab grown (or man made) diamonds have been created in a controlled laboratory environment. Using techniques like High Pressure High Temperature creation, diamonds can be crafted to look exactly like earth-mined diamonds and have the same chemical and physical makeup as their natural counterparts. The only differences between lab grown and earth-mined diamonds are so tiny no one will ever see them except under serious magnification.
For example, natural diamonds have nitrogen due to the process of being created over millions of years under the pressure of the earth. Lab grown diamond creation simulates that process and cuts down production time to a couple of months. Plus, there isn't any dangerous mining involved in lab grown diamonds, making it much safer, far less costly, and in many cases a more ethical or carbon-neutral choice. The price difference between lab grown and natural diamonds is usually around 30-50% less for a lab grown gem of the same cut and quality, making it possible to purchase a much larger certified diamond without breaking the bank.
So, whether you're looking to get a diamond for your engagement ring, hoping to buy something shiny to treat yourself, or looking to create a new family heirloom, finding a reliable place to get quality lab grown diamonds is important.
If you're not sure which lab-grown diamond jeweler or gemstone retailer is going to be your best bet, don't worry. We've put together a few factors to help you choose the best spot:
To help you enhance your sparkle, Top Consumer Reviews has researched and ranked today's most popular retailers and jewelers for lab grown diamonds. This way you can enjoy the discounts and know you're getting a certified diamond for you or for your special someone. Enjoy your new bling!
Select any 2 Lab Grown Diamond Stores to compare them head to head