Quick and Easy Buying Guide
Carat weight: 1 carat = 200 milligrams = 6.5 mm diameter. Doubling weight doesn't double diameter.
Diamond clarity: FL/IF/VVS/VS = super expensive, near perfect. SI = best value if you can check a photo for obvious inclusions (defects).
Color: D-G = colorless, expensive, only if you have money to burn. H-J = best value. Can go lower in gold metal settings than white metal.
Cut: Better cut ratings let more light into a diamond, making it sparkle more. Very important property, don't skimp here.
Set a budget and minimum cut (Premium). Go J color for gold and I/H for white metals. Go searching for SI1/SI2 clarity diamonds at James Allen. Pick a diamond with small/no inclusions. Choose a ring setting and buy it risk-free (60-day returns).
Blue Nile
Blue Nile is the online diamond company which I went to when I bought my better half’s diamond engagement ring. If you do any searching online you’ll soon realise that they are a large and well established company, and this is confirmed if you check the facts.
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They’re a relatively young company (but not by internet standards), being only 10 years old – they were founded in 1999. It’s claimed that they’re the largest online retailer of certified diamonds, and has received some credit from major magazines or institutions.
For example, Forbes magazine picked Blue Nile as its favourite online jeweller for a period of 7 years from 2000 to 2006.
So where’s the actual company based you may ask? Well, it’s based in Seattle, Washington, in the United States. They’ve actually got a street address – 705 Fifth Avenue South, Suite 900, Seattle, WA, US.
Looking at a company profile, which may be slightly out of date, Blue Nile has 170 employees and their CEO is Diane M. Irvine and are publicly listed (you can trade Blue Nile shares).
To go have a look at BlueNile.com, click on the image below: