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James Allen vs Blue Nile – A Comparison of Two Jewelers
Are you ready to get that diamond engagement ring? Or do you need diamond jewelry for any other purpose? Then you must be thinking about where to buy from. Would you prefer a brick-and-mortar store or an online jeweler? Well, since you are reading this, you may have made up your mind to buy online and that is a great decision.
Online jewelry shopping entails that you trust the retailer to provide quality jewelry. While there are various trusted online jewelry retailers, there are two of them that are really exceptional. They are Blue Nile and James Allen. One is quite new and very innovative while the other has been in business for a longer time.
James Allen is the innovator while Blue Nile is the veteran in the business with a wealth of experience in jewelry retailing. You can read the comparison to take a closer look at the pedigree of both. However, in this article, we will be comparing the services of both retailers with a view to seeing what they have to offer…
Diamond Selection
Blue Nile had the biggest online inventory of diamonds, but in recent times, it has been overshadowed by James Allen. Currently, Blue Nile has over two hundred and twenty thousand loose diamonds while James Allen carries over three hundred and thirty thousand loose diamonds. But they both offer the following:
Diamonds in ten different shapes
Diamonds of various sizes and quality (cut, clarity, color, and carat)
Diamonds that are conflict free
Super ideal selection of diamonds (TrueHearts by James Allen and Blue Nile’s Astor)
Diamonds with rare fancy colors
Diamonds that are lab certified
Additionally, James Allen offers over four thousand laboratory created diamonds. So this will be an amazing option for you if you need to save some cash in addition to getting eco-friendly jewelry. Blue Nile on the other hand is yet to make provision for a similar offer. But that does not mean that they are not a good choice. You can get diamonds that are conflict free, high quality, and certified from both retailers.
In terms of certification, you need to note the slight difference. James Allen offers three types of certified diamonds. They are:
American Gem Society (AGS)
Gemological Institute of America (GIA)
International Gemological Institute (IGI)
Blue Nile On the other hand has only one type of certification – Gemological Institute of America (GIA).
GIA is the standard diamond certification while AGS is regarded as its alternative. However, IGI is known for its laxity, making it unreliable. Hence, before you buy your diamond jewelry, confirm the certification. Ensure you buy either an AGS or a GIA certified diamond. You can read more about diamond certification in this article: https://www.brilliance.com/education/diamond-certification
Diamond Preview
When you are purchasing an item online, you need to have an excellent view of the item. You also expect that what you see online is what will be delivered to your doorstep. In that light, James Allen offers an unparalleled shopping experience. It provides 360 degrees crystal clear HD videos of each diamond in stock. You will almost think you are holding the rock in your hands.
The videos allow you to zoom in to enable you see the diamond from different angles. That way, you can tell if they are flawless or not. The virtual viewing experience is almost better than going into any physical store.
Blue Nile, on the other hand, is trying to catch up. Although most of its diamonds can be previewed virtually, some others are only sold according to the specs (color, cut, clarity, and carat).
Furthermore, James Allen allows you to make a free request for up to three idealscope images. You can see each diamond’s light performance from the images. You can also create an account for free. This will grant you access to view five diamonds using super zoom. That way, you can study the diamond closely. The experience is just like when you are viewing a diamond from the jeweler’s loupe.
Ring Styles
Both James Allen and Blue Nile have various ring settings. Although James Allen has over six hundred ring settings, Blue Nile does not have up to that quantity. So, if you need a more specific style, James Allen is the way to go. Additionally, Blue Nile does not have some unique settings such as bezel and tension.
Furthermore, James Allen’s rings are set in platinum, rose gold, white gold, or yellow gold. But Blue Nile has a few rings that are set in yellow gold or rose gold. However, both retailers have a collection of rings from various designers. You can find rings by Zac Posen and Monica Lhuillier from Blue Nile. And rings by Danhov, Verragio, Martin Flyer, and Jeff Cooper can be found in James Allen’s collection.
Click here to see a collection of diamond ring settings that will whet your appetite.
Customer Service
The two retailers provide 24/7 customer care and support via email, live chat, and phone. They also have certified diamond experts who are readily available to attend to the questions of customers or help them decide on what to buy.
But James Allen does better in this regard; they provide real time consultation service. This service enables you to share your screen with the expert in order to inspect the diamonds with them. You can also use the super zoom feature to look at the diamond closely. The expert will provide a review of the specs as well as the grading report of the diamond you are inspecting.
Bottom Line
Following Blue Nile’s introduction of 360 degrees preview, we can say that both retailers are now going almost head to head. This means that you can purchase from either of them with confidence. However, James Allen seems to have an edge with the free provision of up to three idealscope images and two more when you open a free account. This gives customers a lot of confidence to make a decision to buy.
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