Bluenile.ca - Anyone use it to buy diamonds?

[black_2.5RS]

I'm thinking of buying an engagement ring from bluenile.ca. Has anyone used it before? Is the quality better / worse than what I would get in a store?

[Weapon_R]

Very reputable IMO, and about the same as what you'd get in store

[Redlyne_mr2]

Alberta diamond exchange man...see the diamond in person, buying a diamond online just doesnt work IMO.

[Weapon_R]

Originally posted by Redlyne_mr2
Alberta diamond exchange man...see the diamond in person, buying a diamond online just doesnt work IMO.

They are too overpriced.

[black_2.5RS]

Prices at ADX are too bad. At least it's local and I can see / touch / smell / taste it if I need to. Although the prices are a bit higher than bluenile

[Redlyne_mr2]

Originally posted by Weapon_R


They are too overpriced.
Tiffany is overpriced, ADX offers very high value for the price you pay. Id rather spend 5K and get a ring worth 5K+ then spend 5K at a place like Ben Moss and get a ring worth 3K. I haven't really looked too much into bluenile though.

[Weapon_R]

Sorry, I didn't mean they were overpriced when compared to other online merchants, but I find that they aren't really too much cheaper to justify buying from them over Bluenile or other reputable online dealers.

Yes, its difficult to buy online when you dont see the diamond, but if you educate yourself on purchasing the right diamond, and allow Bluenile to find one for you as you have specified, they usually are a couple thousand dollars cheaper than local jewelers.

Purchasing from ebay and other less known sellers is pretty risky and I would definately not recommend that.

[lint]

Originally posted by black_2.5RS
I'm thinking of buying an engagement ring from bluenile.ca. Has anyone used it before? Is the quality better / worse than what I would get in a store?

I've done it. Great service, very convenient, excellent packaging etc. No problems with them at all. I ended up returning it and buying locally, but only because I got a great deal. Otherwise I would not hesitate again.

As for the quality, that depends on the grading, not the retailer. Go with an AGS stone over GIA. I ended buying a GIA stone and had it independantly appraised by a GIA trained lab, and they graded it slightly below what it was certified. Just means you're paying more than you should. They also mentioned that AGS is stricter in their grading, and from what I saw under the scope, I believe it.

As for having to see, touch, feel etc. I call bullshit. Unless you're a trained professional, and looking at diamonds side by side, you can't tell the difference between an F or a G, and you sure as hell can't tell the difference between a VVS2 and a VS1.

I would rather go with the grading than trust my own untrained eye. And blue nile only sells SI or better gems, complete with grading certificates. I would suggest an AGS 000 stone. And you really can't beat the prices at Blue Nile. Even after paying the conversion rate, the excise tax, shipping and GST, it was cheaper than retail paying cash to get by all the taxes.

[black_2.5RS]

This is probably more for lint (since he bought a diamond from bluenile). What if I screw up the sizing of the ring and need to get it resized? Isn't it a pain in the ass to send back to them through the mail?

I suppose I should just get it right the first time but stuff happens sometimes.

[Weapon_R]

Originally posted by lint



As for having to see, touch, feel etc. I call bullshit. Unless you're a trained professional, and looking at diamonds side by side, you can't tell the difference between an F or a G, and you sure as hell can't tell the difference between a VVS2 and a VS1.

I would rather go with the grading than trust my own untrained eye. And blue nile only sells SI or better gems, complete with grading certificates. I would suggest an AGS 000 stone. And you really can't beat the prices at Blue Nile. Even after paying the conversion rate, the excise tax, shipping and GST, it was cheaper than retail paying cash to get by all the taxes.

A lot of this is very true, but a lot of people think that a G/VS1 diamond is going to be nice and end up blindly purchasing it. The real trick to buying a GOOD diamond is not necessarily in its color, but its clarity and cut. The ability for a diamond to really sparkle comes from a skilled cut - the ones on ebay may boast impressive color and clarity, but if the diamond fails to catch the light correctly it will look dull. If you can find a H/VS1 diamond with an excellent cut, i'd prefer that to an F/VVS1 with a poor cut.

[Weapon_R]

Originally posted by black_2.5RS
This is probably more for lint (since he bought a diamond from bluenile). What if I screw up the sizing of the ring and need to get it resized? Isn't it a pain in the ass to send back to them through the mail?

I suppose I should just get it right the first time but stuff happens sometimes.

Resizing can be done anywhere by any semi-competant jeweler. Best thing to do is to visit a couple of local stores (peoples, spence etc), get her measured, and learn everything you can about cut color clarity and carat.

Here's a little info to get you started:

http://www.damincci.com/4c.htm

[lint]

Originally posted by black_2.5RS
This is probably more for lint (since he bought a diamond from bluenile). What if I screw up the sizing of the ring and need to get it resized? Isn't it a pain in the ass to send back to them through the mail?

I suppose I should just get it right the first time but stuff happens sometimes.

I bought a loose diamond, no setting. Anyone can do a setting. White gold, ~$300. The stone is much more important.

[lint]

Originally posted by Weapon_R


A lot of this is very true, but a lot of people think that a G/VS1 diamond is going to be nice and end up blindly purchasing it. The real trick to buying a GOOD diamond is not necessarily in its color, but its clarity and cut. The ability for a diamond to really sparkle comes from a skilled cut - the ones on ebay may boast impressive color and clarity, but if the diamond fails to catch the light correctly it will look dull. If you can find a H/VS1 diamond with an excellent cut, i'd prefer that to an F/VVS1 with a poor cut.

If you care to re-read my post, my suggestion was an AGS 000 stone, triple ideal.

Most people buy based on size, and sacrifice everything else. Problem with that is that the larger size also emphasizes any imperfections in the stone. All 4 C's should be factored into the decision. In general, the girl you're buying it for probably doesn't know anything about grades of diamonds, she wants something big ans shiney. Do your research.

I said AGS is because AGS grades the stones cut, and will give you proportions and angles. GIA does not. Bluenile provides a scan of the dossier for the stone. You can plug those numbers into a cut analyzer that will tell you how good the light return is on the stone.

I've just gone through this myself, so if you want any more info, and some informational links, pm me.