Blue Nile

Founded in 1999, Blue Nile has grown to become the largest online retailer of certified diamonds and fine jewelry. Internet Retailer Magazine reports Blue Nile is bigger than the next three largest online jewelers combined.

The company is built on a unique idea: choosing an engagement ring doesn't have to be complicated. Diamonds can be simple to understand. Making the right choice can be easy. This unique approach and reputation for excellence has gained notice from publications such as Forbes, Time, and Money.

A publicly traded company, Blue Nile is listed on the NASDAQ under NILE. Blue Nile is one of only 15 companies to be awarded the Bizrate.com Circle of Excellence Platinum Award in 2002 and 2003 for excellence in customer service.

At Blue Nile you'll find high-quality diamonds certified by the most respected independent diamond grading labs. You can create your own jewelry choose the right diamond and we'll set it in your favorite earring, pendant, or ring design. Every order is shipped free via FedEx® shipping, guaranteed and returnable within 30 days, so you can be sure you made the right decision.

Here are just a few of the awards and reviews about Blue Nile:

"Impressive combination of selection, education and interactive tools. The diamond inventory is particularly vast: A search for a round diamond turned up 18,400 gems in prices ranging from $309 for .24 carats to $171,857 for a 4.46-carat stunner. Also available: plenty of pearl, gold and silver jewelry, as well as a solid selection of gifts for men (cufflinks, watches and money clips) and babies (engravable silver rattles, bracelets and lockets). Not sure which type of pearls to get your honey? Each material has its own education section, so you can learn the difference between South Sea pearls and Akoya pearls, or how to assess luster, shape and surface markings. Want to design your own engagement ring? Line up your choices in the handy diamond comparison, then plug your pick into the build-your-own-ring tool."

"Buying jewelry is already fraught with anxiety Blue Nile tries hard to reassure with copious consumer education, on-call phone consultants and designs you can customize. As for price, one-carat (total weight) colorless diamond solitaire stud earrings go for $3,204 vs. $3,999 at zales.com."

"With so many online stores, which stores really are the 'best of the best?' In answer to this question, BizRate.com is proud to present this year's Circle of Excellence Award Winners, as rated by millions of customers just like you. These 41 stores demonstrated outstanding performance in all seven of the following areas from September 2003 - August 2004: Ease of Finding What You Are Looking For, On-Time Delivery, Overall Satisfaction, Selection of Products, Customer Support, Product Met Expectations and Repurchase Intent."

"Plenty of classic pieces at affordable rates, from silver hoops ($35) to diamond studs (starting at $215) to, yes, engagement rings."

"Although this site offers all kinds of jewelry, it really comes into its own in the diamond section. You can search thousands of diamonds by cut, color, clarity, carat weight and price, and the page instantly shows you how many diamonds fall in the range you've set. Individual diamonds are described in even more intricate detail, including depth, table, symmetry, polish, girdle, culet and fluorescence. And the site even explains what all these things mean."

"Mark Vadon founded BlueNile.com after he suffered through the ordeal of choosing an engagement ring. Those who can't distinguish a carat from a carrot should head to 'Education' to learn why platinum is a better diamond setting than gold. The 4-year old site is so detailed, it even shows drawings of bracelet, necklace and watch clasps, with directions for opening them. Shopping on the site is easy, too, with links such as 'Build Your Own Engagement Ring' and searches by budget and material."