Mastering the Blue Nile Diamonds Search is essential to find the best-performing diamonds. 221,698 round brilliant cut diamonds were available during our latest Blue Nile Review.
Finding the best-looking diamonds in Blue Nile's inventory can be daunting unless you know how to set the advanced filters. How to conduct an effective Blue Nile Diamonds Search is the aim of this tutorial.
Otherwise, you risk buying a dull-looking and lifeless diamond that is unappealing. Unfortunately, most people mistakenly believe that GIA Excellent is good enough.
However, the overall cut grade encompasses a broad range of proportions and degrees of optical precision. In that case, there can be extreme differences in performance.
Blue Nile Diamonds and Engagement Rings.
Not to worry, because we will show you how to buy the best-looking Blue Nile Diamonds. The first step is to set the advanced filters and separate the wheat from the chaff. We will also explain how to interpret the lab reports' key to symbols and avoid undesirable clarity characteristics and pitfalls.
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How to Set Up Your Blue Nile Diamonds Search
Astor by Blue Nile Diamonds.
This is a crash course in finding Blue Nile Diamonds that exhibit the highest volume of light return and sparkle factor. After all, nobody wants to spend thousands of dollars on a lifeless chunk of crystallized carbon.
Considering the true meaning of an engagement ring, I'm sure that you want it to blind the daylights out of anybody who sees it. You're probably also hoping to find a great-looking diamond at a fair price when you search Blue Nile.
Those are both perfectly reasonable goals that this tutorial will help you achieve. Unfortunately, most people go about buying a diamond all wrong. First, they wrongly assume that GIA Excellent means the best light performance.
Under those circumstances, it helps to know what characteristics are essential to performance. Otherwise, you'll be rolling the dice, randomly trying to pick the best from the 221,698 Blue Nile diamonds available.
Blue Nile Diamonds Search Basic Options.
Setting the Advanced Filters on Blue Nile Diamonds
As stated previously, the GIA Excellent rating encompasses a broad range of proportions. Under those circumstances, your Blue Nile Diamonds Search should focus on the middle of the spectrum. Our recommended proportions for round brilliant cut diamonds are as follows:
Understand that that subtle differences in crown and pavilion angle or height can significantly affect light performance. Less obvious factors, such as contrast brilliance and obstruction, also affect performance.
Unfortunately, the Blue Nile Diamonds search results do not provide the ASET, H&A Scope, or Ideal Scope images necessary to judge light performance. However, GCAL light performance reports accompany Astor by Blue Nile Diamonds. In that case, you're able to choose wisely from that signature collection.
Blue Nile Diamonds Search Parameters (follow along)
For the sake of this example, use the following basic settings:
Adjust the slider for "Cut" to Ideal / Astor Ideal. In this case, those simple adjustments reduce the number of diamonds available to 3,811. Of course, that's still too many options to consider. So we'll continue to fine-tune things by using the Advanced Filters.
Our Blue Nile Diamonds Search Advanced Parameters
The simple act of setting the Advanced Filters on Blue Nile Diamonds to the proportions I recommend will significantly reduce the options. Although you will have fewer options, it will increase the odds of success.
- 1Click on the drop-down tab for More Filters.
- 2Set the parameters as shown below.
The Advanced Filter Settings We Use to Search Blue Nile Diamonds.
Vintage Style Engagement Rings from Blue Nile.
The number of Blue Nile diamonds available has decreased to only 430. That's a step in the right direction, but checking the box next to 360º brings that number down to 317.
Limiting the options to only those with a diamond video produces a more manageable number. We've also significantly improved the quality of choices. Why is that?
A round brilliant cut diamond with a total depth deeper than 62% won't perform well for one thing. After all, it means that the crown and pavilion sections are steep/deep or the girdle edge is too thick.
In that case, the light will not reflect properly, or the balance of brilliance and dispersion will be off. To say nothing of the fact that the visible outside diameter gets smaller as total depth increases. In that case, you're paying a premium for diamond carat weight hidden in total depth.
360º High-resolution and Clarity Photographs
Blue Nile provides high-resolution 360-degree videos for most diamonds in their virtual inventory. That enables you to see the inclusions and judge how evenly light is reflecting throughout the diamond.
- 1Check the box for 360-video in the upper left corner.
- 2Right-click your mouse over the line listing for each diamond.
- 3Open each page in a new tab in your browser.
There is an option to view the alternatives in a visual format. However, I find it faster and easier to work from the list view. Repeat this process for every one of the 317 diamonds available. It might seem like you have a million tabs open, but it's just part of the process.
Choosing the Best of the Best Blue Nile Diamonds
I freely admit that it can be daunting to have 111 tabs open in your browser. However, you're not going to have that many tabs open because you'll skip over any diamonds with a culet size other than none.
If the culet size is small or very small, skip over that option. Once all the tabs are open, you're going to click on each one to view the diamond details page.
Go straight down the line of tabs. Click on each one, then drop down about six inches and click on the GIA icon to open the report.
Don't wait for the report to load. Immediately click on the next tab in your browser and repeat the process for the rest of the pages.
Consequently, I was able to complete the entire process in less than ten minutes. Of course, I search Blue Nile multiple times per day and have 35+ years of experience as a buyer.
Separating the Wheat from the Chaff
Blue Nile GIA Excellent Cut Diamond.
The next step is to eliminate any options without the correct crown and pavilion angle offset. We'll only focus on the portion of the proportions diagram highlighted in green to do this quickly.
You are only interested in rounds with a 34.3 – 35.0 degree crown angle, offset by a 40.6 - 40.9 degree pavilion angle. That will produce a virtual balance of brilliance and dispersion. It also sets the stage for a high volume of light return, but the degree of optical precision is essential.
Don't waste time looking at the other measurements yet. Just close the tab on any diamonds with proportions outside the range we recommend.
If you're following along, there are only 26 diamonds left. Consequently, those remaining have characteristics of the Top 1% of annual round diamond production.
GIA Excellent Blue Nile Diamonds
GIA Excellent Cut Diamond 16% Crown Height.
You probably realize that we're reviewing the diamond details in waves. Each pass ensures that we're only considering the best of the best. Not to mention that we're eliminating options that aren't likely to deliver the best performance.
With that in mind, the next pass focuses on three things. See the red line running over the measurement of 16% in the picture to the right? That crown height is not conducive to the crown angle.
Likewise, the pavilion depth should be 42.5 - 43.3% for a 40.6 - 40.9 degree pavilion angle. In that case, we're going to eliminate this diamond because the cutter "cheated the stone."
The 75% measurement circled in green indicates the length of the lower girdle facets (LGF). Focus on options with an LGF between 75 - 78% if you like larger flashes that are bolder and more vivid. Look for options with an LGF between 79 - 80% if you prefer pin-fire sparkle smaller in size.
Blue Nile Diamonds Clarity Characteristics to Avoid
At this point, we've eliminated all the options with proportions outside our preferred range. If you're following my lead, you've also closed the tabs for any diamonds with 80% lower girdle facets.
That leaves us with ten diamonds left in this Blue Nile review. Be sure to eliminate any diamonds that feature the following clarity characteristics:
The key to symbols on the diamond grading report indicates the type of clarity characteristics. We eliminate the types of inclusions above because they pose a potential durability risk.
Winner of This Blue Nile Diamonds Search
Blue Nile GIA Excellent Cut Diamonds.
The next step is to close all the diamond grading reports and take a look at the diamonds. Click your mouse over the "X" located in the upper right corner of the diamond grading report.
Then click on the icon of the diamond in the face-up position as indicated by the green arrows. That will stop the diamond from rotating in the video and enable you to judge the degree of contrast brilliance.
This diamond has excellent contrast brilliance, as evident by the dark arrows' pattern. There is also minimal obstruction visible under the table facet. In that case, this is the best option available within the guidelines of this Blue Nile Diamond Search.
Of course, the global inventory changes daily, so there might be other options available tomorrow. I'm happy to help you search until we find the perfect diamond for your desires. Please submit a search request via our free Diamond Concierge Service.
Step-by-Step Summary of the Search Process
Now you know how seasoned professionals evaluate diamonds. The approach we recommend in our Blue Nile review differs from how most people search for diamonds. Then again, you're not looking to buy an average diamond. In that case, let's review the steps real quick:
How to Buy Blue Nile Diamonds in 3 Easy Steps
The entire Blue Nile Diamonds Search process above breaks the process down into three easy steps:
- 1Set the Search Criteria, Including the Advanced Filters.
- 2Evaluate the Details on the Diamond Grading Report.
- 3Review the Blue Nile Diamonds' 360º Video.
Blue Nile Diamonds Zodiac Guide to Ring Styles.
I hope that you enjoyed this in-depth Blue Nile Diamonds buying tutorial. Remember that it took me only 20 minutes to review the diamond details pages and pick the best one.
Of course, I've been buying diamonds professionally for 35+ years. In that case, this stuff is second nature for me. That is why it might be easier for you to use our free Diamond Concierge Service.
Please take a moment to fill out the form and provide me with the details of the diamond you seek. I'll take care of running the searches and provide you with a list of the top contenders from Blue Nile.
Of course, you can always try to do it yourself using Blue Nile Diamonds Guide to Ring Styles by Zodiac Sign. I'm laughing with you, I swear.