Why Price @BlueNile < @WhiteFlash?

[rayq66]

When I compared a loose diamond with similar grading from BlueNile and WhiteFlash, it costs > $2000 cheaper at BlueNile ($9510 vs $11923) for a 1.05ct diamond.

http://www.bluenile.com/build-your-own-diamond-ring?first_step=diamond&forceStep=DIAMONDS_STEP#diamonds_forceStep=DIAMONDS_STEP|builder=BYOR|pid=LD01391073

http://www.whiteflash.com/hearts_arrows/Whiteflash-ACA-cut-diamond-2231164.htm#

Is that normal and OK to get it from BN? Sorry for the ignorance since I am a newbie. Thanks.

 

[Dreamer_D]

The diamond from BN is not an H&A diamond, so that accounts for part of the difference in price. Also, BN does not provide images or do any type of checking of the diamonds they list -- they are what is called a drop shipper meaning they do not own the diamonds listed, they call them in from a supplier when someone buys it. They also do not have policies like upgrade, lifetime buyback.

Bluenile is a good place to buy for some shoppers because sometimes they will cost less than WF or other vendors who own their inventory and provide assessments of the diamonds. But you buy the diamond totally sight unseen, and you cannot verify that the cut is good prior to buying because you cannot get anything but the cert information.

 

[elle_chris]

There's more to it than color, clarity and carat.

The WF stone is a branded ACA. It's a top of the line Hearts and Arrows stone. Cut for performance. The BN stone isn't even their signature ideal. They most likely don't have it in stock. It's a drop shipper. They can't provide you a hearts and arrow image to see if it's an H&A, they can't provide you an ASET to see where the leaky areas are (and based on the numbers they may be some leakage,) and they can't give you the Sarin numbers as GIA rounds up.
The BN stone is a hit or miss, the WF stone is a winner for sure.

So the questions is it worth it for you. If you read the tutorials you may find it is worth it to spend more on a top cut, or you may decide you can't tell the difference or just don't care. Either way, learn all you can before making such a purchase.

eta: What Dreamer said

 

[stone-cold11]

Ditto.

 

[yssie]

+1

With WF and other PS vendors you can do most of the checking and verifying before purchase, since they provide the necessary images and scans. With BN, if you think it's important, you'd have to do all that checking after purchase with an appraiser and risk the time and expense of needing to send it back.

 

[Bella_mezzo]

Seconding everything Dreamer said.

If you want to find a diamond that you can be sure is truly ideal cut, and fi you like hearts and arrows, if you post what you want and your budget lots of people will chime in and help you. Whiteflash A Cut Above and Brian Gavin Diamonds Hearts and Arrows are pretty much sure things. They are all gorgeous.

Same with Good Old Gold signature.

jamesallen has some great diamonds, but be careful b/c they also have some not so great ones...

Good luck!

 

[Bella_mezzo]

Wow, a lot of us were posting at the same time

 

[rayq66]

Thanks for all quick and helpful inputs!

 

[swingirl]

ACAs are the best of the best. You were comparing an ACA branded stone with a Blue Nile Idea. When you compare an ACA stone to a BlueNile Signature Ideal, their highest cut, the prices are almost the same with WF being a little higher for the branding, upgrade policy, images, and personal service from the WF staff (which is worth it for a few $100 because you don't have the need to get an appraisal).

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Yep, to what everyone is saying. ACAs (fwiw) are gorgeous, however, $2K is a substantial price difference. Personally, because Blue Nile doesn''t provide all the details that WF does, I''d probably not purchase from them. . .have you looked at WF''s Expert Selection? Among those are fabulous stones that are a bit less than the ACAs. When I compare my ACAs to my ES, I cannot tell the difference.

 

[Kaleigh]

Date: 1/13/2010 6:49:11 PM
Author: swingirl
ACAs are the best of the best. You were comparing an ACA branded stone with a Blue Nile Idea. When you compare an ACA stone to a BlueNile Signature Ideal, their highest cut, the prices are almost the same with WF being a little higher for the branding, upgrade policy, images, and personal service from the WF staff (which is worth it for a few $100 because you don''t have the need to get an appraisal).

+1

 

[Laila619]

Whiteflash is going to be significantly higher than Blue Nile and James Allen, etc. You can get a well-cut stone from all 3 vendors. No need to spend a ton.

 

[serenitydiamonds]

In jewelry, you typically get what you pay for. If something is for sale less with one vendor than another, there is a reason.

--Joshua

 

[Black Jade]

I have bought diamonds from both Blue Nile and White Flash. I was very happy with both. I got a diamond from Blue Nile which is an AGS 000 and ideal cut and it looks great. I got another AGS 000 diamond from them later which was the same quality. I am not going against the opinions already stated--just giving you another one. It is true that the diamonds you get from Blue Nile are not guaranteed Hearts and Arrows. It is true that you don''t get photos beforehand and the same level of personalized service. However, you can call BN service representatives and they will give you information about the diamonds (I had them take SI2''s I was considering out of the vault for me and tell me whether or not they were eyeclean) and BN has an excellent return policy and great customer service.

I''m trying to send you a photo of my ring and earrings together but am not sure it will go through. I''ll try again if it doesn''t.

 

[Black Jade]

Here''s the picture of whiteflash studs (which I adore) with the Blue Nile ring (I also love this).
Good luck making your decision.

 

[stone-cold11]

Date: 1/14/2010 2:39:31 PM
Author: Black Jade
(I had them take SI2''s I was considering out of the vault for me and tell me whether or not they were eyeclean)

That is marketing, unless the stone you bought is their SI stone, all the other stones are virtual stones hold by other vendors and not in some vault of their, distributed around the states.

 

[tbradshaw]

I personally like James Allen (www.jamesallen.com) because their prices are comparable to blue nile and they show you pictures of the diamonds on their website. Also, their staff is incredibly helpful and can often provide high-res images of the diamond and notes from someone who has actually seen the diamond. The pictures are probably the most helpful, as you can clearly see whether the image has the "arrows" part of the hearts and arrows pattern, and you can get a very good sense of whether the diamond is eye clean. That way you can go down to an SI2 clarity and still get something that is eye clean for much cheaper than an SI1 or VS2 for the same color and carat. Buying an SI2 without seeing it (or at least seeing a picture) can be risky since you don''t know how bad the inclusions will actually look in person.

 

[whitby_2773]

hi rayq66

i buy pretty much all my stones from BN - not all, but almost. i generally stick to their Signature Cut stones, which do come with images and extra paperwork, and which are cut specifically for BN. these stones *have* been inspected before sale. i love all my BN sig cut stones and have never had cause to send any back, and i''m picky.

i''ve also had great experiences with Good Old Gold, Brian Gavin Diamonds and James Allen, but mostly with BN. BN also has a great return policy, so if you dont like it - back it goes.

if the price is significantly different (altho i think BN''s sig cuts and James Allen H&A are pretty close in price, BN being a shade cheaper in general), i''d say they were more than worth a try.

if you''re at all shaky on the process, tho, you can''t do better than to put yourself into the hands of either Good Old Gold or Brian Gavin Diamonds.

it''s whatever you find comfortable, moderated by what you can afford.

good luck!

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Date: 1/14/2010 2:44:28 PM
Author: Black Jade
Here''s the picture of whiteflash studs (which I adore) with the Blue Nile ring (I also love this).
Good luck making your decision.

Beautiful set, Black Jade!

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 1/13/2010 6:06:02 PM
Author:rayq66
When I compared a loose diamond with similar grading from BlueNile and WhiteFlash, it costs > $2000 cheaper at BlueNile ($9510 vs $11923) for a 1.05ct diamond.

http://www.bluenile.com/build-your-own-diamond-ring?first_step=diamond&forceStep=DIAMONDS_STEP#diamonds_forceStep=DIAMONDS_STEP|builder=BYOR|pid=LD01391073

http://www.whiteflash.com/hearts_arrows/Whiteflash-ACA-cut-diamond-2231164.htm#

Is that normal and OK to get it from BN? Sorry for the ignorance since I am a newbie. Thanks.

Hi rayg66

I just wanted to reiterate a point made earlier, if an undisputed h&a diamond is what you want, BN will not provide images of their Signature Ideal diamonds which are said to be h&a so that the cutting precision can be checked. So if you want a true h&a then really there is no way of knowing without images of both hearts and arrows if these diamonds do in fact meet the standards that experts and enthusiasts of this cutting style expect.

Having said that, if you aren''t concerned about h&a then thats absolutely fine, although BN do not provide images they do have some great diamonds available plus a solid and generous return policy the buyer can use should the diamond not meet their expectations. Also if you want to upgrade at a later date, Whiteflash and some of the other vendors have upgrade policies on some of their diamonds, BN at this time do not allow for this, so it is something to consider.

 

[Conflagration]

Blue Nile Signature diamonds are top notch. I have purchased several and they look amazingly stunning.

I just received 2 loose from Whiteflash, ACA, five star, the best they offer. The Whiteflash stones are certainly No Better than the Blue Nile Signature. Matter of fact, the Blue Nile Signature diamonds out sparkle the Whiteflash stones. ymmv.

 

[stonecutter2]

As all the others have said, although the grading may be similar, the cut might not be the angles that provide the best optical performance. I would say that Whiteflash's ACA ("a cut above") cut and Blue Nile's Signature Ideal could approach each other in price.

There is always a reason why two diamonds will have dramatically different prices. Always. And branding can be a factor - like Tiffany, Whiteflash ACA, Hearts on Fire, Blue Nile Signature Ideal, etc. People like to know they're getting good quality without doing so much research.

The thing about Blue Nile is that most of their really well cut stones seemed to be in their "signature ideal" line, for a premium cost. So I just went with that, knowing they'd done the leg work to find a diamond with really great proportions (and of course I submitted the angles and such for the folks here to scrutinize and provide their opinion!).

For reference, here's a Blue Nile Signature Ideal cut diamond on my fiancee's engagement ring. We are both absolutely delighted with how the thing sparkles! It's truly gorgeous, with a lot of fire! It's a .798ct F color VS2 clarity.

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

Date: 1/13/2010 6:06:02 PM
Author:rayq66
When I compared a loose diamond with similar grading from BlueNile and WhiteFlash, it costs > $2000 cheaper at BlueNile ($9510 vs $11923) for a 1.05ct diamond.

http://www.bluenile.com/build-your-own-diamond-ring?first_step=diamond&forceStep=DIAMONDS_STEP#diamonds_forceStep=DIAMONDS_STEP|builder=BYOR|pid=LD01391073

http://www.whiteflash.com/hearts_arrows/Whiteflash-ACA-cut-diamond-2231164.htm#

Is that normal and OK to get it from BN? Sorry for the ignorance since I am a newbie. Thanks.

Every one explained it well - but here is a real live example of a similar drop ship diamond from WF
http://www.whiteflash.com/round/Round-cut-diamond-2223117.htm
it is
1.01 ct F VVS2 Round
Price $8,898.00
Pricescope price $8,853.51
Pricescope wire price $8,675.55

 

[rayq66]

Thanks so much for all responses. After spending some times in this forum, I learnt quite a lot. I think I might lower the clarity to VS1 or VS2 to keep the price down. Can a naked eye tell the difference between F & G color? Since we are located in Canada, I think WF charges for shipping outside US

. Does anyone know if the BN Signiture Cut guarantees a H&A?

Stonecutter2: that is a really nice looking ring you got

Thanks.

 

[stone-cold11]

BN says they are but with no hearts image to back it up and no way to look at the hearts from the pavilion using a H&A scope once the stone is set, anyone's guess.

EDT:
WF shipping is free for Canada too.
http://www.whiteflash.com/diamonds_info/t/confidence.aspx?articleid=308&zoneid=2

 

[aguyinlove]

I find this interesting as I have just bought a diamond from WF and yes it cost me more but and I did my own research and had amazing help on this forum but the extra touches and service from WF have helped me get a good diamond. I did not buy one if there stock diamonds but they got in for me which I was told is an ideal cut and is a 1.7 on the holloway numbers and comes with there company policy. The big thing for me is knowing I''m getting a perfect diamond for the one I love as she will have this for ever.

 

[Dreamer_D]

WF ships free to Canada, and all you pay is the GST and PST on the Canadian value of your purchase. I have done it a few times and it is easy peasy.

 

[Dreamer_D]

Date: 1/15/2010 8:54:45 PM
Author: Garry H (Cut Nut)

Date: 1/13/2010 6:06:02 PM
Author:rayq66
When I compared a loose diamond with similar grading from BlueNile and WhiteFlash, it costs > $2000 cheaper at BlueNile ($9510 vs $11923) for a 1.05ct diamond.

http://www.bluenile.com/build-your-own-diamond-ring?first_step=diamond&forceStep=DIAMONDS_STEP#diamonds_forceStep=DIAMONDS_STEP|builder=BYOR|pid=LD01391073

http://www.whiteflash.com/hearts_arrows/Whiteflash-ACA-cut-diamond-2231164.htm#

Is that normal and OK to get it from BN? Sorry for the ignorance since I am a newbie. Thanks.

Every one explained it well - but here is a real live example of a similar drop ship diamond from WF
http://www.whiteflash.com/round/Round-cut-diamond-2223117.htm
it is
1.01 ct F VVS2 Round
Price $8,898.00
Pricescope price $8,853.51
Pricescope wire price $8,675.55

Yes, this is a better comparison if you awnt apples to apples diamonds with the two vendors.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 1/15/2010 9:09:57 PM
Author: rayq66
Thanks so much for all responses. After spending some times in this forum, I learnt quite a lot. I think I might lower the clarity to VS1 or VS2 to keep the price down. Can a naked eye tell the difference between F & G color? Since we are located in Canada, I think WF charges for shipping outside US

. Does anyone know if the BN Signiture Cut guarantees a H&A?

Stonecutter2: that is a really nice looking ring you got

Thanks.

Not usually no, and especially not when set. You can certainly lower the clarity to VS2 if you prefer too.

No, the BN signature is said to be h&a but without images of both hearts and arrows there is no way to judge the overall cutting precision that this cutting style requires.

I don't know if you have seen this article on how h&a are created from the tutorial listing above, but it will show you the strict standards that " true" h&a have to meet.

http://journal.pricescope.com/Articles/65/1/Hearts-and-Arrows-Diamonds-and-The-Basics-of-Diamond-Cutting.aspx

 

[aguyinlove]

Oh this is interesting we have ordered a ring from wf and only tried rings on in other stores to get a size but not had some one measure the finger. Hmmm guess I will find out in 3days if it''s right let''s hope so.

Thnks