Whiteflash vs. Blue Nile

[lakesha]

I have looked at diamonds on the Whiteflash website and the Blue Nile website. I like what I have seen on both sites. The Blue Nile''s website just seems a little more informative then the Whiteflash site.

I know that a lot of folks on this website has ordered from Whiteflash and have great things to say about them. I would like to get some opinions on the Blue Nile.

Thanks

Newbie!

 

[Gonzodogg]

I do not have any feedback on Blue Nile as I have never worked with them but I am surprised to hear you say that they have more information than WF on their websites. WF has A LOT more information on their "in house" stones than Blue Nile does on any of theirs.

good luck with your search

 

[JulieN]

Blue Nile information:
1) Lab report

WF information:
1) lab report
2) SARIN report
3) Idealscope image
4) magnified image
5) hearts and arrows pictures if applicable

 

[icekid]

I''m confused too when you say blue nile has more information on their website? Are you sure you are not confusing the two companies??

WF offers pictures, idealscope, and sarin reports while blue nile offers none of these.

Generally, people on pricescope find that blue nile does not offer enough information to satisfy their needs and wants.

Good luck!

 

[Defender]

I have not bought from either vendor, but I have gleaned enough to try and answer this question in a general way, after shopping for diamonds online, and lurking here at PS for a month or two

I think that the point may be that on an initial site visit, Blue Nile has scans of the actual certs available on most of their inventory. along with scaled models of the size etc.

White Flash has plenty of additional info on in-house stones, but on a broader search you will not see the actual report scans on most virtual inventory when you do a basic search.

However, in the long run it seems like you will get far more personal service from White Flash if you actually get involved with them on a purchase. They will do more, and get you more info than Blue Nile.

It appears that Blue Nile does not even look at the stones. Meanwhile, as I understand it, White Flash will inspect the stones and run Sarins, etc. on the stones that you might be considering.

 

[Kaleigh]

My understanding of BN is that their stones are virtual and you can''t call them and ask how a certain stone looks. Whereas with WF, many stones are "In House" and they can pull them for you and give you lots of feed back. Such as if it''s eye clean or not and if you''re stuck between 2 stones they will give you their opinion as to which is the better stone. The info that WF gives you is far more than what BN offers and BN is often more expensive. Just my take on it, HTH. Good luck!!!

 

[LadyluvsLuxury]

I agree with the others how did you come to the conclusion that Blue Nile provides more info than Whiteflash? Maybe if you can be more specific about what exactly you are looking for we can be of better assistance. Personally I purchased my stone from Whiteflash and found that they provided a million times above and beyond what Blue Nile was willing to provide.

 

[jaz464]

BN will not be able to send you pics or even see the diamond themselves to describe it to you. They will not send the diamond to an appraiser prior to purchase. They will not run a Sarin. WF does all of these things.

 

[msdarlinjoy]

Hi Lakesha and welcome to PS!

To answer your question, I was not happy with Blue Nile. I thought the customer service was not all that great

, and to me ... customer service is just as important as the quality of any diamond.

When looking for a diamond, I always think about obviously quality and what my parameters are. Then I think about what company would be able to give me the kind of quality based on my parameters. Also, there is trust, and professionalism involved. And last but not least ... I want an experienced jeweler who can actually be my eyes and look at the stone themselves and give me their expert opinion on it. Personally, I went with Jonathan @ Good Old Gold, however, I would also consider Whiteflash as another trusted PS vendor who could meet my parameters as they can and will run reports, and can physically eyeball the diamond in person ... I don''t ever plan on going back to BN, but that is just my 3 cents.

There are many other PSr''s here who have more knowledge and or experience with other PS vendors, I am sure they will chime in and help to try and answer your questions. They are a wonderful bunch of people!

Take care,

 

[jasontb]

IMHO Blue Nile is sort of the Home Depot of diamonds. I prefer to go to my local Ace Hardware and get assistance from the Helpful Hardware Man. That''s not to say there isn''t good stuff or good deals at Home Depot.

But as others have pointed out, you will be making a *much* more informed decision on a diamond at WF than BN. Simply because they provide more info on the stone and they actually have the stone in front of them.

 

[belle]

Date: 3/23/2006 10:11:22 PM
Author: jasontb
IMHO Blue Nile is sort of the Home Depot of diamonds. I prefer to go to my local Ace Hardware and get assistance from the Helpful Hardware Man. That''s not to say there isn''t good stuff or good deals at Home Depot.

But as others have pointed out, you will be making a *much* more informed decision on a diamond at WF than BN. Simply because they provide more info on the stone and they actually have the stone in front of them.

lol..

as jason, and everyone else said, wf has so much more to offer since they actually have the stones in house. the decision is pretty easy.

 

[Mara]

Date: 3/23/2006 10:11:22 PM
Author: jasontb
IMHO Blue Nile is sort of the Home Depot of diamonds. I prefer to go to my local Ace Hardware and get assistance from the Helpful Hardware Man. That''s not to say there isn''t good stuff or good deals at Home Depot.

But as others have pointed out, you will be making a *much* more informed decision on a diamond at WF than BN. Simply because they provide more info on the stone and they actually have the stone in front of them.

love it..

i was just going to say ''are they even comparable?'' to me they are in different leagues. blue nile is like kmart of diamonds, catering to the ''masses'' but WF is more like....well i guess whatever kmart is NOT! hehee.

 

[Gonzodogg]

Date: 3/23/2006 10:11:22 PM
Author: jasontb
IMHO Blue Nile is sort of the Home Depot of diamonds. I prefer to go to my local Ace Hardware and get assistance from the Helpful Hardware Man. That''s not to say there isn''t good stuff or good deals at Home Depot.

But as others have pointed out, you will be making a *much* more informed decision on a diamond at WF than BN. Simply because they provide more info on the stone and they actually have the stone in front of them.

You always have the best posts

 

[kenny]

BN's Signature Collection are the only diamonds they have in house - and all the rounds have AGS reports.
They have NO pics or IS pics of ANY of their diamonds - they will not take a pic even if you ask.
No Sarin reports.
BN has a 30-day money back guarantee.

Whitflash has real pics IS pics, and Sarin reports of the stones they have in house, the ACA and the Expert Selection, which also have AGS reports.
I think WF prices are lower.
WF has only a 10-day guarantee.
.

 

[eyeball]

I purchased my wife''s diamond stud earrings from Blue Nile about one year ago and had no problems. Their price was reasonable and I did speak with them on the phone prior to my order and found them helpful. I would use them again if the price was right. Her earrings were 1.5 carat each round studs G in color and SI1. They were GIA cert diamonds which may have been a waste for earrings but they do look nice and many people notice the nice cut. They were much cheaper than the local jewelers non-GIA diamonds.

David

 

[eyeball]

I forgot to mention the first pair of earrings from blue nile looked too small so I returned them no questions asked and ordered her current pair a month later. The only problem with Blue Nile is after you buy from them and the return time is up they will not let you upgrade your current diamond. I think some stores will give you full credit towards the next diamond if you decide to upgrade.

David

 

[chris0229]

I just purchased from whiteflash. I spent alot of time on blue nile''s website before discovering whiteflash (courtesy of pricescope).

my conclusion - whiteflash PUMMELS blue nile

 

[bookworm21]

Haha....I came to same conclusion a while back after facing the EXACT same dilemma as yours. Glad you found what you were looking for. Now, I hope you''re going to post some pics?

 

[kevinyonker]

Blue Nile got kudos from a Wall Street Journal article. I seen their recommendation and since I was in the market for an engagement diamond, I checked their site out. I was impressed with BLue Nile...UNTIL I found Pricescope. The Vendors on Pricescope, such as GOG,WF and others simply outperform Blue Nile in all relevant aspects of purchasing a diamond... bar none.

Kevin

 

[noobie]

I know Blue Nile is not the most popular around here, but I''m surprised at the number of negative comments from members that apparently have not purchased from them. I''ve purchased from both of them on multiple occasions and here are my views.

Blue Nile''s stones are mostly virtual. Sarin information is available for all stones if you ask and they will give you an opinion of "eye clean" They use a number scale with their suppliers that correspond to how clean a SI stone is. However, their definition of ideal in rounds is solely based on depth and table and their CSRs are trained that way. They have a huge listing and some exclusive agreements with some cutters, so some stones only show up on their listing. BN also has a better return period that WF. In my personal experience I kept one BN stone that was a great deal and I sent one back.

Whiteflash is very well known here and I don''t need to add anything else. Great for inhouse stones and a good selection of them, but I personally would not use them them for virtual stones for reasons I will get to. However, you can''t go wrong with WF. You will see that I have recommended them many times.

If you are new to buying a stone, I would say you are probably better off sticking with WF and one of their ES or ACAs. If you know what you doing, looking at BN can increase the available inventory and there are some good deals to be had with some of their exclusive suppliers. It will take more effort and more knowledge to increase your chance of a successful BN purchase. BN''s inventory is good to check if you are looking for hard to find combos like 0.6x, 0.9x, 1.1x weights and SI, G/H.

If you find a virtual stone that looks interesting on BN, I would suggest another route. Call Mark at Engagement Rings Direct to look at it. He is based in the diamond district and can walk across the street, pick up the stone and call you back with it in front of him in matter of hours to discuss it. He is also great to deal with. I was about to buy a stone and we talked about a feather. He put it in a strain testing machine (name escapes me) and told me not to buy it. He ended up losing a sale on a 1.25c stone that day since I bought from another vendor. I recommend Mark not so much in that he is better than WF or JA or GOG, but for virtual stones, being in the diamond district saves the $25 shipping charge each way and the one day wait to review a stone. Saving the shipping makes a big difference in looking at multiple stones.

Good luck, hope this helps

 

[Mara]

i don''t think anyone was ''negative'' about BN...negative is when someone says ''oh my god i would SO never shop with them, their stuff just plain sucks''...

but the honest truth is that BN and WF are in different leagues, and i think that has been made very apparent here by the comments, which is important for a new poster to know. i have shopped with BN for other jewelry besides diamonds, they were fine to work with....but for diamonds i wouldn''t even consider them competition, even though i''m sure in the industry reports they are the big one to beat, aka like a kmart!

 

[caracol]

Hello Noobie,

I understand WF stands for Whiteflash.
JA for who ???
GOG for who???

I am a new member so I do not understand those letters ??

What you are recommending is that for the purchase of any stones, they should be seen??? What about purchases from internet where only a picture sent by e-mail can be seen???


Let me know.

Caracol

 

[KittenKat]

Hi there -

GOG = www.goodoldgold.com
JA = www.jamesallen.com

Both awesome vendors.

 

[chrono]

Date: 3/24/2006 3:48:34 PM
Author: caracol
Hello Noobie,

I understand WF stands for Whiteflash.
JA for who ???
GOG for who???

I am a new member so I do not understand those letters ??

What you are recommending is that for the purchase of any stones, they should be seen??? What about purchases from internet where only a picture sent by e-mail can be seen???


Let me know.

Caracol

WF: Whiteflash
JA: James Allen also known as DCD (Dirt Cheap Diamonds)
GOG: Good Old Gold

Yes, all diamonds should be seen before the final decision is made. Even though many of us here purchased over the internet, these trusted PS vendors do have a B&M location and we are all welcome to view them in person. If this is not feasible, these same vendors will also ship the diamond to an appraisor where the both of you can review the stone together. Or you can have it sent to you where you can take it to the appraisor of your choice as well.

ETA: KittenKat and I posted at the same time!

 

[lmurden]

Hi Lakesha,

About 90% of my diamond jewelry is from Blue Nile. I was drawn to BN initially because of their user friendly website and the education section. After my many BN purchases I found pricescope and learned so much more that words can't even describe. Having said that, I am not someone who needs the perfect cut diamond, hearts and arrows, or whatever. For me that just too much because I'd rather let my eyes tell me what is perfect for me. I have to say because of what I have learned from pricescope when I look at BN inventor, which I do on a regular basis just for fun I know exactly what I want and that's an AGS certified diamond hands down even if it is not perfectly ideal.

Pros of BN
1- 30 day return policy (absolutely no hassle!)
2-No restocking fee
3-Huge inventory
4-customer service
5-Price is excellent


As far as White Flash goes at least 95% of the customers that post on pricescope are extremely happy with them.

Pros of WF
1-Hearts and Arrow diamonds and A cut above diamonds
2-Sarin on line
3-Trade in policy which is pretty much priceless!
4-One on one customer service/relationship
5-Price is excellent



At the end of the day you have to decide what is important to you. Lastly, I don't feel like BN is Kmart in any way shape or form. I really take offense to that. Slamming another online vendor to promote another really isn't necessary.

 

[Mara]

Date: 3/24/2006 8:13:56 PM
Author: lmurden


Hi Lakesha,

About 90% of my diamond jewelry is from Blue Nile. I was drawn to BN initially because of their user friendly website and the education section. After my many BN purchases I found pricescope and learned so much more that words can''t even describe. Having said that, I am not someone who needs the perfect cut diamond, hearts and arrows, or whatever. For me that just too much because I''d rather let my eyes tell me what is perfect for me. I have to say because of what I have learned from pricescope when I look at BN inventor, which I do on a regular basis just for fun I know exactly what I want and that''s an AGS certified diamond hands down even if it is not perfectly ideal.

Pros of BN
1- 30 day return policy (absolutely no hassle!)
2-No restocking fee
3-Huge inventory
4-customer service
5-Price is excellent


As far as White Flash goes at least 95% of the customers that post on pricescope are extremely happy with them.

Pros of WF
1-Hearts and Arrow diamonds and A cut above diamonds
2-Sarin on line
3-Trade in policy which is pretty much priceless!
4-One on one customer service/relationship
5-Price is excellent



At the end of the day you have to decide what is important to you. Lastly, I don''t feel like BN is Kmart in any way shape or form. I really take offense to that.

Do I *really* need to explain what I meant by that? If so, here goes...one more time. Kmart caters to the masses. WF specializes.

A good example is that WF is more like going to get jeans at a boutique store instead of a Kohls/Target/insertlargewellknownstorehere.

Are you still offended? If so...don''t know what to say, sorry!

 

[msdarlinjoy]

Date: 3/24/2006 8:13:56 PM
Author: lmurden

I don''t feel like BN is Kmart in any way shape or form. I really take offense to that. Slamming another online vendor to promote another really isn''t necessary.

Hi everyone ~

I just want to say that with any public forum, where people come together to talk, discuss, and give testimony regarding any subject, there are bound to be differences in opinion. This is good.

I have learned that everyone is intitled to have a different view, or a different opinion. With that said, I also know that I do not have to agree with someone else''s opinion. I will be respectful, yet at the same time, I have to be respectful to myself too.

There are going to be people who will be happy with BN''s service and virtural diamonds, and there are going to be people who are not happy with them. I think we all have our own personal reasons, based on something, some reason, or some kind of past experience with them. I know for myself, that I don''t want to talk to a trained customer service representative who has to call in a diamond. I want a jeweler who is trained and has some years of experience with diamond buying, diamond science, can provide me with sarin reports, helium reports, ideal scope images, and last but not least the awesome Bscope images, to start with. I also want a jeweler who can based on years of training and experience physically look at and can compare different diamonds for me, and give me his/or/her valued personal and professional opinion/recommendations. For me ... BN can''t provide the type of service that I personally want. That doesn''t mean that they are inferior, it just means that I will not get what I need from them. My parameters are different than let''s say, Imurdens. And that is ok.

I don''t think anyone is meaning to attack BN, or any member here on PS that has bought from them. I do know that people here are giving a personal opinion, and they are entitled to do it, and if someone doesn''t agree, don''t take it as a personal attack.

I would not buy in the future with BN for many more reasons than my customer service problem/experience from them, and I am not going to at the same time get into nitty-gritty details about it either. I have no problem that Imurden has bought from them, and I am happy that her experience with BN has been satisfactory for her, and that she is happy with her product.

I think we just all need to remember that it is just that, a personal opinion, and not an attack on an idividual. As far as Kmart is concerned ... Kmart has some good product, like they carry the Martha Stewart Line of products. It is marketed as a "designer" line for the the family. I would buy and have bought some MS stuff, and it is nice for what my needs were, yet at the same time, I wouldn''t be happy buying my jewelry there.

Anyway, One persons "Pros" for a place to buy diamonds at might be another persons "Cons".

Well, hope everyone has a nice weekend ... Yay, It''s FRIDAY!

 

[Mara]

I agree Ms.DJ...I have shopped with BN for small goodies, and I did shop with them for our diamond, when we were looking for our engagement ring, and they just don't compare to a WF/GOG/JA/etc. Even way back then I nixed them out of the running right away due to lack of further information and the whole 'big company' vibe they give off.

That is why I say that they are in TOTALLY different categories, like the store comparison, it doesn't mean that anyone who shopped at BN or any other type of store was wrong or anything, to each their own. I also don't think it's remotely 'negative' or 'slamming' anyone to say that they don't even compare, it's just the truth. I would also say the same thing if the topic was BN vs GOG or BN vs JA or BN vs anyone who offers more than just a virtual cert on a virtual stone.

It's an opinion, of course not everyone has to agree!

 

[MissAva]

I don’t know Blue Nile for diamonds, as I have never purchased a loose stone from them. But I have worked with Whiteflash several times three times in the last year and I am working with them again at the moment. For me the bottom line is this, if something happens you want to work with the people who are going to work with you/ for you to make it right.
A business that takes care of it’s customers will always get strong reviews/posts here because people walk away feeling like the people who they worked with cared.
Everyone has different wants and needs when they are looking for jewelry, but I do think there is something to be said for customer loyalty, it is earned not given, and around here business practices tend to be pretty transparent.

 

[Angela1977]

My future fiance got our asscher cut stone from BN and we were thrilled with it. We got the Sarin done here, and it was stunning. The stone was absolutely amazing. The appraiser we hired couldn't believe what an exquisite diamond we'd gotten, and it appraised a few hundred higher than what we'd paid for it, which we really didn't care about (we weren't trying to make a profit off of it

). We then decided to get the setting from BN (a platinum trellis setting---the knock off of the Tiffany Lucida setting), and we sent the diamond back to BN. They put it through a quality assurance test, keeping us informed (over the phone) every step of the process. They called last night to let us know that they would be done setting it Tuesday and it should arrive on Thursday here...
The customer service has been excellent and the quality, from what we've seen, is excellent as well. I ran the same specs on WF and they were about $200 more than BN on the comparable diamond. No real difference in the grand scheme. (ETA: though the exact same setting was $400 more on WF than it was on BN, and I acutally like the proportions on the BN X-prong more than the WF). The return policy on BN is so good, you can buy in confidence...if you don't like what you get, you have 30 days to return it, no questions asked.
It's really just what you feel comfortable with. We had an EXCELLENT experience (unless the finished ring comes back mangled)...we didn't know about WF at the time, but I don't know if we would've done things differently if we had've. To each his own.

ETA: I understand why some might get their feathers ruffled over the analogy you're making, Mara. (K-Mart::BN) I'm obviously a BN fan, and while I feel K-Mart connotes some "low class" images, I don't think that's what you were trying to convey. K-Mart conjures up images of "cheaper things"...however unfounded that may be, it's the connotation associated with it...I've been to K-Mart to pick-up razors or some chapstick or Pinesol, but none of us would like to say we decorated our houses with furniture from there or bought our expensive jewelry from there (they do have a jewelry department!

). So it sounds a little elitist and a little bit like a slap in the face to make an analogy between that particular store and BN. I understand what you're trying to say, but some may not share my insight. I know it wasn't malicious...but I kind of like the Home Depot/Ace Hardware analogy that was used. Home Depot is completely respectable, but when you need that personal touch, you go to the Ace Hardware where you know the guys, and they'll "take care of ya"

.