Brilliance vs. Blue Nile (2022 Comparison)

Brilliance vs Blue Nile

One of the most important decisions in buying a diamond ring or another piece of jewelry is your choice of vendor.

Brilliance and Blue Nile are two popular online retailers who sell a variety of jewelry, from loose diamonds and engagement rings to wedding bands and gemstones.

Our bottom line recommendation is you can’t go wrong either way. Blue Nile has a huge selection of high-quality diamonds, intuitive online buying process, and low prices. Brilliance has the same, and both have a solid track record of providing their customers with a satisfying experience.

But let’s compare Brilliance versus Blue Nile across the areas that most determine the quality of your experience, including an overview of each company, their selection, customer service, and more.

Brilliance Overview

Brilliance was founded in 1988 and is headquartered in Boynton Beach, Florida. Although they have a single showroom in that location, they opened their online store in 2006 as part of the wave of jewelry stores moving their operations from a storefront to the web.

Brilliance Jewelry

The company prides itself on the knowledge and experience of their designers and value they provide customers.

One of its innovations is sending potential customers 3D-printed engagement rings so they can compare the look and feel of different diamond cuts and sizes. This compensates for the lack of in-store experience where buyers test the ring’s overall appeal.

But aside from the basic overview found on their website, little else is known about the background of the company. They don’t provide information about its founder, their story of how the company was formed, or how they’ve evolved over the past three decades.

Brilliance only sells conflict-free diamonds and says their standards exceed the Kimberley Process, which ensures their gems aren’t sold to finance civil wars. 

They source from mines in locations such as Canada, Russia, and Australia.

Blue Nile Overview

Blue Nile is an online jewelry retailer founded in 1999 and headquartered in Seattle, Washington. 

Blue Nile Jewelry

They pioneered the process of selling diamonds online and have since become one of the world’s largest in their industry. One reason is because Blue Nile partners with manufacturers and wholesalers to avoid the high markups you’ll often find at traditional retailers.

Since their founding, they’ve welcomed a number of competitors such as Brilliant Earth and Clean Origin, who offer a similar buying process and include high-resolution photos of their jewelry.

The company is most regarded for its engagement rings but also sells wedding rings, pearls, and fine jewelry.

All of Blue Nile’s diamonds are conflict-free and in line with the Kimberley Process as well. They source gems from mines in many of the same locations as Brilliance.

If you want to learn more, read our full Blue Nile review.

How are Brilliance and Blue Nile Different?

Range of Jewelry Selection

Blue Nile and Brilliance have a huge range of jewelry.

Both offer 10 diamond cuts, including marquise, round, emerald, and radiant cuts, but Blue Nile’s selection has more options.

For example, they list close to 500,000 round cut diamonds on their website across all carat weights and color, cut, and clarity grades. 

Blue Nile Round Cut Diamonds

Brilliance lists less than 200,000.

The number drops significantly for other fancy shapes like princess cuts, where Blue Nile lists about 30,000. Brilliance has 10,000 in their inventory.

Both companies offer colored diamonds. Neither sells lab-created ones, although Blue Nile has partnered with Lightbox Jewelry to include some of their selection. 

They aren’t available for engagement rings, so the selection is limited to other fine jewelry.

If you’re searching for an engagement ring, there’s more to consider than the diamond. The type of ring shank that holds the diamond can define the piece as well. 

Blue Nile has 14 styles of settings, such as:

  • Three-stone
  • Channel-set
  • Eternity
  • Halo

Within each category, there are often dozens of options.

One of our favorites is their line of pave settings. 

You can select the band in rose, white, or yellow gold or platinum. The small diamonds lining the shank add sparkle to the piece without the same premium you’d pay for increasing the size of the center diamond.

For example, this French pave halo engagement ring has a total carat weight 0.48 carats. 

French Pave Halo Engagement Ring from Blue Nile

The accents support the main diamond and enlarge the ring.

Brilliance also has a variety of settings but classifies them differently than Blue Nile. As an example, within Brilliance’s “side stones” settings, you’ll find pave- and channel-set diamonds.

Blue Nile lists these as separate categories.

Brilliance also sells antique settings, bridal sets, and ones with gemstones surrounding the diamond. If you want your wedding band and engagement ring to match, you can choose their classic comfort fit bridal set in yellow gold.

Or if you prefer a trellis setting with two round diamonds on either side of the center gem, they offer that design as well.

Trellis Setting from Brilliance

Brilliance and Blue Nile sell more than diamond rings. Their selection also includes fine jewelry such as diamond bracelets, necklaces, and earrings.

We recommend exploring Brilliance’s line of gemstone bracelets, where the color of the stones often contrast with the metal, creating a unique aesthetic.

Blue Nile’s diamond bracelets come in every cut. Whether you want the piece lined with round, princess, Asscher, or oval cuts, there are options available.

Quality of Diamonds and Jewelry

If you’re buying a diamond ring, don’t assess the quality of the diamond based on the vendor. Instead, it should be judged by an objective, reliable third-party like the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). 

The GIA, along with HRD, the Gem Certification & Assurance Lab (GCAL), and the International Gemological Institute are some of the most popular.

If you’re selecting a diamond from Blue Nile or Brilliance, examine its GIA, AGS, or GCAL certificate.

You’ll know it accurately represents its qualities across color, carat, cut, and clarity, so you won’t be surprised if there’s visible inclusions or yellow tints.

Some have questioned the validity of Brilliance’s filtering of diamonds with “excellent” cut grades because the labs they use to certify diamonds could have different standards for assessing cut.

For example, we found several round cut diamonds that are reportedly graded “excellent” by the GIA but also have “good” symmetry and polish. It’s not impossible, but it’s rare for a diamond to have an excellent cut and significantly lower grades for polish and symmetry.

To further test this, we filtered diamonds from James Allen by cut, polish, and symmetry, and they didn’t return any results that matched that combination.

Excellent Cut James Allen Diamonds

For most of its grading labs, Brilliance doesn’t display the full certificate on the website. You need to fill out a form and request the report. 

We’re confident Brilliance sells many high-quality diamonds, but always view the GIA report and high-quality images before buying it to ensure you’re basing the decision on the report itself.

Blue Nile has the advantage over Brilliance in this area because its diamonds are graded by the GIA, and the full report is shown on the website.

For example, we filtered for cushion cut diamonds with the following qualities:

  • Carat weight: 1.00
  • Cut: Very good
  • Color: G
  • Clarity: VS1

I selected this diamond, and here’s the GIA report.

GIA Report for Blue Nile Cushion Cut Diamond

The high-resolution images and report are two forms of verification for what you can expect from this diamond in terms of its appearance and quality.

You can expect quality settings from Brilliance and Blue Nile. They handcraft all their pieces, and many of the designs are stunning. 

Whether you’re considering a simple solitaire setting or one that contains dozens of small diamonds, the attention to detail is exceptional and enhances the aesthetic appeal.

Prices

When buying a piece of jewelry, you shouldn’t sacrifice quality for price. It’s often too expensive of a purchase to focus too much on slight differences in cost between two online diamond companies.

The best way to compare Brilliance versus Blue Nile in terms of cost is to assess the prices of diamonds that earned the same grades from the GIA.

We examined prices for round cut diamonds with the following qualities:

  • Carat weight: 0.9
  • Cut: Very good
  • Color: G
  • Clarity: VS2

The average price at Brilliance for these diamonds is $4,692, with a range of $3,550-$5,654.

At Blue Nile, the average is $5,914, and the range is $5,192-$6,426.

That’s a 26 percent average premium for Blue Nile diamonds.

This demonstrates that diamonds from Brilliance generally cost less than comparable ones from Blue Nile, but there are plenty of exceptions.

Prices for their wedding rings are similar. Brilliance’s white gold wedding rings start at $220, and Blue Nile’s classic style is priced at $290.

The prices increase when you add diamonds to the band. 

For example, this petite micropave ring from Blue Nile costs $790, while this petite pave diamond wedding ring from Brilliance costs $800.

Petite Pave Wedding Ring from Brilliance

Overall, you can save money by choosing Brilliance over Blue Nile. 

But there are plenty of instances where Blue Nile offers a lower price, and jewelry isn’t the type of purchase where you should select one vendor over another based on a small percentage difference.

Ease of Buying Online

Buying a diamond online is more popular than ever, and Brilliance, Blue Nile, and competitors have created a seamless experience.

You should consider more than the final piece of jewelry when deciding your vendor, and the ease of their online purchasing experience is crucial.

If you visit Blue Nile’s and Brilliance’s websites, you’ll notice many similarities. The main navigation promotes their product categories.

Our favorite feature on both sites is the ability to create your own engagement ring by starting with a diamond or setting.

Create Your Own Engaegment Ring at Brilliance and Blue Nile

It allows you to pair any diamond and setting to learn which combination is right for you.

Once you’ve selected them, you’ll see an image of your engagement ring.

For example, you might wonder how a setting with tapered baguettes complements a princess cut diamond. 

Princess Cut Engagement Ring with Tapered Baguettes from Blue Nile

Or you could view the differences between shared prong and pave settings.

But Blue Nile has superior images of their jewelry compared to Brilliance.

Blue Nile allows you to view a 360-degree video of the diamond to examine it from every angle. On Brilliance’s website, you have to request this video by filling out a contact form.

We also find most of the images from Blue Nile to have a higher quality than ones from Brilliance. Some from Brilliance are dark and don’t give you a sense of how the diamond would look in person, like this example.

But overall, the two retailers provide an intuitive online buying experience. If you’re unfamiliar with the process of buying a diamond ring online, you won’t have to spend much time figuring out how to navigate their sites.

Brilliance and Blue Nile also have responsive customer service teams to complete their online buying experience.

Brilliance’s team is available to connect 24 hours a day Sunday-Thursday, 12 a.m.-7 p.m. EST on Fridays, and 10 a.m. to midnight on Saturdays.

You can contact their customer service teams by phone, mail, or the online chat feature.

Blue Nile’s team is available 24/7 every day of the week. You can call, text, chat, or email the company to learn more about a particular piece or ask questions about your online order.

Blue Nile Customer Service

We’ve personally connected with the customer service teams at Brilliance and Blue Nile and found both companies quick to respond and helpful in their guidance. 

We’re confident you’ll have the same experience.

Shipping and Returns

Brilliance and Blue Nile have comparable shipping policies.

Brilliance offers free shipping on every order, but there are some fees associated with faster shipping times for low-cost orders. 

For example, if your jewelry is under $2,000, it ships free with UPS or FedEx 2 Day, but overnight delivery costs $25.

You can read the details of their shipping terms here.

Blue Nile also includes free shipping on every order, but the speed depends on the cost of your order.

For orders more than $1,500, they’ll provide free overnight shipping, but for purchases under $500, they’ll send it via FedEx Ground.

Blue Nile Shipping Policies

All of Blue Nile’s shipping details can be found here.

The two companies also have similar return policies.

Jewelry must be returned within 30 days from when it was initially shipped from Blue Nile and Brilliance.

They must be in the original condition. If they discover the piece has been altered, you won’t receive a refund.

One difference in their policies is Blue Nile pays for the return shipping. They’ll send a free shipping label to your email address that also insures the package.

Brilliance’s return policy states the buyer must insure the package.

While both policies are generally in line with others in the industry, Blue Nile offers those two advantages.

Warranty and Jewelry Maintenance Plans

Brilliance’s lifetime warranty covers manufacturing defects. If you believe your jewelry suffers from a qualifying defect, you can return it to the company. 

They’ll inspect the piece and repair or replace it at no cost to you.

If the blemish is a result of wear and tear, they’ll still provide a repair, but you’ll have to pay for it. 

The warranty states it’s up to Brilliance to decide whether it’s a manufacturing defect, so the decision is out of your hands.

The company also provides a maintenance plan that includes:

  • Professional cleaning twice per year
  • Resizing for 90 days
  • Polishing and refining
  • Diamond tightening

Brilliance Jewelry Maintenance Plan

Blue Nile has a similar warranty. It covers problems caused by the manufacturing and not wear and tear or negligence on the part of the buyer.

You can send it to the company for an inspection, where they’ll either repair it at no cost or provide an estimate.

You can read their full warranty here, which excludes instance such as:

  • Prongs wearing down over time
  • The stone falling out due to prongs loosening
  • Discoloration from exposure during everyday activities and items like bathing and make-up

Blue Nile’s maintenance plan is inferior to the one offered by Brilliance, but they also offer free cleanings and inspections twice per year. 

The buyer pays to ship the jewelry to Blue Nile, and the company pays for its return.

Overall, the warranty and maintenance plans from the two companies are similar to others in the industry, but Brilliance’s maintenance plan does have added benefits.

Customer Reviews

You should also evaluate customer reviews to learn the sentiment of those who have purchased from the company. 

Jewelry vendors may promote high-quality pieces, low prices, and attentive customer service, but the experiences of real customers is a valuable indicator of how often they live up to those claims.

Customer sentiment toward Blue Nile is positive, with 62 percent of reviewers designating five stars on Trustpilot. After more than 300 reviews, the company earned 3.9 out of five stars.

Blue Nile Customer Reviews

Reviewers commend Blue Nile for the smooth online buying experience, the quality of their jewelry, and the helpfulness of their team.

But not every customer had a five-star experience. Some note slow or delayed shipping, difficulty understanding when the warranty is valid, and finding a similar piece for a lower cost at another retailer like Costco.

There’s also positive sentiment toward Brilliance. They’ve earned 4.9 out of five stars on Trustpilot and 4.5 out of five stars from 465 reviews on Sitejabber.

Brilliance Customer Reviews

Customers recommend them because of their guidance in finding the right jewelry, low prices, and resolving issues quickly.

Complaints involve paying for the return shipping label, difficulty obtaining a refund, and confusion about why some diamond’s traits don’t match the GIA certificate.

No jewelry vendor is without some poor reviews, but Brilliance and Blue Nile have both demonstrated their priority resolving these complaints.

Should You Choose Brilliance or Blue Nile?

If you’re comparing Brilliance versus Blue Nile, you should understand how each company operates across all aspects of your purchase. 

Though they provide a similar experience as other online jewelry retailers, each has unique offerings.

Here are some guidelines to help you decide.

You should consider Brilliance if:

  • You’re looking for diamonds at some of the lowest prices on the market
  • You’re willing to perform the due diligence in ensuring the diamond aligns with its GIA certificate
  • The comprehensive maintenance plan is important to you
  • The designs of their settings or fine jewelry are appealing

You should opt for Blue Nile if:

  • You’re interesting in choosing from one of the world’s largest selections of diamonds and jewelry
  • You want to avoid any confusion about whether the diamond matches its GIA certificate
  • You live near one of its showrooms and want to view their jewelry in person
  • It’s important for you to view high-quality photos and 360-degree videos for many diamonds

Explore a variety of jewelry from Blue Nile, Brilliance, and other vendors to learn which is best for you.

Facebook
Email
Pinterest
Jacob Clarke

Jacob Clarke

Jacob Clarke is the founder of TeachJewelry.com.

He earned an Applied Jewelry Professional Diploma from the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) and now brings you essential information about diamonds, settings, and more.

Jacob has consulted with leading jewelry brands, and his work has been cited in Clean Origin, Diamond Nexus and industry publications.

He's also a member of the International Gem Society.

He enjoys discussing jewelry with readers, so contact him with any questions at jacob.clarke@teachjewelry.com.

Learn More About Jacob

Table of Contents

Jacob Clarke

Jacob Clarke from Teach Jewelry

About Me

Greetings, my name is Jacob and I am the founder of Teach Jewelry. My aim is to guide you in making informed decisions when it comes to diamond and engagement ring selection. I provide comprehensive yet accessible advice and tips to ensure clarity, eliminating any concerns of overpaying for your diamond, engagement ring, or other jewelry. Whether your interest lies in selecting a top quality diamond, choosing its ring setting, or exploring other jewelry pieces, rest assured, you will attain the knowledge needed to select the right piece with confidence.

Contact Me

Categories