Diamond Discovery: Diamond Event from Our Bellevue Showroom

It’s no secret that Blue Nile has the largest collection of directly-sourced diamonds available online. A lesser-known fact—we also have showrooms in select locations in the U.S. Our recent Diamond Discovery Event brought 24 incredible diamonds to four of our showrooms, enabling customers to see them in person. We visited our flagship in Bellevue, WA to get the full experience—and confirmed that from the kaleidoscopic sparkle to flawless facets that show off a craftsman’s expertise, there truly is something magical about holding a diamond in the palm of one’s hand.

Diamond expert, Nathan, showing diamonds to a customer in a jewelry store.
Diamond expert Nathan, shows a customer all 24 diamonds from the event.

EXPERT ADVICE ON BUYING A DIAMOND FOR AN ENGAGEMENT RING

Our showrooms offer a unique opportunity to learn about diamonds and try on settings in person. Normally, the rings in our showrooms feature cubic zirconia. The Diamond Discovery Event is unique, however, with real diamonds brought in specifically for the day. Nathan and Courtney, two of our Diamond Jewelry Experts, walked us through the process of viewing a real, diamond.

A 2.2 carat diamond is displayed in a gloved hand.
The stunning sparkle of a 2.2 ct. brilliant round-cut diamond.

Starting off, specialized 4-prong tweezers show off a diamond’s unmatched sparkle. Next, a loupe that magnifies the craft of the cut—and makes you marvel at the superhuman skill a diamond cutter needs to carve 58 facets in such a precise area. Another critical tool is a “dummy” setting that gives you an idea of the shape and carat size of a diamond looks on your finger. Every diamond is unique and so is every hand, so seeing the stone in place can be a game changer: You’ve always wanted a round brilliant diamond, but once you try on different rings, you may discover that an oval cut is more flattering. Two carats were your dream but a stone that large looks and feels overwhelming in real life.

While there are plenty of cool tools used to see the 4Cs, one of the most visually dramatic grading identifiers comes from none other than a folded piece of paper. The simple technique shows the color difference between two diamonds. Because color affects cost, you can save on your diamond if you’re unimpressed by the difference. Lo-tech but effective.

Two diamonds of different color grades compared side by side on a plain background.
The color difference in an H (left) versus D grade (right) diamond. Can you see the difference?

While color, cut, clarity and carat all affect the price of a diamond as long as its GIA-graded—and all Blue Nile diamonds are—you’ll know exactly what you’re getting for your budget.

The Diamond Discovery Event let us appreciate the brilliant, unobscured sparkle of the diamonds our customers trust in every day. Once you experience it, you get why diamonds captivate so many people. Also, spending time with experts as passionate and knowledgeable as Nathan and Courtney left a lasting impression. Thanks to them for making the Blue Nile experience come to life.

Want to know if there’s a showroom near you? See where Blue Nile is out in the world. If you stop into one of our stores, #bluenilesparkle and share your experience.

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