Blue Nile 101: A Guide to Shopping the Label’s Fine Jewelry Collections

Presented by Blue Nile

Diamonds are billions of years old. Blue Nile, on the other hand, was ahead of its time. Founded in Seattle in 1999, on the cusp of Y2K and a new millennium, the jeweler was among the first to take diamond shopping online. Suddenly, buying a diamond was just a click away.

A quarter century later, Blue Nile has come a long way from its engagement-ring beginnings. These days, the jeweler is as much a designer as a diamond destination, with collections that give the precious stones a little personality. There’s Ellipse, a lineup of sculptural gold links sprinkled with diamond pavé; Modern Pavé, with its playful arrangements of diamonds; and SIX by Royal Asscher, an exclusive collection with the legendary Dutch diamond-cutting house. The result is a jewelry box that caters to considerably more than just the bride-to-be.

And it’s finding its way into some very fashionable hands. You might spot a Blue Nile tennis necklace around the neck of your favorite influencer, or its diamond rings and earrings on the likes of Laura Harrier and Rainey Qualley, two of the brand’s cool-girl collaborators. A diamond, it seems, is now as likely to accompany a white T-shirt as a white dress.

Naturally, the company that helped pioneer online diamond shopping hasn’t abandoned the internet. You can still peruse its offerings from your sofa (including the diamonds you have absolutely no intention of buying). But Blue Nile has since ventured into the real world, too, with showrooms across the country. Because even in the age of e-commerce, there’s something rather irresistible about trying on a very expensive piece of jewelry.

Whether you’re shopping for a once-in-a-lifetime purchase or simply indulging in a little wishful thinking, there’s plenty to discover. Below, the Blue Nile collections worth getting acquainted with.

Tennis Jewelry

The tennis bracelet has one of jewelrys better origin stories. Its name famously entered the fashion lexicon after Chris Evert’s diamond bracelet came loose during a match at the 1978 US Open, prompting a pause in play while she searched for it.

At Blue Nile, the tennis lineup goes well beyond the traditional strand of round diamonds. There are emerald-cut stones set horizontally in yellow-gold bezels, giving the classic bracelet a more geometric, almost Art Deco quality. The matching east-west tennis necklace is particularly interesting, with its procession of rectangular diamonds framed in gold. For something less extravagant, the mini half-tennis bracelet places a row of emerald-cut diamonds along a delicate paperclip chain, an appealing option for stacking with a watch or other bracelets. And then there are the classic round-diamond necklaces, which have become something of a modern wardrobe staple.

Six by Royal Asscher

Some diamonds come with a little more history than others. Take Royal Asscher, the Amsterdam diamond house founded in 1854, which has spent six generations perfecting the art of cutting a stone. In 1902, Joseph Asscher patented the original Asscher cut, with its distinctive square shape, cropped corners, and mesmerizing step-cut facets. More than a century later, the family is still finding new ways to make diamonds dazzle.

Enter Six by Royal Asscher, an exclusive collection for Blue Nile that brings the house’s six patented diamond cuts into the spotlight. The rings are particularly impressive, with substantial center stones surrounded by halos of smaller diamonds and set on pavé bands. There’s the classic round brilliant, a more romantic pear shape, and, of course, the architectural Asscher cut, whose geometric facets recall the glamour of the Art Deco era. For those inclined toward a full suite of diamonds, there’s also a necklace and matching bracelet composed of round brilliant stones, each framed by a delicate diamond halo.

Ellipse

An ellipse, for those whose geometry lessons are a distant memory, is an elongated circle. At Blue Nile, it’s also the starting point for a particularly chic jewelry collection. The oval takes center stage in sculptural 14-karat yellow gold links, some polished to a high shine, others outlined in natural-diamond pavé. The motif appears in necklaces with interlocking links, substantial bracelets, earrings, and rings, each playing with the shape's elegant proportions.

The long drop earrings are particularly striking, with alternating polished gold and diamond-studded links that would look especially good with a sleek updo. For something more discreet, there’s a delicate pendant with a single pavé oval, just the thing to wear with an open-collar shirt or layered with a favorite gold chain. The slim bangle, interrupted by a diamond-covered link, is an elegant alternative to the usual tennis bracelet, while the matching ring offers a more understated way to wear diamonds every day.

Modern Pavé

Pavé diamonds are usually cast in a supporting role, adding a little extra sparkle to a larger stone. In Blue Nile’s Modern Pavé collection, however, they’re the main attraction. Inspired by the rounded shapes of water droplets, the 22-piece collection features clusters of natural diamonds in varying sizes, set across sculptural surfaces of 14-karat yellow gold. A white rhodium finish beneath the diamonds gives the pieces an almost two-tone appearance, with the bright white stones contrasting against the warmer gold.

The oval signet ring is an interesting departure from the traditional engraved style, its domed surface entirely covered in diamonds. The station necklaces are particularly appealing, with little diamond-studded ovals spaced between slender gold bars—a more graphic alternative to the classic tennis necklace. For those who prefer their diamonds with a little more heft, there’s also a wide pavé bangle that makes a convincing argument for leaving the rest of your jewelry at home.

Something Blue

Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue. Of all the wedding traditions, the last is arguably the most fun to shop for. And while a blue ribbon sewn into a wedding dress might satisfy the superstition, a sapphire or aquamarine is considerably more tempting. Blue Nile has assembled an assortment of blue gemstone jewelry that runs the gamut from barely-there touches of color to decidedly more extravagant pieces.

For the traditionalist, there’s an emerald-cut sapphire pendant framed by a halo of diamonds, or a sapphire ring with a floral diamond setting that has something of an antique feel. Those partial to paler shades might gravitate toward the oversized oval aquamarine ring, its icy blue center stone surrounded by diamonds, or the simpler aquamarine studs in yellow gold. The blue-and-white topaz tennis bracelet is a particularly playful option, with alternating shades of blue that would look lovely against a white sleeve. And while these pieces may have been gathered with brides in mind, there’s certainly no rule against wearing your something blue long after the wedding.