• About
• Latest Posts

Sabrina Lopez

Sabrina Lopez is a professional jewelry designer and illustrator with a degree in fashion design. She has created jewelry collections and illustrations for brands around the world, and her contemporary pieces have been exhibited in several museums. She also runs her own jewelry brand, bringing a designer’s eye and hands-on industry knowledge to every piece she creates and writes about.

Latest posts by Sabrina Lopez (see all)

• Blue Nile Vs Kay Jewelers - August 21, 2026
• Blue Nile Vs Jared - August 21, 2026
• The Complete Guide to Buying a Princess Cut Engagement Ring Online - August 10, 2026

If you are looking for fine jewelry, especially engagement rings and diamonds, you are likely comparing Blue Nile and Jared, two well-known online diamond retailers. 

Both brands have a strong reputation in the online jewelry market, but they also have clear differences in terms of shopping experience and pricing.

There are many big names in the wedding jewelry market, but the variety offered by these two brands stands out from the rest. That is why I think they deserve a detailed comparison.

Just as both companies have several things in common, they also have features that set them apart. 

Blue Nile Vs. Jared (At a Glance)

Blue Nile

Blue Nile has been in the market for over two decades, since 1999, and today, its history precedes it. Why does it stand out? Diamond inventory. The brand offers an enormous, globally sourced diamond inventory across a wide price range.

Main Features

• Diamond Types: Natural and lab-grown diamonds.
• Inventory: Extensive selection of fine jewelry pieces, loose lab-grown diamonds, and natural diamonds.
• Certification: GIA, IGI, and GCAL.
• Gemstones: Natural colored gemstones only, fully customizable in any ring design. Lab-grown and natural fancy diamonds can also be added to any design.
• Customization & Design: Extensive custom engagement ring service with more design options and easier 3D rendering and visualization.
• Company History: Blue Nile was one of the first online diamond stores. Founded in 1999, it was acquired by Signet Jewelers in 2022, making it a sister company to Jared.

Jared

Jared specializes in engagement and bridal jewelry, maintaining a significant presence both online and in-store. Why does it stand out? The brand operates more than 200 stores across the U.S. It also offers many in-store services, including resizing, repairs, and custom design.

Main Features

• Diamond Types: Natural and lab-grown diamonds.
• Inventory: Wide selection of fine jewelry pieces and loose diamonds.
• Certification: GIA, IGI, and other, less-recognized laboratories.
• Gemstones: Loose colored gemstones aren’t available. However, Jared does offer gemstone jewelry, as well as software that allows you to customize your gemstone jewelry.
• Customization & Design: You can create your own engagement ring using preset designs. You can also customize other pieces of jewelry, such as bracelets and necklaces.
• Company History: Jared was founded in 1993 by Signet Jewelers, which launched the superstore format. By 2000, Jared stores were Signet’s fastest-growing segment.

Diamond Inventory 

Grading reports are essential when purchasing a diamond, as they are the only way to determine whether a diamond is natural or lab-grown, as well as to assess its quality. 

That’s why I always recommend buying from sites where you can view the certificate online before making the purchase. That said, when it comes to natural diamonds, the laboratories that matter are, first and foremost, GIA, followed by IGI. Don’t be misled by reports from unknown laboratories.

Blue Nile offers natural diamonds certified by GIA and IGI, both of which are internationally renowned laboratories. For their lab-grown diamonds, they also offer certification from GCAL in addition to GIA and IGI.

Jared also offers GIA and IGI certifications for both natural and lab-grown diamonds. Jared holds other certificates, but GIA or IGI are the ones that really matter internationally.

Why Choose Jared?

• For jewelry repair services: It’s a paid service, but you can have jewelry from Jared or other brands repaired.
• If you prefer shopping in person: With so many stores across the country, you have the option to try on rings before buying them and see different styles in person.
• For in-person ring design: You can bring your own ring design sketch and speak with a consultant at one of their stores. This option isn’t available online.
• For designer collections: Jared offers jewelry capsule collections created with famous designers like Vera Wang.

Why Choose Blue Nile?

• For the fully online experience: The website is optimized so you can choose your diamond from the comfort of your home.
• For an easier diamond-shopping experience: The ease of selecting a diamond, along with the high-quality images, videos, and detailed explanations, can give you more peace of mind when making a high-value purchase like a diamond.
• For fancy diamonds and colored gemstones: Blue Nile is a good option if you’re considering a ring with a fancy diamond or colored gemstone.
• For designing your own ring from home: If you like the idea of designing your own ring without visiting a store, Blue Nile offers a convenient online customization experience.

Which One is Better: Jared or Blue Nile?

Looking at the two websites, one thing is clear: both offer a variety of ring styles and settings, as well as a variety of diamonds. What sets them apart? There is a striking difference in the ease of navigating the online store and in the quality of the images of the diamonds and rings.

At least for me, since I look for specific details when choosing diamonds, the way Blue Nile presents them feels more trustworthy. This is because Blue Nile focuses on online sales, whereas Jared focuses on in-store sales. Jared’s website is good, but it doesn’t quite reach Blue Nile’s level.

Of course, this doesn’t mean that Jared’s fine jewelry (or their diamonds) lack quality; it simply influences how the customer perceives the brand. 

Personally, if I were buying a diamond for the first time and wanted to purchase it from Jared, I would take advantage of their physical stores and go see the diamonds in person, since I can’t view them online in the level of detail I’d like. I emphasize the quality of the images because if you want to choose a diamond, you need to be able to see it.

That is why two things are important when buying diamonds online: the certificate proving the diamond’s quality and the image quality, which allows you to see the location and size of inclusions, as well as whether the stone appears transparent or tinted. 

Once those two criteria are met, it’s a matter of taste, the choice comes down to the ring style, which of the two sellers offers the design you prefer, and which price best fits your budget. Now it’s up to you to decide.