Carat Hunter · Diamond retailer comparisons

Blue Nile vs Diamonds Direct

Side-by-side store comparison. Independent and non-promotional.

Data current as of October 29, 2026 · Updated daily. Zero affiliate revenue.

At a glance

	Blue Nile	Diamonds Direct
Founded	1999	1995
Headquarters	Seattle, WA	Charlotte, NC, United States
Current listings	376,585	96,055
Origin mix	Lab + Natural	Lab + Natural
Cert labs accepted	AGS · DF · EGL · EGL USA · EGLUSA · GCAL · GIA · GSI · HRD · IGI · R&F · SGS · STULLER · UNKNOWN	GIA · HRD · IGI
Ships to	US · CA · UK · AU	US
Return window	30 days	10 days
Terms checked	Not yet verified	June 15, 2026

Current listings, origin mix and accepted labs are updated daily. Founded, headquarters and shipping come from public sources. Return terms are our summary of each retailer's own policy page, dated per retailer in the table. Retailers change their terms, so check the retailer's own returns and shipping pages before you buy.

What each store stocks

Inventory composition observed across each store's current listings.

Blue Nile

Origin mix

Lab-grown 34%Natural 66%

Most common shapes

Round 32%·Oval 13%·Emerald 11%·Cushion 10%

Diamonds Direct

Origin mix

Lab-grown 4%Natural 96%

Most common shapes

Round 42%·Oval 12%·Emerald 10%·Pear 9%

Stones stocked by both

No overlap right now

These stores do not currently share any of the same physical diamonds. Their inventories are mostly distinct.

Pick by what you are looking for

Need shipping to Australia? Only Blue Nile ships there.
Need GIA grading? Both stores carry it.
Need IGI grading? Both stores carry it.
Need HRD grading? Both stores carry it.
Diamonds Direct stocks more natural. Blue Nile stocks more natural.

Looking for a specific spec?

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Questions we get

Does Carat Hunter earn commission from either store?

No. We earn zero affiliate revenue from any retailer in our index.

Why do you not show price comparisons on this page?

Pricing varies per stone, not per store. Click through to any matched diamond above and you'll see both retailers' prices on the exact same physical stone, which is the real comparison.

How fresh is this data?

Listings refresh as we re-read each retailer, most of them every day. Static facts refresh monthly.

How do I find a specific stone at both stores?

Use the GIA or IGI certificate number in our search.