Blue Nile Tennis Bracelets and Necklaces: Pay for the Bezel
We read eight Blue Nile tennis bracelets and necklaces. Buy the platinum bezel bracelet, skip the I1 one, and plan on the shorter return window.
Research Desk articles from retailer pages, published prices and policies. Every figure is checked against its source automatically before publishing.
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If you're buying a Blue Nile tennis bracelet, pay for the 7" Bezel Diamond Tennis Bracelet in Platinum at $10,190. It puts about five carats of round diamonds, each one wrapped in metal, on the part of you that hits desks and car doors all day. On a tighter budget, the 7" Oval Cut bracelet in 14k yellow gold at $8,036 is the value pick. Skip the 4 ct white gold bracelet at $7,820: it's graded I1 and carries a carat less than the oval for nearly the same money. For a necklace, we'd take the 18" Graduated Diamond Eternity Necklace in 14k yellow gold at $10,031, which lists more diamond weight per dollar than any of the other three necklaces.
These are the eight pieces Blue Nile's tennis bracelets and necklaces category page returned when we looked on 24 October: a sample of its range rather than the whole catalog, at listed prices rather than what anyone paid.
All eight are natural diamonds in H-I color. That leaves setting, metal, shape and clarity as the real choices, which makes this easier than it looks.
Key takeaways
- •Our bracelet pick is the 7" Bezel Diamond Tennis Bracelet in Platinum at $10,190. Bezels guard the stones, and Blue Nile's warranty excludes lost or damaged diamonds.
- •Skip the 4 ct white gold prong bracelet at $7,820. It's the only one of the eight graded I1, and the 5 ct oval bracelet lists at $8,036.
- •Listed prices across the eight ran from $5,740 to $22,500, with a median of $10,111. Every piece was natural diamond, H-I color.
- •Every product page we read shows a longer return window than the policy page's 30 days of the shipment date. Go by the policy page.
The eight pieces, side by side
| Piece | Metal | Setting | Diamonds (approx. total ct) | Clarity | Listed price (24 Oct) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mini Half Tennis Necklace | 14k white gold | Not listed | Round, 1.95 ct | SI2 | $5,740 |
| Diamond Tennis Bracelet (4 ct. tw.) | 14k white gold | Prong | 53 round, 3.95 ct | I1 | $7,820 |
| 7" Oval Cut Diamond Tennis Bracelet | 14k yellow gold | Prong | 72 oval, 4.95 ct | SI1-SI2 | $8,036 |
| 18" Graduated Diamond Eternity Necklace | 14k yellow gold | Prong | Round, 6.95 ct | SI1-SI2 | $10,031 |
| 7" Bezel Diamond Tennis Bracelet | Platinum | Bezel | 57 round, 4.95 ct | SI1-SI2 | $10,190 |
| Bezel Tennis Necklace | 14k white gold | Bezel | Round, 4.95 ct | SI1-SI2 | $10,200 |
| East-West Bezel Tennis Bracelet | 14k yellow gold | Bezel | 30 pear, 4.95 ct | SI1-SI2 | $11,250 |
| East-West Bezel Tennis Necklace | 14k yellow gold | Bezel | 88 pear, 9.95 ct | SI1-SI2 | $22,500 |
Listed prices ran from $5,740 to $22,500, with a median of $10,111. The three white gold pieces had a median of $7,820 and the four in yellow gold $10,641; platinum was a single bracelet. Don't read that as yellow gold costing more. The yellow group holds the two heaviest pieces, including the 10-carat necklace, so those medians compare different jewelry, not one piece in two metals.
Two things jump out. Four of the eight are bezel-set, so you aren't stuck with prongs. And the one I1 clarity grade in the group sits on one of the cheaper bracelets, exactly where you're most tempted to stop reading the spec line.
The bracelet we'd buy, and the one we'd skip
A bracelet takes more knocks than anything else you wear. That's the whole case for a bezel: a rim of metal around each stone protects its edge and leaves no prong tips to catch on a sweater cuff. You give up a little light from the side. On a wrist, we'd make that trade every time.
Our pick is the 7" Bezel Diamond Tennis Bracelet in Platinum at $10,190. Blue Nile lists 57 round diamonds totaling about 4.95 carats, H-I color, SI1-SI2 clarity, and sums the piece up in one line: round diamonds "framed in platinum." Platinum also skips the rhodium plating white gold relies on to stay bright, so there's no replating cycle to budget for. Our platinum vs. white gold guide walks through that trade.
- metal:
- Platinum
- carat weight:
- 5 ct tw
- diamond type:
- Natural Diamond
- diamond shape:
- Round
- diamond quantity:
- 57
- diamond total carat weight (approximate):
- 4.95
- diamond color:
- H-I
- diamond clarity:
- SI1-SI2
- setting type:
- Bezel
- return window:
- 60 days, free returns
Wear yellow gold and want the most diamond for the money? The 7" Oval Cut Diamond Tennis Bracelet at $8,036 is the one. It lists 72 oval diamonds, about 4.95 carats, H-I and SI1-SI2, prong-set in 14k yellow gold. Against yellow metal, H-I reads white. The price gap to the platinum bezel mixes metal, shape and setting, so we can't tell you what the bezel alone costs. What we can tell you: both carry the same listed weight and clarity range, and you're choosing protection and platinum over prongs and gold.
- metal:
- 14k Yellow Gold
- carat weight:
- 5 ct tw
- shape:
- Oval
- diamond type:
- Natural Diamond
- diamond shape:
- Oval
- diamond quantity:
- 72
- diamond total carat weight (approximate):
- 4.95
- diamond color:
- H-I
- diamond clarity:
- SI1-SI2
- setting type:
- Prong
- return window:
- 60 days, free returns
Now the one to skip. Blue Nile's copy for the Diamond Tennis Bracelet in 14k White Gold (4 ct. tw.) is a sentence of adjectives that would fit any bracelet ever made. The spec line is more honest: I1. For $7,820 you get 53 round stones totaling about 3.95 carats, prong-set in white gold. The oval bracelet lists at $8,036 with a full carat more and SI1-SI2 clarity. In a row of small stones, SI inclusions are hard to pick out by eye. I1 is where they can start to show. Walk past it.
- metal:
- 14k White Gold
- carat weight:
- 4 ct tw
- diamond type:
- Natural Diamond
- diamond shape:
- Round
- diamond quantity:
- 53
- diamond total carat weight (approximate):
- 3.95
- diamond color:
- H-I
- diamond clarity:
- I1
- setting type:
- Prong
- rhodium finish:
- Yes
- return window:
- 60 days, free returns
The East-West Bezel Tennis Bracelet is for someone who wants the bracelet to read as a design rather than a line of sparkle. Its 30 pear-shaped diamonds weigh about 4.95 carats in total, the same as the 72 ovals, so each pear is far bigger. Blue Nile describes east-west bezel settings in 14k yellow gold and calls it "a stylish piece that goes with everything." At $11,250 it's the most expensive of the four bracelets. We like it. We'd still buy the platinum one: with fewer, bigger stones, you notice each one more if anything happens to it.
- metal:
- 14k Yellow Gold
- carat weight:
- 5 ct
- shape:
- Pear
- diamond type:
- Natural Diamond
- diamond shape:
- Pear
- diamond quantity:
- 30
- diamond total carat weight (approximate):
- 4.95
- diamond color:
- H-I
- diamond clarity:
- SI1-SI2
- setting type:
- Bezel
- return window:
- 60 days, free returns
If carat weight is the point, lab-grown is the sane route, and none of these eight are lab. For that side, see the roundup of lab diamond tennis bracelets we publish. For length, clasps and stone size across the category, see the tennis bracelet buying guide. Weighing a warehouse club instead? We compared Blue Nile vs Costco on a diamond tennis bracelet.
Necklaces: where prongs earn their place
A necklace sits at the collarbone and stays out of most collisions, so prongs bother us far less here. The decision shifts to weight, metal and look.
The 18" Graduated Diamond Eternity Necklace in 14k yellow gold is the one we'd buy. Blue Nile lists round diamonds totaling about 6.95 carats, H-I and SI1-SI2, prong-set, and says the graduated stones are "perfectly matched and hand-set in gleaming 14k yellow gold." It lists at $10,031, a little under the white gold bezel necklace at $10,200, while carrying two more carats. Graduated means the stones get smaller toward the back, which puts the size where people actually look.
- metal:
- 14k Yellow Gold
- carat weight:
- 7 ct tw
- diamond type:
- Natural Diamond
- diamond shape:
- Round
- diamond quantity:
- 203
- diamond total carat weight (approximate):
- 6.95
- diamond color:
- H-I
- diamond clarity:
- SI1-SI2
- setting type:
- Prong
- return window:
- 60 days, free returns
Live in white metal and plan to wear it most days? Then the Bezel Tennis Necklace in 14k white gold fits better: round diamonds totaling about 4.95 carats, bezel-set, with a rhodium finish as Blue Nile lists it. Blue Nile pitches it "as a signature solo piece or as the focal point in a necklace stack." Against the graduated necklace you give up two carats and gain a smoother line that won't snag a knit.
- metal:
- 14k White Gold
- carat weight:
- 5 ct
- shape:
- Round
- diamond type:
- Natural Diamond
- diamond shape:
- Round
- diamond quantity:
- 162
- diamond total carat weight (approximate):
- 4.95
- diamond color:
- H-I
- diamond clarity:
- SI1-SI2
- setting type:
- Bezel
- rhodium finish:
- Yes
- return window:
- 60 days, free returns
The Mini Half Tennis Necklace is a question of scale. At $5,740 it's the lowest-priced of the eight, a long run of tiny round diamonds adding up to about 1.95 carats, SI2, in rhodium-finished 14k white gold. Stones that small make SI2 a non-issue for us. The name says "half," and the listing doesn't say how much of the chain carries diamonds, so the photos are what you go on. Blue Nile suggests wearing it solo or layered; as a layering piece, it makes sense.
- metal:
- 14k White Gold
- carat weight:
- 2 ct
- shape:
- Round
- diamond type:
- Natural Diamond
- diamond shape:
- Round
- diamond quantity:
- 126
- diamond total carat weight (approximate):
- 1.95
- diamond color:
- H-I
- diamond clarity:
- SI2
- rhodium finish:
- Yes
- return window:
- 60 days, free returns
At the top sits the East-West Bezel Tennis Necklace at $22,500: 88 pear-shaped diamonds, about 9.95 carats, bezel-set in 14k yellow gold. Its listing text is the white gold bezel necklace's, word for word apart from shape and metal. It's the bracelet's east-west pear look carried around the neck, and the only piece here that tries to be a statement.
- metal:
- 14k Yellow Gold
- carat weight:
- 10 ct
- shape:
- Pear
- diamond type:
- Natural Diamond
- diamond shape:
- Pear
- diamond quantity:
- 88
- diamond total carat weight (approximate):
- 9.95
- diamond color:
- H-I
- diamond clarity:
- SI1-SI2
- setting type:
- Bezel
- return window:
- 60 days, free returns
What the lifetime warranty won't pay for
The exclusions are where tennis jewelry gets caught. Blue Nile's limited lifetime warranty covers gold and platinum jewelry with a purchase price of $1,000.00 or more against manufacturing defects, so all eight pieces qualify. But one line on the exclusions list reads: Lost, chipped or damaged diamonds or gemstones. It also excludes normal wear and tear. And repair by anyone other than Blue Nile voids the Limited Lifetime Warranty, which matters if you'd normally have a local jeweler re-tip a prong.
So a lost stone is an insurance problem, not a warranty one. Blue Nile's insurance page points to Jewelers Mutual and says coverage protects against loss, theft, damage and mysterious disappearance–worldwide; its list of covered items includes "bracelets and tennis bracelets" and "necklaces and pendants." The same page notes that Blue Nile is not a licensed agent of Jewelers Mutual and does not sell or recommend insurance. Our view: at these prices, insure it. A bracelet with dozens of stones has dozens of chances to lose one.
The return window has two answers
All eight product pages show a longer return window than Blue Nile's policy pages. The policy pages say returns must be started within 30 days of the shipment date, and that the clock starts when the order ships, not when it's delivered. When a product page and a policy page disagree, we believe the policy page. Plan on the shorter window.
The rest reads well for jewelry at this price. Shipping is free with no minimum, every shipment is fully insured in transit at no additional cost, and the shipping page says speed depends on order value: Overnight for orders over $500, two-day for orders under $500. Two complimentary return shipments are included per customer each year for eligible items. Personalized, engraved, clearance and Final Sale items are not eligible for return or exchange. When we looked, the site also carried a banner reading "The Fall Edit: Up to 30% Off* Select Styles". Every price we quote for these eight is the listed price we read, and we can't tell you which pieces the promotion touches.
Worth confirming before you pay
- Which return window applies to your exact piece, in writing, given the product page and policy page disagree.
- Whether the piece is marked clearance or Final Sale, since those can't come back at all.
- The length of any bracelet or necklace whose name doesn't state one; only three of the eight put a length in the name.
So which one goes in the cart?
We'd buy the platinum bezel bracelet at $10,190 and insure it the week it arrives. If that's past the budget, the yellow gold oval bracelet at $8,036 gives you the same listed weight on prongs, and we wouldn't lose sleep over it. The I1 bracelet stays out of the cart.
For a necklace, buy the graduated eternity piece in yellow gold, or the bezel necklace if you live in white metal. Don't finance any of them. If a monthly payment is what makes it work, the Mini Half necklace or a lab-grown bracelet is the honest answer.
Still choosing a store rather than a piece? Our best jewelry stores guide lays out the field, and Blue Nile vs. James Allen covers the closest rival.
Frequently asked questions
Which Blue Nile tennis bracelet is the best value?
Of the four bracelets we read on 24 October, the 7" Oval Cut Diamond Tennis Bracelet in 14k yellow gold is our value pick at $8,036: about 4.95 carats of H-I, SI1-SI2 ovals. The 4 ct white gold bracelet lists at $7,820, is about a carat lighter, and is graded I1.
Are Blue Nile tennis bracelets natural or lab-grown?
All eight bracelets and necklaces we read were listed as natural diamonds in H-I color. If you want the size for less money, lab-grown is the sensible route, and you'll be looking outside this set for it.
Will Blue Nile's warranty cover a diamond that falls out of a tennis bracelet?
No. The warranty covers gold and platinum pieces with a purchase price of $1,000.00 or more against manufacturing defects, but its exclusions include: Lost, chipped or damaged diamonds or gemstones. Loss is what insurance is for. Blue Nile's insurance page points to Jewelers Mutual, whose covered items include: Bracelets and tennis bracelets.
How long do you have to return a Blue Nile tennis bracelet?
Blue Nile's return policy says returns must be started within 30 days of the shipment date, counted from when the order ships rather than when it arrives. The product pages we read show a longer window; we'd plan on the policy page's figure.
Bezel or prong: which is better for a tennis bracelet?
Bezel, for a bracelet you'll wear daily. The metal rim protects each stone's edge and doesn't snag, at the cost of a little side light. On a necklace, which takes fewer knocks, prongs are fine.
What diamond clarity is good enough for a tennis bracelet?
SI1-SI2 is plenty for a line of small stones, where inclusions are hard to see by eye. We'd stop short of I1, the grade on the 4 ct white gold bracelet Blue Nile lists.
Sources and dates checked
Every figure in this article comes from one of these pages, read on the date shown. Check the retailer before you buy.
- Blue Nile current sale promotion: Up to 30% Off*. Return Policy | Blue Nile, checked .
- Blue Nile return window: 30 days of the shipment date. 30-Day Free Returns & Exchanges | Blue Nile, checked .
- Blue Nile items not eligible for return or exchange: not eligible for return or exchange. 30-Day Free Returns & Exchanges | Blue Nile, checked .
- Blue Nile free return shipments per year: Two complimentary return shipments. 30-Day Free Returns & Exchanges | Blue Nile, checked .
- Blue Nile lifetime warranty minimum purchase price: $1,000.00 or more. Blue Nile Warranty | Limited Lifetime Jewelry Protection, checked .
- Blue Nile warranty excludes lost or damaged stones: Lost, chipped or damaged diamonds or gemstones. Blue Nile Warranty | Limited Lifetime Jewelry Protection, checked .
- Blue Nile warranty excludes wear and tear: normal wear and tear. Blue Nile Warranty | Limited Lifetime Jewelry Protection, checked .
- Blue Nile warranty voided by unauthorized repair: voids the Limited Lifetime Warranty. Blue Nile Warranty | Limited Lifetime Jewelry Protection, checked .
- Blue Nile shipping speed by order value: overnight for orders over $500, two-day for orders under $500. Free, Secure Shipping | Blue Nile Jewelry Delivery, checked .
- Blue Nile transit insurance: fully insured in transit at no additional cost. Free, Secure Shipping | Blue Nile Jewelry Delivery, checked .
- Blue Nile free shipping threshold: no minimum. Free, Secure Shipping | Blue Nile Jewelry Delivery, checked .
- Jewelers Mutual insurance coverage scope for Blue Nile jewelry: loss, theft, damage and mysterious disappearance–worldwide. Blue Nile Jewelry Insurance through Jewelers Mutual, checked .
- Jewelers Mutual insurance covers tennis bracelets: Bracelets and tennis bracelets. Blue Nile Jewelry Insurance through Jewelers Mutual, checked .
- Jewelers Mutual insurance covers necklaces: Necklaces and pendants. Blue Nile Jewelry Insurance through Jewelers Mutual, checked .
- Blue Nile not an insurance agent: Blue Nile is not a licensed agent of Jewelers Mutual. Blue Nile Jewelry Insurance through Jewelers Mutual, checked .
- Blue Nile listed price of Mini Half Tennis Necklace With 2CTW Round Cut Diamonds In 14K White Gold: $5,740. Mini Half Tennis Necklace With 2CTW Round Cut Diamonds In 14K White Gold at Blue Nile, checked .
- Blue Nile listed price of Diamond Tennis Bracelet in 14k White Gold (4 ct. tw.): $7,820. Diamond Tennis Bracelet in 14k White Gold (4 ct. tw.) at Blue Nile, checked .
- Blue Nile listed price of 7 " Oval Cut Diamond Tennis Bracelet In 14K Yellow Gold (5 Ct. tw. - H-I / SI1-SI2): $8,036. 7 " Oval Cut Diamond Tennis Bracelet In 14K Yellow Gold (5 Ct. tw. - H-I / SI1-SI2) at Blue Nile, checked .
- Blue Nile listed price of 18 " Graduated Diamond Eternity Necklace In 14K Yellow Gold (7 Ct. tw. - H-I / SI1-SI2): $10,031. 18 " Graduated Diamond Eternity Necklace In 14K Yellow Gold (7 Ct. tw. - H-I / SI1-SI2) at Blue Nile, checked .
- Blue Nile listed price of 7 " Bezel Diamond Tennis Bracelet In Platinum (5 Ct. tw. - H-I / SI1-SI2): $10,190. 7 " Bezel Diamond Tennis Bracelet In Platinum (5 Ct. tw. - H-I / SI1-SI2) at Blue Nile, checked .
- Blue Nile listed price of Bezel Tennis Necklace With 5 CTW Round Diamonds in 14K White Gold: $10,200. Bezel Tennis Necklace With 5 CTW Round Diamonds in 14K White Gold at Blue Nile, checked .
- Blue Nile listed price of East-West Bezel Tennis Bracelet With 5 CTW Pear Shaped Diamonds in 14K Yellow Gold: $11,250. East-West Bezel Tennis Bracelet With 5 CTW Pear Shaped Diamonds in 14K Yellow Gold at Blue Nile, checked .
- Blue Nile listed price of East-West Bezel Tennis Necklace With 10 CTW Pear Shaped Diamonds in 14K Yellow Gold: $22,500. East-West Bezel Tennis Necklace With 10 CTW Pear Shaped Diamonds in 14K Yellow Gold at Blue Nile, checked .
- Blue Nile Tennis bracelets and necklaces: lowest listed price in the sample: $5,740. Blue Nile Tennis bracelets and necklaces listings, checked .
- Blue Nile Tennis bracelets and necklaces: median listed price in the sample: $10,111. Blue Nile Tennis bracelets and necklaces listings, checked .
- Blue Nile Tennis bracelets and necklaces: highest listed price in the sample: $22,500. Blue Nile Tennis bracelets and necklaces listings, checked .
- Blue Nile Tennis bracelets and necklaces: median listed price in the sample (14k White Gold): $7,820. Blue Nile Tennis bracelets and necklaces listings, checked .
- Blue Nile Tennis bracelets and necklaces: median listed price in the sample (14k Yellow Gold): $10,641. Blue Nile Tennis bracelets and necklaces listings, checked .