When I heard that online jeweler Blue Nile was launching an app for iPhone and iPod Touch, I was excited to see what parts of the website would appear in the free Blue Nile app. There are quite a few Blue Nile jewelry boxes in my dresser, and I’ve always been impressed with the quality of the company’s work. Sadly, I wasn’t thrilled with this app.
Blue Nile offers a vast selection of jewelry, but its app is solely devoted to its diamonds—more specifically, engagement diamonds. Although the e-tailer is known primarily for its diamonds, the site also offers a large selection of gemstone, pearl and precious metal jewelry. These are nowhere to be found in the app.
The primary focus of the app is to bring Blue Nile’s diamond selection to a mobile platform. Through the app, users can browse more than 70,000 stones ranging in price from $293 to more than $1.1 million. Although I liked the slider bars to pinpoint your diamond search (also available on the normal website), I was disappointed that you couldn’t view the diamond in any settings. This is a feature on the regular site, and you can see your chosen stone in both pendant and ring setting in different metals. This omission from the app decreases its potential user base, and I really hope this option is added in the future. However, if you are shopping for a diamond, the app makes comparing prices and specifics, such as clarity and color, a cinch. You can also view a diamond’s GIA certificate in-app, when available. The app also offers educational information on diamond buying.
The app’s Dream Box feature is supposed to give shoppers ring ideas through a randomly selected ring, but the interface gets tiresome if you’re trying to quickly look through the available offerings. Dream Box results aren’t filterable and without the ability to create a custom piece of jewelry (the website offers builders for three different rings, earrings or necklaces), there’s little reason to keep the app around. The app also doesn’t offer inline purchasing, so users ready to buy may prefer to be in front of a regular computer.
