SurveysApr 24, 2026
Mother’s Day 2026 Jewelry Spending to Top $7B, NRF SaysNRF’s annual survey found that 45 percent of consumers plan to purchase jewelry for a loved one this Mother’s Day.
SourcingJan 23, 2017
Blue Nile Gets Into Diamond Buybacks
The e-tailer is officially partnering with a company called Mondiamo after testing the service on its own website for seven months.
A screen shot from the homepage of Mondiamo.com, a new website powered by Blue Nile that buys diamonds from the public
Seattle--Blue Nile announced that after seven months of testing, it is launching a diamond buyback program in partnership with a company called Mondiamo.com.
Based in New York, Mondiamo is owned by Adama Partners Inc., a venture firm that invests in, operates and builds businesses in the jewelry and gemstone markets. The company is the strategic advisor to The Fancy Color Research Foundation, which provides, among other services, a price index for fancy colored diamonds.
In a phone interview with National Jeweler Friday, Adama co-founder and Senior Vice President Oren Schneider said they have spent the last few years building a consumer-facing, online-only service for buying diamond jewelry that includes a proprietary algorithm for evaluating current market prices for diamonds. They started a “very low-key” beta test of the service on BlueNile.com in June 2016, he said.
Now, Mondiamo has launched its own website, which is powered by Blue Nile and uses the e-tailer’s live pricing data for Gemological Institute of America-graded diamonds to give consumers a guaranteed cash offer range for their diamond jewelry, sight unseen.
Consumers come to the website either through Blue Nile or on their own and input their GIA report number and the diamond’s carat weight. For non-GIA reports, they enter the name of the grading lab and report number along with the four Cs, with the price being adjusted based on a proprietary algorithm. (Offer ranges are not provided online for diamonds without grading reports, but those stones can be sent to Mondiamo to be evaluated and receive a cash offer too.)
Once a consumer accepts the offer, Mondiamo sends them a free and insured shipping kit and he or she then sends their stone to the company’s office in New York for authentication and final evaluation, with the diamonds graded by Mondiamo’s “highly experienced gemologists,” Schneider said.
He noted that by accepting and shipping the piece, the consumer agrees to the transaction pending the physical evaluation, adding that in nearly 100 percent of transactions so far, the payment was higher than the lowest amount offered.
Mondiamo gets a cut--15 percent of the total value of what they are a buying back (including the value of any precious metal or side stones) or $200, whichever is higher--and Blue Nile gets compensated for every referral, meaning every customer that comes to Mondiamo.com through Blue Nile.
In addition, everybody who sells a diamond through Mondiamo gets a $150 coupon code to use on BlueNile.com.
In
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
a news release announcing the new service, Blue Nile said the same thing that other diamond buyback sites that have launched in recent years have said: that the process in general is too opaque, and provides consumers little to no transparency when it comes to the true value of the diamond they are selling.
Their service is available only in the United States and Canada now, but Blue Nile said there are plans to expand it globally.
Seattle-based e-tailer Blue Nile is one of a number of companies trying to gain a foothold in the lucrative secondhand diamond jewelry market, which is estimated at about $1 trillion globally.
De Beers opened the International Institute of Diamond Valuation (IIDV) in New York in August 2014.
The program, which allows consumers to sell their diamonds directly to De Beers via the IIDV website or through one of the program’s partner jewelers (which now number 27 and also are Forevermark dealers), tested for 18 months before officially launching in March 2016.
There’s also Worthy.com, which allows consumers to put their diamonds up for sale directly through the Worthy website or via a retail partner. The diamond is then put up for auction, which the consumer can monitor in real time. At the end, he or she can decide to accept the purchase price or take back their stone.
The partnership with Mondiamo also provides a new service that can be offered by Blue Nile, which is looking for ways to diversify as its sales have stagnated, opening stores and expanding its selection of non-bridal jewelry.
Their service is available only in the United States and Canada now, but Blue Nile said there are plans to expand it globally.
Seattle-based e-tailer Blue Nile is one of a number of companies trying to gain a foothold in the lucrative secondhand diamond jewelry market, which is estimated at about $1 trillion globally.
De Beers opened the International Institute of Diamond Valuation (IIDV) in New York in August 2014.
The program, which allows consumers to sell their diamonds directly to De Beers via the IIDV website or through one of the program’s partner jewelers (which now number 27 and also are Forevermark dealers), tested for 18 months before officially launching in March 2016.
There’s also Worthy.com, which allows consumers to put their diamonds up for sale directly through the Worthy website or via a retail partner. The diamond is then put up for auction, which the consumer can monitor in real time. At the end, he or she can decide to accept the purchase price or take back their stone.
The partnership with Mondiamo also provides a new service that can be offered by Blue Nile, which is looking for ways to diversify as its sales have stagnated, opening stores and expanding its selection of non-bridal jewelry.
More on Sourcing
The Latest
TechnologyApr 24, 2026
TwentyFour’s Digital-Age Locket Is a Virtual VaultThe “Vault” charm, our Piece of the Week, expands on the memories that can be stored in a locket by connecting to your phone.
Events & AwardsApr 24, 2026
Hamptons Jewelry Show to Return in JulyThe open-to-the-public luxury jewelry and timepiece show, in its second year, is slated for July 23-26.
Brought to you by
Discover Timeless Treasures: A Showcase of Antique Jewelry & Timepieces in Las VegasGain access to the most exclusive and coveted antique pieces from trusted dealers during Las Vegas Jewelry Week.
IndependentsApr 23, 2026
Meet the Real Moms of Day’s JewelersThe jeweler’s Mother’s Day campaign highlights the women who work there—mothers, grandmothers, women who want to be mothers, and dog moms.
Weekly QuizApr 23, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
Supplier BulletinApr 23, 2026
JM® Shipping Solution: Smarter Shipping for High-Value GoodsSponsored by Jewelers Mutual
Lab-GrownApr 23, 2026
Charles & Colvard May Sell Assets for $1.5MThe proposed agreement follows the moissanite maker’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection filing last month.
Brought to you by
Las Vegas Antique Jewelry & Watch Show: Showcasing the Most Collectible Merchandise from Across the GlobeGain access to the most exclusive and coveted antique pieces from trusted dealers during Las Vegas Jewelry Week.
AuctionsApr 23, 2026
John Jacob Astor IV’s Titanic Pocket Watch Fetches $1MThe Patek Philippe for Tiffany & Co. timepiece Astor brought aboard the ill-fated ship sold for double its estimate at a Freeman’s auction.
CollectionsApr 23, 2026
Adam Neeley’s High Jewelry Collection Steps Into Salvador Dalí’s GardenThe “Dalí’s Garden” collection was inspired by a surreal dream Neeley had after cooking a recipe from Salvador Dalí’s 1973 cookbook.
IndependentsApr 23, 2026
Windsor Jewelers Names New Buying DirectorNatalie Feanny has been appointed to the role.
CrimeApr 22, 2026
New Mexico Couple Pleads Guilty to Selling Fake Native American JewelryThe pair falsely claimed their jewelry was made by Navajo artists, but it was imported from Vietnam.
AuctionsApr 22, 2026
Roberta Flack’s Jewelry Is Going Up for AuctionJulien’s Auctions is selling the musician’s fine and fashion jewelry alongside her clothing, gold records, and other memorabilia.
CollectionsApr 22, 2026
British Museum Curator Pens Book on ‘The Tudor Heart’Rachel King’s book dives into the history of the pendant believed to have belonged to Henry VIII and his first wife, Katherine of Aragon.
Events & AwardsApr 22, 2026
Here’s What Sy Kessler Has on Tap for Las Vegas The company will have deals on precious metals testers as well as the latest in lab-grown diamond detection technology and security.
WatchesApr 21, 2026
Coco Chanel Enters the Game with New Watch CollectionGabrielle “Coco” Chanel is a character in the “Coco Game” collection of watches and the queen in its first haute horlogerie chessboard.
IndependentsApr 21, 2026
Meet Jewelers of America’s 2026 ‘20 Under 40’ ClassThe annual list honors rising professionals on the retail and supply sides of the jewelry industry.
CrimeApr 21, 2026
Customs Nabs 1,500 Pieces of Counterfeit Jewelry Bound for NYCSeized in Kentucky, the packages include fake Cartier, Tiffany & Co., Chanel, and Fendi jewelry.
CrimeApr 20, 2026
Queens Man Convicted in Bludgeoning Death of Pawn Shop OwnerRodolfo Lopez-Portillo faces 25 years to life in prison after being found guilty in the March 2022 beating death of Arasb Shoughi.
TrendsApr 20, 2026
Beth Bernstein, Sonia Esther Soltani Pen New Jewelry Book“Jewelry Creators: Dynamic Duos and Generational Gems” highlights the relationships among 22 influential designers, brands, and gem dealers.
Events & AwardsApr 20, 2026
Atlanta Jewelry Show’s Spring Event Is Hitting the RoadThe AJS Spring 2027 show will be held in Savannah, Georgia, with future shows taking place in other Southeast cities.
MajorsApr 20, 2026
Kendra Scott Names New CFO, Chief Business OfficerThe jewelry retailer plans to open 20 new stores this year and expand into new product categories.
TrendsApr 17, 2026
New (Groundbreaking) Floral Jewelry for Spring 2026Flower motifs are the jewelry trend blooming amongst the new collections that debuted this spring.
MajorsApr 17, 2026
QVC Group Files for Chapter 11 BankruptcyThe retailer reported an 8 percent decline in annual sales as it struggles under the weight of billions of dollars of debt.
CollectionsApr 17, 2026
Edina Kiss’ Earrings Are the Devil on Your ShoulderThe “Devil” drop earrings, our Piece of the Week, are part of designer Edina Kiss’ new namesake jewelry line that she will show at Couture.
CrimeApr 17, 2026
FBI Issues Warning to Refineries, Retailers Due to High Price of GoldThe alert states that burglary crews are targeting jewelry businesses and details how jewelers and refineries can protect themselves.
WatchesApr 16, 2026
Cartier Brings Back the RoadsterThe “watchmaker of shapes” debuted the reworked version of the vintage sports car-inspired timepiece at Watches & Wonders.
