Well-Timed Classics: Blue Nile Adds Watches and Silver Jewelry Lines in Time for Holiday Shopping

Business Wire, August 28, 2000

Business Editors

SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 28, 2000

Just in time for the upcoming holiday season, Blue Nile Inc., the leading online retailer of diamonds and fine jewelry, has added two new lines of classic jewelry favorites - a collection of high-quality watches and a sparkling new silver jewelry line. And, Blue Nile is primed and ready for the upcoming shopping festivities with an updated Web site that makes the shopping experience even easier.

"The goal of Blue Nile always has been to create a better way to buy jewelry," said Mark Vadon, chief executive officer of Blue Nile. "And, our customers have told us overwhelmingly that they want to buy watches from a fine jewelry retailer. By expanding our product lines to watches - and also silver jewelry - we can provide our customers with the kind of high quality, beautifully crafted jewelry they need in a pressure-free shopping environment."

True to the company's commitment to provide its consumers with only the highest quality merchandise, Blue Nile's exceptional new line of watches includes some of the most respected brands in the world including Alfex, Baume et Mercier, Ebel, Festina, Gucci, Movado, Seiko, Skagen, Swiss Army, Tag Heuer, and, coming in September, Kenneth Cole. With classic, clean designs and sporty to traditional to elegant styles, the watches range in price from $100 to $5,000, with the average watch priced at roughly $225.

Along with the new watches, consumers will find guidance and education to help them choose a watch on the site that is perfectly suited to their individual needs. Multi-image views will also be available for watches, enhancing the visual aspect of the online shopping experience.

In addition, customers will find another new product line at Blue Nile - silver jewelry and gift accessories. The current selection includes necklaces, bracelets, key rings, money clips and cufflinks. Coming in late September, this collection will expand even further with the addition of silver, gold and platinum earrings and other jewelry pieces.

"By adding silver jewelry, we are expanding our product selection to include classic favorites that fit every budget," added Carter Cast, senior vice president of marketing and merchandising. "Silver accessories are the perfect gift choices for the holidays or 'just because,' and silver bracelets and necklaces have long been staples in women's jewelry wardrobes. We think our customers - both men and women - will be thrilled with these additional choices."

The silver jewelry and accessories are made of beautiful sterling silver, chosen for their classic design, and created by some of the finest silver craftsmen. All Blue Nile sterling silver items are accompanied by a maker's mark and a fineness mark, ensuring the sign of quality.

To make these additions even more accessible and consumer friendly, Blue Nile has redesigned its Web site to make navigation easier than ever. Consumers will discover a variety of new features that will help guide them through the site and to their desired location. The incorporation of DHTML technology - coupled with the updated navigation directory - work together to make shopping at Blue Nile an intuitive experience.

For those consumers looking for a specific product or additional information, a keyword search is now available, and guidance links can now be found throughout the site. These features ensure that shoppers will never be more than a click away from help and information.

Beyond the intuitive navigation features, the new site enhances the visual aspect of the Blue Nile experience through a number of updates and advancements. To help convey the various characteristics of a piece, consumers will find detailed illustrations, photographs and improved merchandise display throughout the site.

Launched in May 1999, the company has realized substantial growth since its inception, including exceeding standard retail industry net revenue growth for the first half of 2000. The company's product offerings have grown as well, expanding from its original emphasis on diamonds to include pearls and colored gemstones to the latest line of watches and silver. The addition of the new lines means that the site offers a wide range of jewelry suitable for all customer preferences.

The Blue Nile site continues to garner critical acclaim, as well. Most recently, the company received the distinction of being among the "Best of the Best" as Forbes Favorite online jeweler, the top honor in the publication's survey of the Internet's best sites.

About Blue Nile

Blue Nile Inc., located on the Web at www.bluenile.com, is the leading online retailer of diamonds and fine jewelry. The company provides consumers with in-depth education and guidance about buying diamonds and classically styled jewelry, and offers an exceptional collection, selected according to high standards of quality, beauty and value. Blue Nile offers rich content and education for first time buyers, who can use the Blue Nile Buyer's Guide to learn the four "Cs" - cut, color, clarity, and carat weight. With this knowledge, Blue Nile allows customers to confidently make non-pressured, informed purchases. Independent testing labs grade each diamond, and all jewelry is backed by an appraisal and 30-day return policy.