Good Chicago jewler to reset an engagement ring?

February 6, 2005 5:45 PM

Know a good, trustworthy Chicago jeweler? [more inside]

I've already got the center stone that I want to use in an engagement ring, and I want to have it removed from the ring it is and reset, so I'm looking for a jeweler I trust to handle an heirloom diamond and one that has lots of settings to choose. I'm looking to spend no more than $1000, which should be more than possible since I've got the diamond already.

Google turns up a bunch of stores but I can't really tell who's good—and so many websites look really sketchy and unprofessional. Hard to distinguish, once we're lower than Tiffany's or Van Cleef & Arpels, who's good and who's bad. A couple trips to Jeweler's Row have left me no more certain. Anybody have any specific recommendations?

posted by rustcellar to Shopping (11 answers total)

Do they still have that radio jingle there that goes "Lustig, Lustig can be trustig, trustig!"?
posted by briank at 5:49 PM on February 6, 2005

Response by poster: BTW, I'm willing to go off the beaten path—she would appreciate something funky. But I don't want to get scammed.
posted by rustcellar at 5:50 PM on February 6, 2005

Best answer: I'm afraid I don't know Chicago, so I don't have a jeweler to recommend, but I will say this: before you hand that stone over to anyone, have it appraised and mapped so that you can be sure you end up with the same stone you started with. You want an independent and disinterested party to do the appraisal for you, not a diamond seller. Good luck!
posted by idest at 5:58 PM on February 6, 2005 [1 favorite]

If you're looking for elegant but traditional go to a jeweler that sells Whitehouse Brothers settings. If you're willing to do a two hour drive to Grand Rapids I'd suggest DeVries jewelry, they are amazing and honest - maybe worth the drive if you don't trust/can't find anyone locally in Chicago.
posted by sled at 6:03 PM on February 6, 2005

Response by poster: idest or anyone else, where should I start finding someone to appraise the stone?

Also, I'm car-less so I need to be able to take public transportation, although I'm willing to travel as far as necessary by those means.
posted by rustcellar at 6:15 PM on February 6, 2005

From the Society of North American Goldsmiths/Metalsmiths site, a snag member gallery might be able to recommend someone. If you want to drop me a note (profile), it would be karmic goodness to recommend work to a metalsmith, it's not exactly CEO pay. Of course you will ask for a portfolio of previous expensive stone work.
posted by Jack Karaoke at 6:25 PM on February 6, 2005

If you don't mind heading south to Champaign, Robert at Robert's is great. Did a wonderful number with some stones I picked up on vacation. He also has some great vintage watches he rehabed (get something nice for yourself too).
posted by jmgorman at 7:50 PM on February 6, 2005

Best answer: I've used H Horwitz in the Marshall Fields building on State Street before to change the shank on a vintage ring. I've also used them for an appraisal as well. The website is a little busy, but they are a pretty decent old-school place, worth a visit at least.
posted by true at 8:09 PM on February 6, 2005

He he he! rustcellar is getting married to his sweetie!

Seriously, I don't have any advice and I've already expressed my delight and congrats to you in person, but I thought I'd take the opportunity to mock you in this public forum. Way to go.
posted by mai at 10:40 PM on February 6, 2005

Response by poster: Thanks mai :)
posted by rustcellar at 10:45 PM on February 6, 2005

rustceller, this will give you an idea of what you're looking for, and then I'd use the yellow pages to contact appraisers meeting these qualifications. Unfortunately the nearest location is outside of the city, but they can probably recommend someone for you.
posted by idest at 5:10 AM on February 7, 2005