Bay Area jewelers?

[jstarfireb]

While I send most of my stones off to Etsy artists to be set, I occassionally buy a setting from ebay and have to get the stone set locally. In Philly this was no problem - just walk down Jewelers' Row! But now that I've moved to the Bay Area, things aren't quite as easy.

Can anyone recommend a good, reasonably priced jeweler in the Bay Area who specializes in setting colored stones? Diamond setters are all over the place, but I want someone who is experienced with setting softer, more fragile stones. I live on the Peninsula, so I'd prefer someone close to home, and I'd like to avoid San Francisco if possible because it's a pain in the butt to get there.

Based on a PS search, I found a few possibilities. Do any of you have experience with these jewelers for setting colored stones?
https://www.pricescope.com/communit...7/#post-101277?hilit=bay area jeweler#p101277

Joe Escobar (Campbell)
Lang's (SF)
Darren McClug (Palo Alto)
Gleim's (Palo Alto)
Eric Trabert Goldsmiths (Pacific Heights)

 

[innerkitten]

I know a few in San Francisco but you mentioned you are trying to avoid San Francisco. If you are interested I know someone in the Shreve building that can set stones and isn't too expensive and another guy that can also do small jobs and even custom stuff. The whole building is full of jewelers though. There is also a building with lots of gem cutters not too far away.

 

[StonieGrl]

Innerkitten, I'm frequently in the Bay Area (born in SF, family all around) and would LOVE to have that information as I would have someone to work with my growing cache of unset stones.

Please share if you will, and thank you!

 

[minousbijoux]

Funny cause I just walked down to my jewelers a little while ago (I'm in the East Bay) to have a stone set in an LOGR setting I just bought. It is a simple, 4 prong and a cushion cut sapphire so nothing complicated. My jeweler wants $200. It seems high to me, but the rational given is that they have to replace the stone if it should happen to be damaged or break while setting. I am getting names from friends, so if I find one that's reasonable, I'll let you know.

 

[minousbijoux]

Also, what about checking reviews for those jewelers on yelp?

 

[innerkitten]

Stoniegrl, I didn't know you were a native too! I'll post the info tonight ( I have to find it ). I've had good experiences with both the guys in the Shreve building. Where did you go to High School? I went to S.O.T.A.

 

[StonieGrl]

Ah, IK, the sad story: My parents moved us to FRESNO and I graduated from Fresno High School having received an unexpectedly excellent education there, LOL!!! I got my revenge by going to USC, which cost them bigtime, ha!

I was born at St. Francis/Stonestown, my family lives in Oakland, Concord, Los Gatos, Martinez.

My husband and I now live near Phoenix and we go over to SF on cheapie airfares all the time and stay at The Marines Memorial right by Nob Hill. Very nice place/good location. I never stay with family, it ceases to be a vacay then

The next time we're there, come over and I'll buy dinner at the Memorial!

 

[jstarfireb]

Thanks, everyone! I have checked some of the Yelp reviews, but it's hard to get the specialized knowledge I'm looking for from Yelp (i.e. how much it would be to set a colored stone if you have both the stone and setting, and how competent they are at setting colored stones rather than diamonds).

This makes me miss Philly - I could walk over to Jewelers' Row and get a stone set expertly for $15. Which makes $200 sound like highway robbery! At that rate, I might as well just send the stone and setting out to one of my Philly jewelers.

Innerkitten, while I'm hoping to avoid SF for convience's sake (driving into the city is a pain!), I could be convinced to go if the work is good and the price is right. By all means, please share!

ETA: StonieGirl, I think I've got you beaten in the unfortunate parental move department. I was born in beautiful San Diego, but sadly, forced to leave paradise because my mom thought Central Pennsylvania was a better place to raise kids. I've spent my whole adult life trying to get out of the PA doldrums and back to California, and I finally succeeded this year. I exaggerate, but Pennsylvania is boring and has ugly weather, and California is beautiful and exciting!

 

[innerkitten]

Thought I'd mention to both of you there is a building near Powell street that has some gem cutters in it. 760 Market street. I think Hong is the name of the guy who is open to letting people that are not in the trade check out his gems.

 

[Art Nouveau]

jstarfireb: The South Bay jewelers you listed are all high end. You won't find any bargain prices there. I saw a relatively inexpenisve ring set with a smoky quartz at Gleims. I thought the setting would work for my mandarin garnet. Gleims quoted me $300 to set my stone. I thought that was way too high. Darren McClung is even higher end than Gleims and a great place to look at 'eye candy'. But it would be too expensive to get a stone set there. Jose Escobar may be more reasonable. I have not used them myself, but someone told me they charge $100 to $150 to set a stone. Locally, the cheapest place I know about is House of Treasures on Second St in Los Altos. It is a hole in wall place owned by a goldsmith named Brad. I believe many jewelry stores in Los Altos use him for setting stones and repairs. I have used him to repair broken chains, replace watch batteries and reset a small pave diamond. I don't remember exactly, but I think he charged something like $20 for resetting the little diamond. I have not used him for setting color stones, so I cannot vouch for his skills in setting color stones.

AN

 

[jstarfireb]

Thanks, AN! That's exactly what I was worried about (high-end jewelers charging through the nose to set my not high-end stone). I'm looking for a local hole-in-the-wall that will set for $20 or so, and Los Altos isn't far away. I'll keep him in mind. What I've heard from some other jewelers is that setting colored stones is a whole different animal from setting diamonds, so I wanted to go with a jeweler with experience setting colored stones.

BTW, if anyone from Philly is reading this, my go-to guys on Jewelers' Row were Jean Manazer (in the large building at 8th and Sansom) and Frank Shaffer (FGS Gems, on the far end of the Row near 7th). Frank is also a gem cutter, and his website is http://www.fgsgems.com/fgsgems/.

 

[StonieGrl]

jstarfireb: You DO INDEED have me beat in the unfortunate parental moves department: San Diego is paradise on earth. You must have resorted to a life of high crimes to be able to take your housing dollar from PA to San Diego, KUDOS!!!!

We drive over from Chandler, we stay at The Inn at Rancho Santa Fe and we drive in or take the Coaster in to San Diego to eat at the Fish Market (I like that one better than the Carlsbad location). We go to the Cedros District over in Carlsbad and shop that main street, and I like to get up early Sunday morning with the leftover pizza from Via Sicilia and watch the surfers.

You do know that Andrew Gulij/Gemfix is right there in SD and he has two jewelers in that jeweler-building he is in that he recommends? Andrew is such a cool guy and he has won the top prize several years running at Tucson. I bought my honking peridot (Pakistan) and spessie from him. He gave me excellent deals on both. You should go by to see him and check out those two jewelers he works with. I'll get out my jeweler file and get those two jewelers' names for you... Will report back shortly.

 

[innerkitten]

p.s. Maybe we're due for another SF Psers get together ( when you guys are in town ).

 

[jstarfireb]

Well, I guess I should clarify...although I was born in San Diego and raised in Pennsylvania, my current location is the Bay Area (hence the request for Bay Area jewelers!). Surprisingly, my rent here is pretty close to what it was in Philly, but it would cost a lot more if I wanted to buy, especially compared to Lancaster, where I was raised. Anyway, from where I live, it would take a full day or so to drive down to SD. But I'll definitely have to check out Andrew Gulij if I go any time soon!

ETA: IK, I did go into town for Roger Dery's show! I could be convinced to go back for a GTG. I love SF, but I just can't find a place to park, or I just have to take Caltrain and walk all day.

 

[StonieGrl]

Re a PS GTG, if people were coming to Tucson, I'd be happy to host a casual lunch or dinner for everyone at my place. You have to like dogs, though, I have two Westies who think they're people so...

I'm in Chandler, which is a 'burb of Phoenix, a short drive from Phoenix SkyHarbor Airport (flying into Tucson is cost prohibitive, cheaper/easier to fly into SkyHarbor and rent a car).

Anyone who THINKS they might come to Tucson should make their hotel reservations NOW. They go fast. But the show has been knocked silly by the recession so I think you could get some good deals even at the public show/s.

The next time we're in SF I'll fire off an email and see if anyone is available for a 'jewelry/stone' crawl!!

***************
This is a quote from Andrew's email to me after I bought that spessie last year at Tucson:

Andrew: The jeweler that was with us at the show, Tim Meier, is very good. ( www.timothymeier.com )
I also like another jeweler here, Aron from Jewel Genie ( www.jewelgenie.com ) He is not cheap, but very detail oriented, I've never been disappointed by his work.

***************

My godmother who lives in Los Gatos has an excellent bench jeweler and he may be in SF. I will call and ask her.

 

[jstarfireb]

When is the Tuscon show?

I'm actually going to Phoenix in a few weeks for a conference. I won't have much time to sightsee since I'll be at the conference all day, but do you have any recommendations for things to do or good restaurants to hit? We probably won't rent a car, but we're staying near downtown.

 

[StonieGrl]

http://www.visittucson.org/visitor/events/gemshow/faq/

Or Google and select your own link, there are quite a few show-specific links and other good sites.

How long will you be in Phoenix? Of all the major metro cities I've visited, Phoenix is car friendly, always places to park.

For the quintessential Phoenix drink/meal, I like the Biltmore. If you like Frank Lloyd Wright, you'll be in heaven there.

Any of the high building hotels, drinks at sunset, we have some really good sunsets.

If you want an Arizona experience, go to Lon's At the Hermosa (they have a website) for drinks just before sunset outside and then repair inside if you're hungry, the food is fabulous. It is not a cheap place and the parking is valet but I've not had trouble there and the valet kids are very very nice. The food and drink and service are always memorable.

If you are downtown without a car, Durant's (Central Avenue) is 60s-70s Phoenix, Martinis and steaks are great, the decor is leather banquettes/booths. It has a parking lot in the back and patrons are known to just enter in through the kitchen directly from the parking lot.

The nouveau Mexican food everyone raves about here is at the Barrio Cafe. Try food links on The Arizona Republic website and see what kind of taco joints appeal to you.

If you have time for a drive, head out to Cave Creek and back.

We've been unseasonably hot lately, not sure what the weather holds when you would be here yet.

 

[jstarfireb]

Aww, looks like I can't make Tucson. I'll be on an ICU rotation, meaning we don't get weekends off and can't ask for vacation days.

Thanks for the Phoenix recs! We'll be in town for 4 nights. We're trying to save money by avoiding a rental car and taking public transit, but it's good to know the city is car-friendly in case we change our minds. I'm almost at that point because I realized it will take an hour to get to the conference and back without a car. The conference is kind of in the boonies (Pointe Hilton Tapatio Cliffs Resort), but we booked a cheaper hotel downtown.

 

[BubblesnFun]

Ah, IK, the sad story: My parents moved us to FRESNO and I graduated from Fresno High School having received an unexpectedly excellent education there, LOL!!! I got my revenge by going to USC, which cost them bigtime, ha!

I was born at St. Francis/Stonestown, my family lives in Oakland, Concord, Los Gatos, Martinez.

My husband and I now live near Phoenix and we go over to SF on cheapie airfares all the time and stay at The Marines Memorial right by Nob Hill. Very nice place/good location. I never stay with family, it ceases to be a vacay then

The next time we're there, come over and I'll buy dinner at the Memorial!

StonieGrl I know this post is quite dated, but I couldn't help posting to say I work at the Marines' Memorial! So good to hear your positive feedback on our lovely little place I have just started my research quality jewelers in the SF Bay Area which lead me to this thread! Pop into the Catering Office on the 10th floor if you happen to still stay at our hotel; my name is Kathleen. Such a small world here on Pricescope! I'd love to meet a fellow jewelry lover Please do update if anyone comes across a well trusted jeweler... My focus is on the pave work. I LOVE Victor Canera's work, but it would be so nice to find someone closer to home.

 

[innerkitten]

Thats funny because I once worked at the Marines Memorial too! Or did I already mention that? And as far as the original question in this post try Edmond Weber and Del Bonta both in the Shreve building.

 

[BubblesnFun]

Innerkitten: What a coincidence! I don't remember reading that but stop on by and visit! As you know, so many of the staff there are life-ers so I am sure people would be pleased to see you back