Wow @Maja What a resource! Thank you for such a thoughtful response. I want to go to all those places now!!! The consignment gallery sounds very interesting indeed.I grew up in the DC area, and have lived here off and on my whole life. For bling, if you are looking for lovely displays, great variety, window shopping, that sort of thing:
PAMPILLONIA Creators of Fine Jewelry, a mix of stuff from new designers, many estate pieces, and they do custom design, too, for example the red enamel setting to a 3ct OMC dome ring envisioned by a dear friend, they brought her idea to bigger-than -life.
BOONE AND SONS Jewelers, has three locations, I've been to the DC location and the Chevy Chase location. One of the Boone sons was in elementary school with me (many years ago), so I had personal bonds there, but they also have great showrooms, great mix of modern designers, estate pieces, and custom work. Boone's sold me the coca-cola brown diamond set in white gold that is in my avatar photo, it was from my husband on our fifth wedding anniversary.
I'll suggest one more local shop (not a chain, been here for donkey's years) and it is right on Connecticut Avenue (don't know where you are staying?). It's TINY JEWEL BOX and my dad bought small, beautiful things there for my mom in the mid 1960s.They have estate pieces (I wonder who bought that Victorian suite of carved coral...), many collections from new designers, and diamonds galore. They do corporate gifts also, if you need executive gifts with a DC flavor.
Not exactly a showroom, not exactly a retail location, but definitely local is SLOANS AND KENYON Consignment Gallery. It's an offshoot of Sloans and Kenyon Auctioneers; some things that don't sell at auction right away are transferred to the Consignment Gallery, called the "Boutique". It's not as attractive or well-laid out as the Boone's or Pampillonia or Tiny Jewel Box showrooms, not as bright or clean, and the staff is not especially welcoming toward browsers, but there is a jewelry display case with some fine pieces, and Stephanie Kenyon has been in the business for 35 years that I know of, and has specialized in fine gems and jewelry the whole time.
Also not for browsing, but if you are dropping major major major $$ and you want personal knowledge and attention at that level, call and get an appointment with SHAH & SHAH Distinctive Jewelers. Then come back here and tell me ALL about it, because I've never been, LOL.
Also not for browsing, but knowledgeable, creative, and flexible is JEWELS OF HOUSE HOLBROOK, she's a jewelry concierge, which I didn't know about them until a few months ago, you tell her what you want and how much you want to spend and she finds it because she has connections everywhere. She found me my latest purchase, a three-stone over-two-carats ring with old cuts and in my price range, and was so patient with not-well-organized-me!
Thanks for giving me the chance to remember some exciting shopping expeditions @leukolenos ! It's not that I have a large or valuable collection, but living and working here for so long means I have plenty of places to window shop, and I hope you are rested and ready for your trip.
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