I visited Charles H. Ganske on 9/20/2025 and I was very disappointed. Please note that my…read moreexperience may not speak on his character overall or else he would not have been around for 35 years. Since this is a negative review, I will inform you of the bad parts of our interaction followed by the good.
The bad: I typically do my research ahead of time so that I can somewhat have an understanding on the product while also visiting the best option around. In this case, Charles H. Ganske stood out to me when I researched various jewelers in the area. After I introduced myself to Charles, he took about 40 minutes collecting information about me and my partner while also educating me on diamonds. He started to show me lab grown diamonds, and he was quick to point out he would not consider them "real" diamonds. He stated he only wanted to show me the prices so that I could see how cheap he could get them and how much other shops might sell them for. I asked him to show me the numbers for real ones, but he did not show me the screen, and he made up a number based on his experience. I lost some trust here, but I will move on with the turning point of our conversation.
Please note that his thoughts on lab diamonds are NOT something I took personal as everyone is entitled to their own opinions. I informed Charles that I was looking into lab diamonds as my partner, and I felt comfortable going in that direction since we have many friends that were satisfied with their lab diamonds. At this point, Charles knew that I gave myself a modest budget of $10,000, but he stopped the conversation and said he was not the guy for me as he only deals with natural diamonds.
IF the conversation ended right here, I would respect it as I cannot expect him to switch his business model just for me. Unfortunately, Charles followed that statement with, "I only deal with high-end jewelry. I do not know many women that would be happy with receiving a fake diamond". Now this was offensive and believe it or not, that is not what upset me. I asked Charles IF I could provide him with some advice and he appeared shocked but agreed. Please know that I am a very respectful individual and if he did not want my advice, I would have kindly shook his hand and walked out. Since he said yes, I let him know that he was my number one option after doing my own research of jewelers in the area but that I was disappointed with how he ended our interaction. As someone who has been successful for 35 years, I would have expected a "I understand you are looking for lab grown diamonds, but I only work with natural diamonds. I am not the person you are looking for, but I wish you the best. If you ever decide to go natural, please keep me in mind". Instead, I received the rude comment that he only deals with "high-end jewelry" and the comment about my girlfriend not appreciating a "fake" diamond. I let him know that since he has been around this long, he should have learned to keep his personal beliefs at the door before he walked in every day as it should not interact with his daily business. At this point, Charles stated that I was upset and mad because I did not hear what I wanted to hear. I did walk out upset, but it was because I was sitting in front of an adult who could not hold himself accountable for approaching this decision of mine professionally.
If Charles handled this interaction better and he ended the conversation appropriately, later down the road if a natural diamond did become important to my partner and I, then I would have visited Charles as he is the person to go to. I will never recommend him or even think of spending money at his location. If you are looking for lab diamonds, do not bother reading the good, but if you are set on natural diamonds, please read the good below!
The good: Although the experience was mostly bad, I do want to point out the things I liked about Charles. He currently offers a very limited inventory, but there is a great reason for this. He provides one-of-a-kind pieces that you approve. He is the architect in the design process, and your vision becomes reality. Although he does not assemble your jewelry, he claims to have a dedicated team that gets the job done. When you first walk into his store, it is inviting and organized. When Charles is happy, he has a vibrant personality and you automatically feel a sense of trust which is important when you are purchasing "high-end jewelry" (Charles, I know you are going to read this, so best believe I am throwing these words back at you!).
Charles spends time properly educating you on materials, the history of diamonds, and his business model. He will also collect valuable information about you and your partner so that he can help you assemble the best ring possible. He would have been a perfect contact to have in the future when my partner and I can be less financially responsible, but I will go in a different direction. But he can still be yours!
