Such nice people who have helped me time and time again to clean, repair, appraise my small but…read moresentimental jewelry collection. Places like this are so rare these days which is why I am writing this review. And they have such pretty jewelry for sale, too.

John and his son always do an amazing job for my jewelry needs. He recently fashioned a pair of…read morecufflinks and a tie-tack from my great uncle's USAAAF WWII collar pins. I get compliments on them all the time. 14 Karats is an Elmwood institution. Not many store like this left these days.

I cannot recommend Altana and her team enough for custom engagement rings and jewelry design! I…read morewanted to redesign my partner's mother's ring into my engagement ring, reusing both the original round center diamond and all of the smaller melee diamonds. After another jeweler told us they could only use the center stone, we did our research and found Altana, who was able to incorporate all of the diamonds into my custom design. From our very first appointment, Altana was warm, professional, and incredibly patient. As someone who didn't know much about ring design, I appreciated how she walked me through different styles, proportions, and design details without ever pushing her own ideas. We communicated via email after our initial consultation, and she created a design mockup that allowed me to visualize the ring before it was made. When my partner proposed, my engagement ring exceeded every expectation. Altana captured my vision perfectly, and the craftsmanship was absolutely beautiful. I am SO incredibly thrilled and obsessed with my ring, it's absolutely DAZZLING! If you're looking for a jeweler who specializes in custom designs, can work with heirloom diamonds, communicates well, and genuinely cares about bringing your vision to life, I highly recommend Altana and her family-owned business. We loved the experience so much that we booked an appointment to design our wedding bands just days after getting engaged. I'll be returning for all my future custom jewelry needs. 5,000 stars!!

I have a story with a happy ending, thanks to Altana…read more Last spring, I managed to snag my 16-year-old beloved (and fragile) engagement ring on the rim of the clothes dryer, of all places. The band snapped and sent the tiny diamond flying, never to be found. The original jeweler was incredibly generous with his time and made me a new ring, but he's much more popular now than he was back then, and his style has shifted somewhat. When that ring arrived, it wasn't what I was expecting. In his effort to give me a more durable ring (understandably!), he'd gone in a very different direction - the old ring was small, delicate, and understated; the new ring was rough, matte, and chunky. Enter Altana. You know how great artists find the sculpture in the hunk of marble? Sakura polished the band, shaved the setting, and managed to make a miracle happen: I never, ever thought I'd find a ring that could compete with the original, but I can honestly say (shocker of shockers) that I love this ring all the more. It's also more sturdily built, so I'm not so worried about its durability, and it's the perfect ring to last me the next many years. She was also delightful to work with - she totally got the challenge, and aced it. (She's now rebuilding my wedding ring, which is of the same style as my original engagement ring, and just as fragile.) As anyone who's ever lost a sentimental piece knows, it can make a mark (however tiny!) on your heart. Thanks to Sakura, this new ring lets me treasure - and not mourn - the loss of the old one.

I and my mother before me, have shopped at Bill's Trading Post for more than 30 years. Maureen…read moreretired (darn it) but it is still going strong. Support this small, family owned store.

Just found another wonderful piece at Bill's Trading post!…read moreWonderful place to shop. I stopped in with a friend the other day and we were both impressed by the selection and how well everything is presented. The owner has a wonderful eye for nice pieces. Thanks again and as always, what a pleasure.

The BEST! I met the owner, Marisa, at an art fair and it…read morewas such a delight that I knew I'd want to come to her brick and mortar. I just purchased a 2nd necklace from her, and I love it. She always has great quality pieces and she always "charges" the crystals to welcome it to its new owner (if you are into that sort of thing like me, haha). I left feeling so nourished even after just a few minutes. Great shop, amazing energy!

I needed a repair on a diamond ring, including a break in two places, and a replacement diamond,…read moreand Marisa not only had that done for me, but she did it in just 2 days when I wanted it for my anniversary! I was very impressed with her services and communication throughout the process, as some aspects of the work had to be figured out. I also think the one-of-a-kind pieces she has in her shop are gorgeous, and I plan to go back in to shop. I could not have had a better experience, and I will recommend Codacraft and Marissa to everyone.

I went in to get some batteries replaced on a few watches. Quick and affordable service. I'll be…read morereturning soon with the rest of my watches.

I had two watches in need of a battery and brought them to Mr. Kim for maintenance. What I truly…read moreappreciate about Mr. Kim is his honesty and knowledge base. Immediately after looking at my watches he could tell one needed the stem repaired and he would make the adjustment to save me money. I was also pleased that he was able to do the repairs on the spot. In the past when I've gone to other repair shops I would have to leave my watch and come back in a few days. Love how speedy and efficient Mr. Kim is.

Ruby offers personalized service and great value for her unique brand of art jewelry. Come see her…read morework for yourself.

Vampire Blood Moons! Sylvan Moons! Moons For All!…read more SITREP I am decidedly NOT a jewelry person, as in I have RARELY bought any jewelry - for MYSELF to wear - if at all, in the last 30 years of my adult-buying life. [However, buying jewelry for special female friends & relations is another matter entirely and I love splurging there.] But what grabs my attention from the get-go is if the jewelry piece is: * Unique * Cutting-Edge * Makes a powerful statement by it's mere appearance * Is something I'd ACTUALLY WEAR; and, * NOT TOO DAM EXPENSIVE Otherwise, why bother buying a piece of jewelry that's just going to gather dust on top of my dresser? THE SETUP My personal history with jewelry is pretty erratic, and I have recently been forced to audit my experiences and search out why that is so.... I THINK in large part that is originally due to having grown up in a conservative Seventh-Day Adventist (SDA) Christian home where even when my former spouse Shelly and I were married years ago in this denomination, we were frowned upon by that church community that we would even wear wedding bands. Well, yada yada yada, and flash forward a few decades, and all I have to say is "F*ck the Hypocrisy of Christianity" and ANY OTHER organized religion - they can all rot in their delusional hells they conjure up in their own fanatical belief-systems, and I'm happy I've moved on to.... (PERSONAL) EVOLUTION So I have in fact been that guy, dressed all in black, having fun on the dance floor or conversing at the bar - but wearing no jewelry: no cuff links, no pendants, no rings, no tie bars, and no hats or canes for that matter. However, that is changing.... I do notice my tastes are developing an appreciation for some very interesting pieces. [Even though no longer bound by "fanatical" prohibitions against jewelry, I STILL have to be "interested" in what is being offered if I'm going to be spending my own MONEY.] JEWELRY SELECTIONS & BUSINESS STABILITY There is the occasional cool ring I have picked up when perusing the stalls of a Renaissance Faire or I am scanning the tables at a Comic Con. The problem here is that as much as I like/love certain pieces, I tend to lose them, most likely having resulted them being STOLEN from me. Then I'm screwed because I have no way of tracking down that random vendor! EYESCREAM What I love about Ruby and her business EYESCREAM is that she has been around for a while AND I know where to find her at her "brick & mortar" business in Oakland. Even though all the pieces I have purchased from her have been when she is vending at Bay Area dance clubs or festivals, I have also visited her at her store and enjoyed some conversations - and even a party - when there. VAMPIRE BLOOD MOON In fact, this brings me to one of my first purchases from her while out at the dance & music showcase event "ShadowDance". It was there that I fell in love with a Vampire Blood Moon pendant ($39.99) - and a caveat, it would be unfair to attribute such "cutesy" jewelry names as given by Ruby herself - she is above that - it's just what I call it so I can describe the item to myself in my head or to share with friends: https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/eyescream-oakland?select=yZ0WNLdTTHJ3_rx47AK1Ww Well, that piece (amongst many other items) was eventually stolen from me (and I suppose I am the only one who has felt the pain of having many personal & sentimental items stolen as the result of a relationship breakup, right?), but flash forward, and Ruby set me up with another similar piece! And this time opting for a more powerful statement with the black cord rather than a silver chain. https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/eyescream-oakland?select=8V2x-z1FoyIRIY74iDX91g SYLVAN MOON I never know when I will see Ruby next time (even though I know where Eyescream is - since it can be a BIT of a 2 HR traffic trek from Sacramento to Oakland) and she had other very beautiful pieces out this past weekend (while vending at another subsequent "ShadowDance" no less). https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/eyescream-oakland?select=GBt2HfJMtKqQHZ0Du5QZIQ I even saw skulls and kitties! https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/eyescream-oakland?select=kdn_huMLaGpsQ0ReHSmrtQ But I had to ALSO pull the trigger when I saw the Sylvan Moon pendant (also $39.99): stunning in it's elegance, but remarkable in it's simplicity - a wonderful trade-off for wearing with the Vampire Blood Moon pendant. And, "yes", I say "Sylvan Moon" - it doesn't actually have a name - but it is what I imagine the Sylvan Elves of Middle Earth might have worn under the light of the waxing moon and the Star of Eärendil. https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/eyescream-oakland?select=FR_F8y-PCFZTUKtTkKZyIw So as far as pendants go for myself, I hit the jackpot this past weekend. THE LOWDOWN Exquisite jewelry selection for those with darker, more ethereal tastes.

My wife and I wanted to find a local artist to create our wedding bands and we were lucky enough to…read morestumble upon Kaya while at Oakland's First Friday Art Murmur. Kaya was an absolute pleasure to work with and we loved her original designs. She used her artistic eye to help us develop the look and feel of our bands. After she created the rings by hand we were stunned by the results. You could see and feel the care and passion that went into creating them and she delivered them on time and at a reasonable price. I have received many compliments on the bands over the months and love that we have our own original beautiful pieces of artwork to signify our love thanks to Kaya's craftsmanship. We couldn't recommend Kaya more highly for your jewelry needs!!!

In addition to being a wonderful artist, Kaya is an excellent teacher. I took a two hour jewelry…read moremaking class from her and found her to be very skillful both as a teacher and as a designer. Her pieces are beautiful, refined and unique.

I totally trust Mahesh as a Jeweler. I've worked with him for many years and value his kindness,…read moreprofessionalism and expertise. I had my own jewelry business until I retired and now I recommend Park Street Jewelers to my friends and family. As a matter of fact, I hope to visit this week...

Had a custom wedding band made for my husband. It is absolutely perfect.. Park Jewelers is the…read morebest! Photo by @kandacephotography