I cannot thank Donna enough for her genuine kindness and being there in a pinch for me today. My boyfriend is having an engagement ring made and I had no idea my size since I never wear a ring on my left hand. I looked up and down for a walk-in jewelry store near my work just to find a finger sizer. No luck. I found her Yelp and expected to be turned away because it's a private showroom. Instead, a lovely woman wearing a magnifying mask greeted me and gave me a tour of her showroom and workspace. Donna graciously took my finger size and did not try to do any sales pitch but her work was so beautiful that I definitely wanted to know more. She draws a lot of inspiration from Rennaissance art and architecture and her pieces have a distinctly old-world feel with unparalleled craftsmanship and attention to detail. We spoke at length about her work and discussed the potential of her making a custom bridal circlet for me when the time comes. She gave me some marketing materials and I will definitely be in touch with her as soon as we know the date. I got back to my desk and started to do some research and it turns out her background is quite impressive. She has many celebrity clients, was the in-house metalsmith for the Met Museum, and the jewelry mastermind behind the amazing Heavenly Bodies exhibit. I'm honestly a little star-struck and cannot wait to hopefully work with her! read more

Donna is a true artist and craftswoman! Her shop is awesome and her employees are super friendly and courteous. I trust her for all my jewelry needs. read more

Redesigning my ring here was one of the most exceptional, wonderful experiences I have ever had. Donna is a passionate goldsmith who seamlessly interweaves references from Dante's Inferno and Faberge quotes in conversations about design. Her aesthetic evokes medieval and Renaissance feel. She has an amazing eye and her gems and jewelry are all arrestingly beautiful! My ring is now my favorite piece of jewelry--something I just cannot stop staring at! She also fixed and improved a necklace I bought in. Very importantly for me, all her materials are 3rd party certified eco-friendly, especially the gold! (All her metals, including the gold, are recycled!) All her work is designed and made in the US. And while I did not spend as much money as one might at such an amazing place, she ensured a welcoming and luxurious experience. She took the kernel of the idea I had for what the ring could be and developed and transformed it into something so lovely! Every aspect of my interaction with her was inspiring! I cannot wait for my next opportunity to use her services. read more

if you need something repaired, made modern, are looking for something new or stylish and enjoy working with nice people whom you can trust.... you've come to the right place. i found them the staff to be accommodating, fair, and friendly. That is a nice find in the big city. read more

My engagement ring was missing a diamond which fell out. Donna saved the day! She rebuilt my ring & added an amazing personal engraving that makes it priceless! The quality & detail of her work made us so impressed & touched that we asked her to design our wedding bands as well. We were not disappointed! She outdid herself once again & worked within our budget. I will always whole-heartedly recommend her for all jewelry needs! Thank you Donna & Judy!! read more

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The quality and craftsmanship of Donna Distefano's work is matched by her focus on customer care and affordable service. She repaired my earrings beautifully and took time to discuss designing a new pair inspired by them. I am so happy to have found such an amazing style resource in my own neighborhood. Her atelier is a wonderland of medieval artifact and history. Highly recommend. read more

Donna is a wonderful jeweler, talented designer and simply a kind human being. Her jewelry work is nothing less than an exquisite pieces of art. Five stars from every angle!!! read more

I had a great feeling about Donna's atelier from the very beginning. My husband and I contacted them because we wanted a special custom setting for a family diamond, a ring that my husband wanted to give me in honor of our first daughter (that she will one day inherit) and what I read on yelp gave me a good impression (as well as the Italian last name. Call me biased but I associate Italy with quality when it comes to clothing and jewelry, if the source is authentic). As soon as I wrote an email to inquire about this custom setting we received a very well disposed, kind and thorough reply which made us want to visit the atelier right away. As soon as I entered I felt like it was the right place. Yellow gold and beautiful stones sparkling everywhere, but not in the "cheap rapper bling" kind of way (which is the way everything is in the diamond district...it all looks the same) but in a TRUE beautiful way. Donna's atelier goldsmiths have serious talent and an eye for beautiful jewelry design reminiscent of the Renaissance. Much of their jewelry looks like pieces you might find in a museum! A ruby necklace worn by an empress... a pearl ring worn by a countess...an emerald necklace where the stones and gold are balanced in such a way that it is both subtle and overwhelming. That is the feeling their jewelry gave me. Each piece is unique, stunning, and there is not a detail overlooked in the way each intricate piece is finished. The gold is of a beautiful quality and I can tell the difference looking at it next to other gold jewelry I have. This gold is comparable to the gold in the jewelry that I inherited from my elderly relatives (so very very nice quality) or that I buy in Italy, which is my native country. We worked with both Donna and Judy Ann, and they were both wonderful, they talked us through the best options possible while staying within our budget (but really if you ever want to splurge..THIS is the place to do it). I created my own design because in this case I wanted something particular (but I would have entirely trustingly have put the matter in their hands otherwise, Donna clearly has a taste similar to mine). The ring was finished within a month or so, and with a few emails and visits in between (visits during which Judy Ann would hold my baby girl and play with her while I discussed the ring with Donna, which was completely unexpected, sweet and WONDERFUL of her. I mean, that's true customer service). My husband and I also enjoyed conversing with Donna in Italian and found it refreshing that she has kept the language in her life, so many people don't. That is beside the point of this review but I do want to stress that the ENTIRE experience was great, not just the final product. When I went to pick up the ring I took it out of its beautiful box, put it on my finger and have not taken it off since. They followed my design faithfully as well as my guidelines on how the ring would "feel". I wanted an elegant setting which looked special but comfortable enough to wear every day, I wanted a bezel setting which would hug the stone and keep it safe. The end result was beautiful. I highly recommend Donna and her atelier to anyone who wants something different, special, sophisticated and of superior quality and aesthetic. My husband is sure to return for future special occasions, he truly could not go wrong here and I hope more New Yorkers discover this hidden gem. read more

Donna Distefano - Custom setting made for a family diamond based on my design - Jewelry Near Me - New York, New York

When my husband and I went shopping for our wedding bands last year, we were overwhelmed by all of the choices. My engagement ring was really unique and special, so I struggled with how best to complement it. After going into lots of different stores and feeling like nothing was quite right, we found ourselves in Donna Distefano's lovely boutique. What can I say? From the moment I met Donna, I was immediately put at ease. She is incredibly sweet and seemed to really understand and appreciate how big this decision was for us. We explained our budget and what we were looking for. I told her that I wanted something with old world charm, yet with a modern twist. As I looked around her shop, it was clear I had come to the right place. Her jewelry is absolutely stunning. After Donna listened to what I was looking for, my likes/dislikes, she started sharing her ideas for a wedding band that would work well with my engagement ring. (She also sized my engagement ring and did a phenomenal job.) My husband and I couldn't be happier with what she made for us. And for someone who isn't a big jewelry person, my husband will actually comment from time to time about how much he loves his ring. I can't recommend Donna highly enough. Love love love our rings!!! read more