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