Many thanks to Shirley and Reginald who helped us design and create our beautiful, one-of-a-kind wedding bands. They were both so friendly and engaging and made the entire process both educational and fun. We couldn't have been any happier with any part of the process. Those "other" jewelers who put their goods in little blue boxes would do well to take a lesson from Jan Dee Jewelry. Those "other" guys don't hold a candle to the customer service and responsiveness Shirley and Reggie extended. read more

JanDee has been our jeweler for 25 years - from engagement and wedding rings to watches, earrings, repair of 100yo irreplaceable pieces, resizing rings, insurance valuation, and cleaning an ordination chalice from 1950. You won't find a better jeweler in the city. read more

I really should have posted this sooner, because Jan Dee deserves it! My husband and I found a gorgeous, VERY unique vintage engagement ring from an estate seller. The ring really is like nothing I've ever seen before- a diamond encased in a white gold flower. Er... a white gold sun? I don't even know; it's just rad. Unfortunately, the ring's quirky shape creates a curve that no pre-made wedding band matched. I was unhappy with everything I tried to pair it with. I was against the idea of custom jewelry, at first. I thought that such a service would be snooty and expensive. Instead, I got a friendly, collaborative experience at a very reasonable price! Enter Shirley at Jan Dee. She helped us create a white gold wedding band that follows the curve of my vintage ring. We were a part of the process every step of the way, from brainstorming the look to molding the prototype. Shirley always made great suggestions and took our feedback. Each deadline took just a few days longer than predicted, so be ready for that. The small waiting periods were WORTH IT, though. My wedding band nests perfectly against my engagement ring. Jan Dee really went the extra mile in design, matching the etched pattern of the original band down to the exact point where it smooths under my finger. These rings look like they were created together. I literally marvel at them every day, over a year later. Thank you, Jan Dee!! I couldn't imagine having any other wedding ring. read more

Jan Dee Custom Jewelry - Jan Dee created a wedding band that perfectly nests against my vintage engagement ring. Super-accurate shape and design! - Jewelry Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

They turned my grandmother's ring into something amazing. My now fiance took my grandmother's ring and with the guidance of Shirley and Basil they made an amazing ring. We got my wedding band also made at Jan Dee it was made very fast and I can't wait to wear it come October. read more

Jan Dee Custom Jewelry - On the top is the ring that was my grandmother's and the bottom is my ring. - Jewelry Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Basil at Jan Dee helped me design a custom wedding band for my husband since he lost his after losing weight. They worked very well to incorporate a design I created and made the entire band look incredibly clean and polished. Basil kept me in the loop on every step of the way and made sure I knew all my options. I had originally planned on the ring as a surprise gift for our anniversary, but glad I ended up bringing in my husband so that he could be fitted accurately. We estimated nearly a size above where he is. Anyway, he LOVES the ring and we are both so impressed with their products, service, and commitment. The cost was a little more than I expected, but I had really never researched beforehand so wasn't sure what to expect. Given the chance, I would make the same choice again. They're even keeping the mold in case he loses this one! read more

Jan Dee Custom Jewelry - Custom wedding band the staff and I designed together. - Jewelry Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

In 1993, my husband-to-be picked out my ring with me at Jan Dee jewelers. I had looked all over for a modern cool ring that would be different than the marquis diamond, or the solitaire with the thick band (it was the late 80's early 90's!) that everyone else around me was picking out. I LOVED my ring, but as time went on (26 years later to be exact) I wanted to update it-I wear silver/white gold more than gold now, maybe a bigger stone, a little more oomph to the metal. My husband and I worked closely with Shirley and all three of us together made my new ring into the STUNNING ring that it is today. It honors the old ring in that the style is similar, but made it even better than I had drawn in my mind. We think Shirley may have even helped us with the original ring! So happy to be back at Jan Dee again 26+ years later. Thanks Shirley for a great experience!! read more

My fiancée and I are very disappointed in our experience here. We invested over a month into the process only to leave empty handed. Initially everything seemed top notch, a little eccentric maybe, but we were OK with that because jewelers are artists. At the beginning of October we contacted Jan Dee to purchase a Chatham ruby. We were able to view a ruby, but not the size/shape we were looking for. Basil agreed to order a couple of stones for comparison purposes, indicating they would arrive in a few days. 10 days later I called to check and see if the rubies arrived only to learn the order had yet to be placed. Another week later we were able to view 3 rubies. Basil provided us a piece of paper with the prices of the rubies and we made our selection. We made a picture of the paper for our records. Basil said we couldn't pay for the ruby at that time because it wasn't in inventory yet and it would take a couple of days. Nearly 2 weeks later, I called again and were told we could come in to pay for the ruby. We were shocked when Basil told us the price of the ruby was now more than 2 times what we agreed to! When we questioned the price of the ruby, even showing Basil the picture of the paper in his own writing with the previous pricing, Basil indicated this was now the price and he had called Chatham to get it. We were never rude, in fact we were more like "shocked into silence." After a pause we calmly asked why the price changed after the rubies were already shown to us. Basil didn't respond, but actually walked away and left us sitting in the showroom without explanation! He literally just walked away. I should add during our visits we also designed both of our future rings. We were so excited and invested in the process! If he had simply said, "I made a mistake with the price", we wouldn't have been pleased, but we likely would have paid it. To be treated in this way was truly unacceptable and it made it impossible to give Jan Dee our business. read more

Jan Dee Custom Jewelry - Quoted pricing in Basil's handwriting. The price was doubled without explanation when we went to pay for the stone. Unacceptable! - Jewelry Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Fantastic work and unbelievable customer service. Shirley was an absolute delight to work with and was extremely patient while working with me. My fiancée was so pleased and Jan Dee made the entire process effortless. Thank you! read more

Basil Alexander Morningstar Duran. We were fortunate enough to find him at Jan Dee. Basil is a certified gemologist and master jeweler. He helped us take an amateur CAD design, prototype it several times with several hours of consultation, and turn it into a beautiful piece of art by exquisitely mounting and polishing the final design. He also educated us in both precious metal alloys and stones, giving us a better appreciation of the craft. Even if my fiancee wasn't planning on saying "yes", Basil's craftsmanship seduced her. I cannot express in words the gratitude I have in navigating us through the complex process of custom jewelry design and manufacturing. Not to mention, he's a genuinely trustworthy person and I hope to keep him as a friend for the rest of my life. read more

Jan Dee Custom Jewelry - Custom engagement ring created by Basil at Jan Dee. We couldn't be happier with the result! - Jewelry Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Where to start? How about this... man, did I need help and boy am I glad I found Basil! Proposing to my adorable girlfriend was scary enough, so trying to figure out the ring was almost nightmarish. I have never been the type to express myself through kitchy tokens or cliche's, so I decided I would design the ring myself. Only problem is, I don't know the first thing about jewelry. My mother and step-dad, who also had their rings made by Jan Dee over 10 years ago, recommended their craftsmanship. So the "first leap" I took prior to "TAKING THE LEAP" was to entrust the creation of her engagement ring to the charming, reliable, and professional Basil Alexander Morning Star (yes, that is his name and yes it is quite exceptional). The result was BREATHTAKING, no literally she made a noise that was a cause for concern when I proposed! And her response sums up my experience with Jan Dee and Basil.... "Perfect" Thank you! Looking forward to designing our wedding bands in the coming months. read more

I misplaced the Movado watch my ex-fiancé gave me for my birthday many years ago. I am fairly certain that it's somewhere lurking in the bowels of my sofa, but I've ripped it apart to no avail. Anyway, when I had lunch with him last week, I mentioned that I lost the watch and was sad about it as it was my favorite one. Completely unprovoked and unprompted, he slipped his own watch off his wrist - a beautiful titanium Swiss Army watch I gave him years ago. He gave it to me and said "I don't really need it, and besides Mary (his current fiancée) doesn't like that I still wear a watch that you gave me." Um, ok. I think it's odd that she'd be upset by that, but I was happy to take it off his hands. I love men's watches on women. I think they look very stylish. All I needed to do was get a couple links removed and this baby was mine. I searched Yelp for a place close to where I'd be running errands today and Jan Dee came up, and has 5 stars to boot. Done. I found a parking spot in front, walked in and was greeted immediately. The woman looked at the watch, said "I think 2 links will be enough. Give me just a minute." She was right. It literally took a minute. The watch now fits perfectly and looks great. The cost? $6.00. I was in and out, including parking, in less than 5 minutes. While I continue my search for my lost watch, at least I have another one to wear, thanks to Jan Dee. Five stars for friendly, efficient, and reasonably priced customer service! read more

A few months back, I accidentally managed to hurl my engagement ring into a wall. Oops. The stone came loose. All of the other jewelers I called said they would need to keep the ring overnight. The ladies here told me to come in and they'd fix it for me on the spot. I was very grateful and gladly planning to shell out for the service, but they did it for no charge! Keep in mind, I'd never set foot in the store before -- and my ring had been made elsewhere. Truly wonderful of them! Four months later, I've just returned to get the ring checked, and to browse their selection of wedding rings. Gorgeous selection, reasonable prices, and (again!) amazing, friendly service. I feel quite lucky to have found a jeweler who is kind, trustworthy, and talented! read more

Jan Dee is truly one of the nicest women around. Also, the product here is amazing. My mom's been shopping here for DECADES. We decided to get my engagement/wedding ring here, and Shirley has been so wonderful. I'm getting a unique ring that'll have my great-grandmother's stones. No, my fiance and I aren't rolling in cash, so they've been really nice about us paying in tiny installments. Honestly, this place is awesome, and I wouldn't think of going to another jeweler, ever. read more

Our mission was simple. I'd get a basic wedding band and my then-fiance would pick out her ring, which would likely require more work. Who knew I was the prima donna? She made her selection in no-time flat. I, on the other hand, labored over the decision, and ended up ordering a custom platinum ring, made to my exacting specifications. Both rings exemplify outstanding workmanship, artistry and attention to detail. And the same could be said of the staff at this gem of a jewelery store. read more

This is the place to go if you want AMAZING jewelry! My fiance and I are very particular, and we don't go for the ordinary. Jan Dee Custom Jewelry turned out to be perfect for us. Everything from the beautiful showroom to the unique jewelry, gems, settings, are all top level. Basil and Shirley are the jeweler's we worked with. They are both extremely knowledgeable, talented, and professional. They guided us through every step, from concept to finished product, never making us feel rushed. They helped us select the exact right stones and ring design to create true custom works of art! We will be back for sure whenever we want beautiful jewelry and a great experience! read more

See all

My husband and I are devout followers of Basil and came to Jan Dee when we learned he was on their team. Both he and the other folks are lovely and so helpful. We were already engaged when we first visited Jan Dee, but needed to select our wedding bands. Basil was so helpful and patient with my slightly indecisive husband and provided a lot of really nice options. Being a conscientious consumer, I investigated prices for bands elsewhere and found that Jan Dee's prices fell WELL below what similar chain stores offered. Quite honestly, it makes no sense to buy such important pieces anywhere else than here. You want to talk to the people who work with and make your jewelry, not just a sales person. Somewhere along the way my engagement ring was damaged and Basil was able to quickly and efficiently repair it, so this is the place you all need to go when you want to purchase jewelry or have your current bling repaired by an expert. Love this place! read more

This place is my favorite new jeweler! Basil is incredible in his knowledge about the background of any jewelry you bring him. I had brought in my ring needing to have it fixed, he immediately could explain what I needed (after having two jewelers fail in helping me) and how long it was going to take. I loved the great service, beautiful atmosphere. I will be back. read more

Jan Dee Custom Jewelers is a great place - you should definitely check it out! They have a great selection and are conveniently located just a little bit west of Southport on Diversey. Aside from shopping there, I have often called with jewelry-related questions. They have always been kind and willing to help! Nancy is nice and Cathy is awesome. read more

I highly recommend Jan Dee! I had no idea my fiancé was ring shopping, so he picked Jan Dee and my ring all in his own! First of all the ring is amaaaazing! I love that it's not from a chain store. See my fiancé's review (Kale E) for more about his buying experience. Since I've gotten the ring, Basil has provided excellent service. He resized my ring in only 2 days (I was expecting 7-10). I also caught the ring on something without realizing it, pulling a prong a little bit loose. I brought it in and Basil fixed it in less than 5 minutes. Excellent customer service and beautiful jewelry!!! read more

Jan Dee Custom Jewelry - My engagement ring from Jan Dee! - Jewelry Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This is like a small town boutique jeweler. They shortened a gold rope that required expert skills in soldering - the result was outstanding Highly recommend as their service and prices might astound even the savvy read more

Shirley at Jan Dee was amazing in helping my husband and I create a beautiful custom pendant. We reworked an existing piece and Shirley and her team guided us through every step with ease. The pieces in the store are great too. The end result was more than we expected. read more

Jan Dee Custom Jewelry - Jewelry Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We went to Basil at Jan Dee for our wedding bands because my husband also worked with him on the engagement ring...and it is gorgeous!!!. Not only was he perfection with our custom designs, but Basil was so friendly to us every time we came in. He worked with us to make sure we were getting the best value for the price, and made the whole process exciting. He also cared about our wedding day outside of the jewelry, and asked us about our planning and helped us coordinate our outfits. Basil feels like more than a jeweler, Id consider him a friend! read more

Long overdue and I'm receiving compliments on my renovated antique ring that this jewelry designer helped me recreate! A few months ago in winter I found this random skeleton of a ring on Ebay and won the bid so for my birthday gift to myself I took her straight to Jan Dee and everyone here listened to my vision for what I wanted. I found out a new setting needed to be rebuilt from scratch and they gave me some potential options for what type of stone I wanted to be set into her. This ring had potential and I wanted the original white gold setting to be plaited in rose gold so in about six weeks I went to pick up my new beauty all dazzling in her femininity. Let me say they do take their time and before my stone was chosen I had been shown at least five different stones all varying in prices from super low budget to decadent and each stone was some shade of pink. I really appreciated the choices and decided upon the lab quality hot pink sapphire you see will see in my photos to come. Initially it took two different tries to make sure the rose gold would stay on my white gold metal because on the first try a lot of the gold plated gold came off but they tried once more without charging me and so far so good! They also repaired a pearl ring of mine and made sure the pearl was firmly set into a peg rather than just "glue". They fixed my pearl ring successfully unlike Jared galleries who are not familiar with genuine jewelry repair. I highly recommend you come to jan dee for redesign, jewelry repair and handmade artisan creations. read more

Jan Dee Custom Jewelry - Jan dee recreation of an antique ring...planting in those gold and created structure for my new sapphire stone...5 service - Jewelry Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

This review has been a long time coming, and should have happened sooner, but better late than never, right? Jan Dee Jewelers is amazing! My wife and I had our first child recently-ish and I wanted to get her something to commemorate the event. However, knowing my wife, I just knew if I was going to spend a lot of money on a piece I wanted her to love it, so though it killed the surprise I asked her what she would like. Not to my surprise she wanted to design the piece - a simple large elegant circle, with three diamonds positioned at 5 o'clock and a gold chain that cut through the circle at 10 & 2. I had no idea how to go about creating a custom piece, but we live in the neighborhood so I visited Jan Dee. They worked with us to build the piece - even creating a plastic version to determine if it was the right size and style - and then had it made. It was perfect - exactly what my wife wanted and very beautiful and stylish. Here's the best part - all of this was very reasonably priced. I really wasn't sure if I would be able to afford a custom jewelry piece, but at Jan Dee the price was spot on. It certainly wasn't cheap, but it was not outrageous either. It was just right - like my entire experience with this fabulous business. If you are in the neighborhood or even if you have to travel, it's a worth a trip to Jan Dee before you spend your money anywhere else. read more

I have been meaning to write this review for a long time. Jan Dee is such an Amazing Jeweler!!! Why? They are like your old fashioned neighborhood jeweler. They LOVE what they do. When my fiance proposed, the ring was a little large, but the jeweler who made the ring was closed so we wandered into Jan Dee - they were so friendly and happy to help resize even though they hadn't done the ring. They looked at the diamond under their little handheld microscope and exclaimed "Oh wow! Someone had FUN with this diamond!" I think one of the most valuable characteristics is that they truly love and know a ton about gems. I feel like I can ask them anything and they are more than happy to teach you things. Next - They care about retaining their customers. They want you to be happy! My husband and I bought our wedding bands there, but I will say upfront that I haven't spent thousands of dollars in this shop. My purchases so far have been within my current meager budget. That said, they are still wonderful and friendly every time I come in. I came to them many months later with a necklace that just wasn't "quite right" for my wedding dress. I wanted to modify the front somehow to make it have a lower drop in the front. Cathy took a pair of needle nose plyers and quickly and effortlessly deconstructed the front of the necklace, and then started fiddling with different ways to rearrange it! I thought I was going to have to decide on the plan and then leave the necklace with them for a week and pay some $100+ sum of money. But nope! She did it all right there on the SPOT!!! It took less than 5 minutes and it was so quick and easy that she didn't even charge me!!! These ladies are just wonderful. I will always come here for jewelry needs! read more

After my partner proposed to me, we knew we wanted nontraditional wedding rings. Something special to us that represented us as a couple. A friend of ours suggested Jan Dee because we also wanted somewhere queer friendly. We worked with Shirley, and she was amazing from the moment we walked in to the store. She was excited for us, and we spent time brainstorming - she asked us about things that represented us as a couple and enjoyed our stories. After discussing, she showed us some rings to give us inspiration, ran some ideas by us, discussed materials, and then went to the drawing board. She came back with a beautiful design inspired by our stories - two penguins (since, ya know, penguins mate for life and can also be adorably gay). The design was absolutely perfect. While the process took a few months (between hand drawn design, CAD design, wax mold, and finally casting) it was absolutely worth the wait. Their attention to detail is remarkable. We have beautiful rings that were fairly priced, especially given that they are custom to us. I constantly suggest Jan Dee to folks who are looking for special jewelry and a lovely experience. read more

Jan Dee Custom Jewelry - Custom penguin ring by Shirley! (On the other side is two penguins holding flippers) - Jewelry Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Men. Listen. Getting engaged is a big step. Don't screw around. Call Shirley Campbell, make an appointment. I did some of my own research but it didn't get me far. There is a ton of conflicting information out there. Just go see Shirley. She was attentive, educational, and inquisitive. This wasn't about a sale. This wasn't about Jan Dee. This was about me and my, now, fiance. After the diamond selection, the band was custom made. The craftsmanship is impeccable, was on time and on budget. At every step I felt important, that this event was important. When I went to pick up the ring, I was met with smiles, congratulatory comments, and handshakes. When my fiance called to ask them about care, Shirley knew who she was and gave specific care instructions for HER ring, despite never meeting her. I can't say enough about my experience here and my time with Shirley. Except that I will be a solid referral source for them and will be back over the years to come. read more

Terrific service and products. Jan Dee is the only jeweler I've ever been to where the salespeople don't immediately size you up, with dollar signs in their eyes, the minute you walk in the door (what a surprise in Lincoln Park ;) The staff (particularly Nancy) are friendly and down-to-earth, and nobody acts commission-hungry. My fiance and I went to Jan Dee on a friend's recommendation, and we bought our wedding bands there. The rings came in only a few weeks after we ordered them. We've since recommended Jan Dee to several other friends! We loved the fact that if they don't have a particular thing in the store, they will custom-order it for you. They have an extensive collection of beautiful celtic-knotwork designs for wedding bands (ask to see the catalog for the complete collection), which is what we bought (in white gold) and are very pleased with. read more

Jan Dee Custom Jewelers does an amazing job when it comes to custom jewelry. Though I haven't ordered any custom jewelry myself I have see several pieces that Jan Dee Custom Jewelers has created and the pieces have been beautiful. Jan Dee's has been serving the Chicago community for more than 40 years and this family jeweler is a full service jeweler that stands behind it products. If you looking for a great experience, visit Jan Dee's. read more

Went here to replace two watch batteries that had died. I dropped off the two watches and went to run some errands and come back and pick them up, the battery replacements were very quick--they were ready within 30 minutes of dropping them off but I didn't feel rushed to have to come back and pick them up right away. The price point was great, too. Typically, I get my watch batteries replaced in the Loop, but one watch can range be anywhere from $25-30+. Both of these were fixed for less than the cost of one watch battery replacement in the Loop. Will definitely recommend! read more

I've made a few small purchases and had some repairs done here over the yeats. Always quick, personable and affordable. I highly recommend.

Jan Dee's Basil and Shirley do fabulous fixes (changing screw back earrings to wire, for example), and amazing custom work. FJ said it all in November (& no, I don't know him). Basil is so happy to see "antique" jewelry (some of my inheritance actually is, but most is a mere 50-60 years young). They did a custom wedding band years ago for my best friend's husband after his original was stolen in a robbery, and that replacement was like none I'd ever seen before. I think their prices are fair. Now it's Christmas they're open every day. Stop going by and start going IN! read more

My partner and I had an excellent experience here and our commitment rings are exactly what we had in mind! Basil took the time to work with us carefully every step of the way and never rushed or pressured anything. We appreciate Basil's artistry and making the whole process special for us. Our rings feel meaningful and personal. Thank you! read more

The staff at Jan Dee were excellent as they helped me to clean both a watch and chain at no charge! It's great having a neighborhood jewelry store that's so wonderful, no wonder their ratings are so high! read more

Many of my friends purchased their engagement and/or wedding bands from Jan Dee, and recommended them to me for my wedding bands. Shirley was especially helpful and we were able to stay within budget. Will go back for all my jewelry needs! read more

When my partner and I wanted to make a commitment, over 20 years ago, we went to Jan Dee's to get rings. We were strangers in a strange land. We had never purchased or worn any fine jewelry. But the people there helped us to choose rings that we'd be comfortable wearing. When we came to pick them up, they gave us a distinctive cobalt blue bottle of sparkling water and made us feel like we were worth celebrating. Last weekend we got married and a few weeks prior, brought those very same rings back to this fine establishment to be resized and polished. The fact that they're there and still going strong is evidence of what a great place this is without a single review! We live in the suburbs right now, and it was absolutely worth the drive. Again, they made us comfortable. And they got the job done in a timely way so we didn't have to worry that the rings wouldn't be ready. read more

Basil was an incredible help in designing an engagement ring for my fiance! Basil was incredibly helpful and took the extra time to teach me a little about my stones. His work incorporating my grandmas ring into my now fiances ring was perfect and I can't recommend him enough. read more

The staff here is so nice. I used them to replace a number of watch batteries. If I need something more complicated, I feel confident that they'll be able to hand it. read more

I am delighted to share I had a terrific experience with Shirley Campbell at Jan Dee jewelry. She redesigned a family ring for me that I love . Shirley was both patient and kind throughout the process, and very knowledgeable about gems and jewelry. A great experience. Thanks Shirley! Five stars for you. read more

Jan Dee Jewelers did an incredible job creating my custom engagement ring! My fiance and I came in with a diamond from my grandmothers engagement ring, some small diamonds from his family, and the bare gold settings to my grandparents rings. Shirley asked us about ourselves and if we had an idea of what we wanted then, showed us some different designs and we talked it through while she quickly drew up a sketch and explained what they could do to feature the family stones we had brought in. We were even able to recycle the gold settings and she gave us a discount for doing so. We really love the ring and I get complimented on it all the time! Shirley was truly wonderful and I would highly recommend Jan Dee Jewelers to anyone. read more