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    Jennifer Dawes Designs

    4.2 (19 reviews)
    PriceyJewelry
    Closed 10:00 am - 5:00 pm

    By appointment only

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    Jenny F.

    Best engagement & wedding ring experience ever! Once my (now) fiance and I decided it was time to move our relationship into the next stage of life, I began searching for rings online. Searching for a ring online is not exactly awesome - until I found Jennifer's website! I knew she was the designer for me, immediately. I wanted rings that were sustainable, beautiful and unique - no blood diamonds here! We are from New York, but we planned a vacation to California and made an appointment to visit her studio in Santa Rosa. How lovely! Jennifer and her team were so warm and welcoming, we felt right at home. We had a good idea of the rings we were looking to create, but we were able to choose the emerald we wanted and contemplated a few different styles, but stuck to our original design. We spent 2-3 hours playing with jewelry and getting to know one another - an experience that we would have never had going to some jeweler in NYC. Jennifer LOVES what she does and it shines through in her work! Our appointment was in mid-October and we had the rings and were engaged by the end of November! They kept my fiance updated throughout the ring creation process and if either of us had a question or vice versa, communicating was a breeze. We purchased both wedding bands and the engagement ring and are thrilled with all of them; they are absolutely gorgeous and everything we could've ever wanted. Thank you to Jen & her team for such a memorable and pleasurable experience. We loved working with you and are totally in love with our rings and each other :)

    A beautiful platinum ring, but white gold solder is visible at the bezel, as well as inside the ring.

    I am very disappointed with my dealings with Dawes Design. I contacted them to create an emerald, white sapphire, and platinum engagement ring. I do not feel the ring she made for us has the value and craftsmanship that should be associated with a $13k ring. I feel this is a case of "buyer beware". I contacted Jennifer spring 2012 to create the ring. In my excitement, I did not get a breakdown of costs or stone value, but accepted the $13k price tag. This was my mistake. I chose Jennifer because she does have beautiful designs and because she claims to use environmentally friendly materials from ethical sources. The contract was negotiated over the phone and by email, but was never summarized in a formal document. From email, it is clear that the ring was to be: -platinum -contain 1 large emerald flanked by 4 white sapphires -have flush-mounting for the stones and be very durable as my fiancée uses her hands a lot -be created using ethically sourced and environmentally friendly materials When the ring arrived, 1 week before I was to propose, the ring looked fine. It was not accompanied with any documentation or appraisal, just the receipt and what I felt was a cheap box. Initially we loved the ring. 2 months after our engagement, when the excitement settled, we began talking about getting insurance for the ring. This is when the flaws in the ring started to show. The platinum bezel had been soldered on with white gold that was now turning yellow, the emerald was cracking, and one of the sapphires was chipped as it was set in a way that did not protect the stone. We obtained 2 appraisals from accredited appraisers who valued the ring at $5775 and $5500. This prompted a series of emails back and forth between Dawes Design and us. The concerns we had were 1) white gold solder - this was to be a platinum ring and the use of white gold solder was not discussed, revealed, or authorized by myself. We didn't think it looked good. In speaking with other jewelers, white gold solder in a platinum ring is generally frowned upon. My understanding is that in the UK, a ring would not be allowed to be stamped PLAT if it had white gold solder. 2) The reported use of ethical and environmentally friendly goods - We received no certificate to confirm these claims. This was a big thing for us, and we feel we had no proof of this. 3) value of the ring - By contacting her suppliers, we found out that the value of the stones was less than $300. I would never have paid $13k for a ring with such cheap stones, had I known. 4) craftsmanship - the ring, 3 months later, was already showing signs of damage. The choice of setting for the stones made this an inevitable reality, and was interpreted by our appraisers as being a sign of poor craftsmanship. Our communications with Jennifer ended abruptly. We were emotional in our words, and we received a letter from her lawyer notifying us to cease and desist any communication with Jennifer on this matter, or we would face legal action on the basis of slander, or at least that's how I understand it. We contacted a well established appraiser in California, near where Jennifer works, in case there was a local bias. We received a detailed report with an assessed value between $4100 to $6200. She also pointed out many of the same flaws with the ring. She did not contact Jennifer in writing her report, but did contact a local artist to ask about some local "going rates" and practices. At this point, we contacted the JVC. They seemed sympathetic to our story and advised us to have the ring appraised by one of the appraisers that Jennifer had suggested when our conflict arose. We did that and received a value of $5,100, and they too pointed out many flaws. The JVC then stated that they wanted Gail Levine, the Executive Director of the National Association of Jewelry Appraisers to view the ring. According to my understanding of the report, since this is a unique, one-of-a-kind ring, the replacement value is the cost that Jennifer Dawes would charge for the ring, as she is the only person who could create it - $13,600. I can't argue with that logic. At this point, we were advised to give up. I contacted Gail Levine personally to ask her about the use of white gold solder in a platinum ring. Her reply surprised me - because of the NAJA Code of Ethics and some other standards, she could not respond without the permission of her client, Jennifer Dawes. Her client! This made me feel quite upset with the whole process. We feel we have been taken advantage of. We have listed the ring on eBay for $1000 in the hopes of getting some money back. My advice to anyone buying a custom ring is to get the cost of the ring justified up front. Get a written contract that clearly states what materials will be used, and do not accept the ring without an appraisal and supporting documentation. I am writing my feelings and experiences so that others may be avoid the same pitfalls I had.

    Jenny H.'s engagement stack
    Jenny H.

    My fiancé has many attractive attributes, not the least of which is that he's related Jennifer Dawes! So I'm the thrilled, spoiled owner of several beautifully crafted Dawes Design pieces. The most exquisite of these, and most cherished, is my recently acquired engagement stack. The 18k gold Hewn Rose Cut Diamond Solitaire Ring and two Hewn Triple Rose Cut Diamond Jackets are the perfect representation of our union. We're a blended family of six, coming together later in life. I love that the recycled gold and hewn texture nod to that experience. Raw materials with a little history and texture. Then one lively little diamond for each member of our family, bonded together. It's a privilege to own a piece where each stone was hand-selected and each curve crafted specifically with our family in mind. And Jennifer's commitment to sustainable, responsibly sourced materials means I can wear that piece with an easy heart. For me, that personal, conscious hand is what turns gold and stones to treasure.

    My Jennifer Dawes ring stack

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    Ask the Community - Jennifer Dawes Designs

    Review Highlights - Jennifer Dawes Designs

    I love that the recycled gold and hewn texture nod to that experience.

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    Jennifer Dawes Designs - jewelry - Updated May 2026

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