I realize they are permanently closed now, but I finally feel ready to speak up about the poor treatment I received from Brian after my husband and I purchased a platinum gem-stone engagement ring and two platinum wedding bands from them in 2018. During the selection process, Joanne was very kind and accommodating and I felt that it was worth it to shop for an ethical ring in their small business. The trouble came during sizing. My husband's ring wasn't properly sized and I had to call a few times to set up an appointment for re-sizing. We brought the ring back and it was resized. When I called to pick it up, Brian answered the phone and was extremely rude, for reasons I can't understand. He was angry I believe for making them do extra work. The worst part was that after the resizing, the ring still didn't fit properly and unfortunately, it fell off of my husband's finger into a gutter a few months after our marriage. It was devastating. We should have taken it to another place for resizing - that's our bad - but to have invested in a platinum wedding band, receive begrudging customer service, and not even fix the product to the customer's liking, was horrible. I'm glad they closed down and believe their business suffered from terrible customer service, after initially pleasing people enough to buy their jewelry. read more

My fiancee and I wanted something unique and memorable for her engagement ring, and I'm certainly glad we found Brian Leber! He sat down with us and sketched a beautiful design the first day we met, and turned it into a real thing a few months later. We recently went back to have our wedding bands done, despite moving several states away. Once again the result was gorgeous, and the fact that these one-of-a-kind pieces are also environmentally conscious is a massive bonus. read more

Leber Jeweler - Custom made Engagement Ring + Wedding Bands. - Jewelry Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Had a great experience at Leber purchasing our engagement and wedding rings. They're incredibly knowledgable, patient and helpful. The pricing for our custom wedding band was very good compared to other jewelers and all their materials are ethically sourced which was important to us. Can't recommend Leber enough!! read more

Leber Jeweler - Custom engagement ring from Leber Jewelers - Jewelry Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

When my boyfriend and I decided we were getting engaged, the only thing I was sure about (besides him!) was that I didn't want a blood diamond. Nothing says I love you like "a small African child may have lost a hand over this rock," right? I looked around the Internet and found an ethical jeweler in Chicago. SCORE! The boyf and I headed down one Saturday afternoon and Joanne and Brian were there to help us look at rings. I was being a bit of a primadonna and just didn't like little aspects about a number of rings, even if I liked some of the aspects. It was suggested that we design our own so Brian discussed it with me and said we should come back in a week to see the design. A week later, we have a design and some big news....we were having a baby! The new circumstance put a little bit of a rush on the original engagement plan and Brian was able to accommodate a rush on the ring. Three weeks later, we get a phone call and my GORGEOUS ring is ready to go! My fiance had already proposed at this point (with a pink robot mood ring) so I was able to put on my pretty, sparkly, ethically sourced ring right away! I absolutely love it. I get compliments on it from strangers. It's just perfect. As far as price goes, it's about $3K less than what I saw on Brilliant Earth, and still less than the mass-produced blood diamonds that you see at the chains. Plus, Brian is so involved in the social justice side of things that I almost felt like I was contributing to a cause and getting a ring at the same time. We will definitely be going back to Leber for our wedding bands and other custom jewelry needs! read more

I was very excited about finding Leber. My fiance and I wanted ethical jewelry. I appreciate Brian's involvement on a national level in bringing this important issue to light. However, I am very disappointed in my experience. The stone fell out of my ring after only 4 months of wear. I should mention I was standing, talking to a friend when it happened. Apparently I chose a setting that is hard to keep in place. I wish this would have been communicated, but I can't fault them for that. However they are charging me for the fix. It broke because of their workmanship, not because I use my hands in rigorous ways or was doing anything that should have caused this. My family has owned businesses for over 100 years and this is NOT good customer service. I am incredibly disappointed that they would charge for the fix. I will not be purchasing our wedding rings from them because of this. Grr, just got my fixed ring back from them. The stone is set much stronger this time. When I first got the ring, the stone was moving around in the setting. I thought this was a quality of the particular setting. It was not. When I got the ring back, the stone was firmly and solidly set. Which means they did shoddy work the first time and charged me to do it right the second time. read more

If you're looking for more responsible gems and recycled gold look no further. Leber will help you design your jewelry while keeping your conscience relatively clean. I found Leber while searching online for more ethically (conflict free/fair trade) mined diamonds and gems and recycled precious metals. I had family check them out while in Chicago, and then my fiance and I went to check them out and ordered our rings just before their move to River North. Joann was very helpful, and Brian had some interesting stories re: going to Washington to try and make changes in how this stuff comes into our country, as well as how and where it's mined around here. Currently they're working on protecting lands in Alaska from mining, refusing to buy corals that are being decimated by the jewelry business among other factors, and educating folks on the blood gems of Burma. They're also directly plugged in to other countries and their mining trades in order to create a more responsible industry, and they make some really nice stuff. A win-win for your next jewelry shopping trip - buy from advocates of a better, cleaner, and more humane/environmentally friendly jewelry business. read more

I love my ring! I am not a woman who wears a lot of jewelry, but come from a culture where jewelry is very important. So when I got engaged, I needed a ring, but it was critical to me that any jewelry I do wear is ethically sourced. The idea of contributing to the destruction of the earth or the oppression of people around the world so I can wear a pretty thing is abhorrent to me. We currently live in California, and I was slightly worried about what it would be like creating a custom ring with someone who is located in Chicago. However, my fiance said his communication with Brian was fantastic. He was prompt and detailed. We were both pleasantly surprised at how quickly the ring was sent to us! We had ordered it right around Christmas time (I'm guessing the second busiest time of year for a jeweler after Valentine's?) and they were able to get it to us before Dec 24th, just in time to show it off to my family and friends during the holidays. Everyone loved it (recycled yellow gold and an emerald in the Amelia Milgrain!), and I have gotten compliments from many random people I encounter. It is lovely and delicate and fits perfectly. I have to add that I thought Leber Jeweler's prices were incredibly reasonable, considering ethical jewelry is (unfortunately) a niche market for now. Highly recommended!! read more

I recently had an excellent experience working directly with Brian on a set of platinum / diamond earrings for my wife. Our anniversary date was quickly approaching and, although each pair is made to order, his team expedited completion and overnight shipped the earrings to Philadelphia. They made it to me one day early! The earrings are beautiful, my wife loves them and also loves the fact that they are ethically sourced. A++ Highly recommend this shop. read more

I just purchased a beautiful pendant made of reclaimed and recycled gold and a non-Burmese ruby, from Leber Jeweler's Earthwise Jewelry collection. Ruby is my birthstone and I've wanted a pendant to match a pair of earrings my husband gave me, for a long time. I have been extremely troubled about human rights abuses from Burma, and since that it is where most rubies originate, I didn't feel comfortable buying one until now. My ruby is called "Nyala ruby" and Brian tells me it is sourced in Africa, and that the mine there supports the local community. Brian and Joanne are an authentic source of credible information, I have found in my Internet searches. The fulfillment of my order was also simple - it arrived promptly and safely by mail. I like what I see at their website, and I'd purchase again from them, based on this experience. read more

I contacted Brian earlier this year about a Canadian diamond they had. Brian took the time on multiple occasions to email me and call me and answered all my questions about buying diamonds and buying the right diamond for my girl friend. I ended up buying a beautiful diamond and had Brian make me the engagement ring too. I ended up proposing to her in Italy late last month. She said yes and absolutely loves the ring and she loves knowing all three diamonds are from Canada. I decided to buy a Canadian diamond because it's a great product and I know that the workers were treated fairly and paid appropriately. I want to thank Brian for educating me on the diamond trade and market. He is a good man, We will defiantly buy our wedding rings from him read more

Leber Jeweler - Ring - Jewelry Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Walked in to get sized and look at some stones. Was told could pay for sizing. Terrible customer experience. Will not be getting our business. read more

My (now) wife and I had a fantastic experience getting a custom engagement ring and wedding rings with Brian at Leber Jeweler, and we are thrilled with the outcomes. The rings: The rings came out marvelous. My wife wanted a somewhat unique design for her engagement ring. We agreed on sketches with Brian but you never know how something will actually turn out until you see it. It looks perfect! The sourcing: I work in the field of corporate sustainability, so responsible sourcing means a lot to me. Brian is thoughtful, diligent, and expert in ethical sourcing for jewelry. Where most places say something like, "Oh yes, we believe in ethical sourcing" they can't actually back that statement up with any substance. Brian is a recognized expert on the topic with a commitment to sustainability and the fluency to explain his approach. We wear our rings with confidence that Brian has done all he can to source responsibly. The experience: Brian worked with me by phone to design the rings. (I don't live in Chicago, but liked the shop so much I wanted to work with them.) He patiently answered my (many) questions. These were not lavish rings, either, but Brian put a lot of care and effort into working with us. Additionally, at one point I noticed that a bill slightly undercharged one of the rings from our agreed-upon price. When I mentioned it to him, he told me the cost came out a bit lower so he passed that on to me. I appreciated the integrity/service of that gesture. You'll notice I don't have many Yelp reviews; I admit to being a bit of a yelp freeloader (I use it often but review rarely). Such a customized, quality experience merited a rare post by me. read more

I echo the reviewer who called the customer service "not very warm." I bought a beautiful stone for an engagement ring at Leber but am not going back, and am not recommending Leber to anyone else. I went to Leber because I was on board with their mission of selling jewelry that was less environmentally destructive and did not violate human rights. But the person I dealt with gave me the hard sell and, when I expressed hesitance, was very rude. I ended up getting a stone from Leber and an antique setting from another store. Although Leber may be the only game in town for ethical jewelry, they're not the only option. When my spouse and I were purchasing wedding bands, we used an online store with similar ethical and environmental values as Leber. We were very happy with our decision. Until Leber gets their customer service up to snuff, ethical shoppers would do well to stay away. read more

My fiance knew I wanted a conflict-free engagement ring and apparently had a difficult time finding a credible one in Chicago or NYC...or so it was until he found Leber Jewelers. He said that Brian was incredibly helpful, accommodating, knowledgeable, and extremely kind. My fiance thought Leber was a treat to work with, particularly when he encountered other pushy jewelers before he met Brian and Joann. As for me, I absolutely love the ring!! Before we got engaged, I was convinced that I wouldn't care what my ring looked like so long as it was conflict-free. Boy was I wrong! It's actually really awesome to have a eco-friendly & conflict-free ring that happens to be gorgeous as well! The diamond is perfect and the recycled band is designed to look like ivy (which is unique, antique-esque and just fun)! I have received countless compliments on the ring, in particular the band. As an added bonus, it's very good to know that the individuals who designed the ring are also using their time and financial resources to advocate for the environment and for human rights around the globe. Their dedication to human rights seems to permeate every aspect of their business and their personal lives. Socially responsible, kind, honest, committed to working towards a better world, dedicated to their clients, and beautiful jewelry--needless to say, we will be buying our wedding bands at Leber as well and telling everyone we know to do the same. read more

Amazing service. My wife really wanted an engagement ring that was made with reclaimed gold and conflict free diamonds. The fact that I bought it from a mom and pop shop and they made rings inspired from strong female role models only helped. Brian answered all my questions, and I had plenty since I have know idea about jewelry. Wife loved her ring and we eventually bought the band and my ring from Leber's. Brian again walked us through the process. 100% happy with the process and product. Especially since I never stepped foot in the store because I was 800 miles away, I still felt like an important customer, as if I was doing business face to face. Next time I'm in Chicago, I want to stop by and say "Thank You" personally. read more

I have had Brian and Joanne make several custom pieces of jewelry. They do beautiful work, are sweet people, and extremely conscientious. I couldn't recommend them more highly! read more

My husband had 2 meaningful rings he wanted to turn into an engagement ring for me and a wedding band for himself. It was very important to me that I have an ethical ring, which led me to Leber. He did a terrific job with my engagement ring, band and my husbands band. The entire experience couldn't have been better. Designing the rings was easy, he responded to questions very promptly and the price was reasonable. We couldn't be any happier with our finished product. We now refer all of our friends to Leber for their jewelry needs. read more

My fiance purchased my sapphire engagement ring from Leber. The stone is beautiful! It is a lovely color, and have incredible sparkle to it. The setting also is very nicely crafted, and we were drawn to its unique design. We ended up returning the first ring because the stone was too dark. Brian was very accommodating, and even had a new setting made to accommodate the slightly larger, much brighter stone. My only issue is that the appraisal form that was supposed to accompany the ring was missing. Also, you must be very patient, and order well ahead of time (6-8 weeks), as each ring is custom made. Worth the wait though. We are firm believers in reusing/recycling, and ethical purchasing, and are happy to support a company with similar values. read more

I love that Leber is a family-owned business, and that they use only recycled metals in making their jewelry. This is what lead us to them for our wedding bands in the first place. We had them custom design a band to go with my engagement ring, which my husband had bought from a company in San Francisco. The ring turned out nicely, but was not quite what I was expecting. My husband's ring came out great. The husband and wife who own the business are helpful enough, but not very warm. Also, you do pay a premium for being an environmentally responsible shopper. read more

My (now) fiancé and I wanted to make sure we found a beautiful conflict free diamond for our engagement, and did a bit of searching in the city to find the right jeweler. Boy did we find the BEST!! Brian and JoAnne are the best. Leber Jewelery is the best in the city by far. They are helpful, knowledgeable and very talented in the craft. I couldn't be happier that we found such a helpful jeweler, and I wouldn't send my friends or family to anyone but them! Great work Leber!!!!! read more

My fiance and I live in Brooklyn and were searching for rings made of recycled gold. After dealing with a couple of dishonest jewelers in New York, we decided to take a chance and order our rings online from Brian Leber. We knew his record on supporting human rights was impeccable (he came recommended from a respected human rights organization), but we were initially reluctant because we wanted to see and try on the rings we would be wearing for the rest of our lives. Throughout the process, Brian was personable and responsive. Our rings arrived when promised, and are absolutely beautiful. I don't know how his prices compare in Chicago, but we were able to purchase our 18K rings for less than 14K rings in New York. We are extremely happy with our purchase. read more

Joanne, sales assistant, was not just endearing, fun and made the appointment a dream come true and very educational experience about gemstones I've never even heard of and colors of diamonds I never knew existed. Looking forward to seeing her in Naples, FL soon bearing gifts... read more

My fiance and I had a fantastic experience at Leber Jeweler. We had previously spoken to a few other jewelers in the area and ultimately chose Brian as our jeweler because he was the most empathetic - Brian understood our needs and was completely accommodating in meeting them. We had never ordered custom jewelry before, but my fiance and I knew that we wanted custom designs for our engagement ring and wedding bands to make sure that these pieces were unique to us. We also felt that it was important to have a stake in the design of something that we would wear for the rest of our lives. Brian was able to walk us through the process and provided many ideas that we were able to build off of to come to the final designs. He also provided us with a sketch of the engagement ring after I mentioned worries that I was having. Brian was also has a variety of gems and was able to meet both our requests - I wanted an aquamarine and my fiance wanted rubies instead of diamonds. Brian was cognizant of our budget and stayed well within what we asked. He also shipped our wedding bands to New York at no additional cost to us and we received the package the day after he sent it out. We originally weren't looking for ethically sourced rings, but this was a nice bonus in addition to finding a jeweler that worked well with us and produced amazing jewelry. We highly recommend Leber Jeweler for any custom jewelry needs, not just if you're concerned about ethical sourcing. We will definitely go back if we have any additional jewelry needs. read more

So far as I can tell, this is the only socially responsible jeweler anywhere near Chicago. And it's pretty near Chicago. Brian and Joann are wonderfully helpful and sell beautiful things. If you've got a social conscience and need fine jewelry, this is your place. read more

When making a purchase for any item of adornment, there is only one place I will cast my economic vote and that is with Leber Jeweler. It is assuring to know that all issues related to jewelery are not only considered in advance by my jeweler, but that they work actively on national and international levels to encourage and promote conscientious decision making by all parties. The bonus is the great quality of workmanship, design and materials. read more

We purchased my engagement and wedding rings here. I wanted a diamond ring but didn't want a "blood diamond" so I was very happy to see that there was an ethical jeweler right here in Chicago. I get compliments on my rings all the time and I couldn't be happier with them. And they fit together perfectly as a set. They took good care of us, educated us about diamonds and how they source them, and I feel we got a good price for the value. I would recommend them to anyone looking for guilt-free bling! read more

Brian is wonderful to work with. He really listened to what I wanted, gave me several beautiful options, and worked with my on my budget. He made me a beautiful ring with a step-cut aquamarine gem that was responsibly sourced. I also asked him to use recycled diamonds from a ring my grandmother gave me to create a more stylish modern ring, and he was able to create exactly what I want. I recommend Leber Jeweler to everyone if you are looking at jewelry. They have a wide range of jewelry styles, and can order custom gems for you to suit your exact needs. Best of all I felt confident that the materials that went into my rings were ethically sourced. I would give 6 stars if possible! read more

My boyfriend and I were there Wednesday, March 17, looking for a ring and we were treated very poorly. Brian had a snobbish air about him and seemed annoyed the entire time we were there. You could even say he acted like we were imposing on him. My boyfriend and I left there knowing that Brian would never get our money. read more

I went to Leber to find an engagement ring that I would both love and not feel guilty wearing. Brian was very friendly and laid back when showing me their rings. He even wrote down the ring I liked for me to give to my fiance. I wrote down a few more and my fiance surprised me a month or so later. I love my ring and get compliments on it all the time! Thank you, Leber Jeweler! read more

My fiancee mentioned she was concerned about how the people get treated that are involved with mining diamonds. After researching further, I found that there are actually very few jewelers that truly know where the diamonds come from, and limit their suppliers to only ones that treat their employees ethically and with dignity. During the search I found Leber Jeweler mentioned in a forum. We set up an appointment with Brian, and the appointment was unlike any other jewelry shopping experience. Brian is very easy to talk to, not pushy or any typical salesman tactics. We explained what we were looking for, and our budget, and he offered options that were under and equal to our budget, and didnt try to push us into something more expensive. Most importantly, he shared how much effort he goes through to ensure the diamonds come from good suppliers, and even helps lobby for better laws to improve treatment of these workers. The diamonds come from Canada, and all gold he uses is recycled. The ring was custom made, and when it was done, we were so excited it was even better than we could have hoped for! We ended up getting the matching wedding band and my wedding ring from them also. The process went smoothly, and he is very responsive with email. Definitely recommend them highly! read more

Leber Jeweler - Jewelry Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I'll keep it short and sweet: my fiancé and I had a fantastic experience with Joanne and Brian Leber. My custom-made padparadscha sapphire and diamond engagement ring is made out of all ethically sourced gems and gold, and we know we'll go back to Leber Jeweler to buy our wedding rings. I can't thank the Lebers enough for holding to the highest ethical standards, leading the charge in the industry on prioritizing conflict-free gems and recycled precious metals, and for taking lots of time to talk to us about social justice and the aesthetics of engagement rings. These are good people, and if you're wondering who you should give your business to when buying jewelry, look no further than Leber Jeweler! read more